] In an interview with "The Observer", Madonna professed her inspirations—Detroit natives The Raconteurs and The White Stripes, as well as New York band The Jett Set. [cite news | title=Material Girl talks of her pop material | work=The Observer | date=2006-10-29| accessdate=2007-12-31]
During her childhood, Madonna was inspired by actors, later saying, "I loved Carole Lombard and Judy Holliday and Marilyn Monroe. They were all incredibly funny...and I saw myself in them...my girlishness, my knowingness and my innocence".[cite journal | last=Worrell | first=Denise | title=Madonna, Why She's Hot | journal=Time Magazine |date=1985-05-27 | accessdate=2007-12-16] Her "Material Girl" music video recreated Monroe's "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" from the film "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", and she later studied the screwball comedies of the 1930s, particularly those of Lombard, in preparation for her film "Who's That Girl". The video for "Express Yourself" (1989) was inspired by Fritz Lang's silent film "Metropolis". The video for "Vogue" recreated the style of Hollywood glamour photographers, in particular Horst P. Horst, and imitated the poses of Marlene Dietrich, Carole Lombard and Rita Hayworth, while the lyrics referenced many of the stars who had inspired her. [cite book|last=Victor|first=Barbara|title=Goddess, Inside Madonna|publisher=Cliff Street Books|year=2001|pages=23|isbn=0-06-019930-X ] Among them was Bette Davis, described by Madonna as an idol, along with Louise Brooks and Dita Parlo. ["Rolling Stone", August 1991, "True Confessions: The Rolling Stone Interview With Madonna, Part One" by Carrie Fisher.] ]Madonna has been influenced by the art world, most notably by Frida Kahlo. [Voller, Debbi [1999] "Madonna: The Style Book" Pg 89. ISBN 0711975116] Her 1995 music video to "Bedtime Story" featured images inspired by the paintings of Kahlo and Remedios Varo. [cite book|last=Guralnick|first=Peter|coauthors= Douglas Wolk|title=Best Music Writing
origdate=
origyear=
origmonth=|edition=2000
series=|volume=
date=|year=|month=|publisher=Da Capo Press|isbn=0306809990|pages=149
chapter=] Her 2003 video to "Hollywood" was a homage to the work of photographer Guy Bourdin which led to a lawsuit by Bourdin's son due to the use of his father's work without permission. [cite news|first=Gary|last=Susman|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,491440,00.html|work=Entertainment Weekly|title=Madonna faces copyright suit over video images|accessdate=2008-06-14]
Personal life
Relationships
In the late 1970s, Madonna dated Dan Gilroy, with whom she formed the band Breakfast Club. [cite book|last=Morton |first=Andrew |publisher=St Martin's Press |origdate=2001 | isbn=0312287860 | title=Madonna] In the early 1980s, she dated her collaborator Stephen Bray,[cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp2/features/top5/madonna.shtml|title=Five professional collaborations that carried on in the bedroom|work=BBC's Top of the Pops 2|accessdate=2008-01-26] artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, [cite book|last=Hoban |first=Phoebe|publisher=Penguin USA|year=2004|isbn=0143035126|title=Basquiat: A Quick Killing in Art] [cite book| first=Randy P. |last=Conner |coauthors=David Hatfield Sparks |title=Queering Creole Spiritual Traditions |publisher=Haworth Press |origyear=2004 |pages=pg. 299 | isbn=1560233516] DJ and record producer Mark Kamins, [cite book|last= Taraborrelli |first=J. Randy |publisher= Diane Publishers |origmonth=2004-05 | isbn=0756779436 | title=Madonna: An Intimate Biography] and musician Jellybean Benitez.][ While filming the music video for "Material Girl" in 1985, Madonna dated actor Sean Penn and married him later that year. After filing and withdrawing divorce papers in December 1987, they separated on New Year's Eve 1988 and divorced in September 1989. [cite book |last= Horton |first=Rosalind|editor=Sally Simmons|title=Women Who Changed the World|origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |edition= |series= |volume= |year=2007|publisher=Quercus |location= |isbn=1847240267|pages=196|chapter=] Of her marriage to Penn, Madonna said, "I was completely obsessed with my career and not ready to be generous in any shape or form." [cite web|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article586950.ece|title=Geordie Greig meets Madonna|work=The Sunday Times|date=November 6, 2005|accessdate=2008-06-09] ]In late 1990, Madonna dated Tony Ward,[cite news| url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/madonnamen.htm |title=Crazy for Madonna's men | work=USA Today | year=2000 |accessdate=2008-01-07 | quote=Madonna and model Tony Ward briefly dated in 1990", "Vanilla Ice and Madonna were together for eight months in 1992.] a bisexual model and porn star who starred in her music videos for "Cherish" (1989) and "Justify My Love" (1990). Their relationship ended by early 1991,][cite news|last=Hirschberg|first=Lynn|title=The Misfit|work=Vanity Fair|date=April 1991] and Madonna began an eight-month relationship with rapper Vanilla Ice, who appeared in her "Sex" book.]David Banda adoption
In October 2006, Madonna traveled to Malawi to help build an orphanage, which she also funded as part of the Raising Malawi initiative. [cite news|url=http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=286338&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/|title=Madonna adopts Malawian child, says father|date=October 2006|accessdate=2008-02-23] On October 10, 2006, she filed adoption papers for a boy named David Banda Mwale, born on September 24, 2005 and renamed David Banda Mwale Ciccone Ritchie. [cite news|first=Simon |last= Perry| url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1546505,00.html | title=Boy Madonna Hopes to Adopt Leaves Africa |work= People magazine |date=October 2006 |accessdate=2006-10-16] [cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/ae/celebrity/articles/2006/10/19/madonna_names_baby/?rss_id=Boston.com+%2F+A%26E+%2F+Celebrity+news|title=Madonna names baby|work=boston.com|accessdate=2008-06-09] Banda was flown out of Malawi on October 16. [cite news| url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/10/16/uraadopt.xml |title=Madonna baby flown out of Malawi |work=The Daily Telegraph |accessdate=2006-10-16] The adoption raised public controversy because Malawian law requires would-be parents to reside in Malwa for one year before adopting. [cite news| url=http://news.sawf.org/Entertainment/24351.aspx|title=Madonna Adoption Plans Trigger Broad Backlash|work=Reuters Wire Services|date=2006-10-17|accessdate=2008-02-23] The effort was highly publicised and culminated into legal disputes. [cite news |first=Raphael |last=Tenthani |title=Upset in Madonna's Malawi Adoption Case |url=http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=3553924 | publisher=Associated Press |date= 2007-09-03 |accessdate=2008-02-23 ]
Madonna refuted the allegations on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in October 2006. She said that there are no written adoption laws in Malawi that regulate foreign adoption and that Banda had been suffering from pneumonia after surviving malaria and tuberculosis when she met him. [cite news|first=Shia |last= Kapos|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1550254,00.html|title=Madonna: Boy's Father Has Been Manipulated|work=People|accessdate=2008-06-09] Madonna blamed the media for "doing a great disservice to all the orphans of Africa" by discouraging the adoption. [cite news|last=Heher|first=Ashley M|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/10/25/entertainment/e073141D55.DTL|title=Madonna Disappointed by Criticism|work=SFGate|accessdate=2008-06-14|date=2006-10-25] Singer and humanitarian activist, Bono, defended her by saying, "Madonna should be applauded for helping to take a child out of the worst poverty imaginable." [cite news| url=http://www.nme.com/news/madonna/25047 |work=NME News| title=Bono defends Madonna's adoption| accessdate=2008-06-05]
Some said that Banda's biological father Yohane did not understand what adoption meant and had assumed that the arrangement was fostering. He said, "These so-called human rights activists are harassing me every day, threatening me that I am not aware of what I am doing." He also said, "They want me to support their court case, a thing I cannot do for I know what I agreed with Madonna and her husband." [cite news|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15429329|title=Boy's father worries Madonna may back out|work=MSNBC|date=2006-10-26|accessdate=2008-06-14] Madonna responded that Banda had rejected her offer of financial support and preferred adoption. [cite news|title=Madonna and child|last=Vieira|first=Meredith|authorlink=Meredith Vieira|work=Dateline NBC|date=2006-11-01|accessdate=2008-02-03] The adoption was finalized on May 28, 2008 [cite news|first=Raphael|last=Tenthani|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20202798,00.html|title=Madonna 'Over the Moon' About Finalized Adoption|work="People"|date=2008-05-28|accessdate=2008-05-28] Yohane Banda expressed satisfaction but said, "I might challenge some aspects of the order." [cite news| url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361182,00.html|title=Father of Madonna's Adopted Son May Challenge Custody Ruling|work=FOX News|accessdate=2008-06-09]
Work at the Kabbalah Centre
Since the late 1990s, Madonna has been a devotee of the Kabbalah Centre and a disciple of its head, Rabbi Philip Berg, and his wife Karen. She also studies with Rabbi Eitan Yardeni, whose wife Sarah Yardeni runs her favorite charitable project, "Spirituality for Kids", a subsidiary of the Centre. [Mim Udovitch. [http://www.rickross.com/reference/kabbalah/kabbalah150.html Inside Hollywood's Hottest Cult - Part Three: Madonna’s Magical Mystical Tour] . June 20, 2005. Retrieved February 26, 2006.] Madonna donated $21 million towards a new Kabbalah school for children. [ [http://www.rickross.com/reference/kabbalah/kabbalah88.html Madonna opens her own school] . "The Times of India". August 5, 2004. Retrieved February 26, 2006.] Israeli rabbis condemned the song "Isaac" from "Confessions on a Dance Floor" because they believed it was a tribute to Rabbi Isaac Luria and claimed that Jewish law forbids commercialising a rabbi's name. Madonna claimed that she had named it after an Israeli singer and said, "The album isn't even out, so how could Jewish scholars in Israel know what my song is about?" [Elysa Gardner. [http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-10-27-madonna_x.htm Madonna at a crossroads] . USA Today. October 27, 2005. Retrieved on February 26, 2006.] Madonna has defended her Kabbalah studies by stating it "would be less controversial if I joined the Nazi Party" and that the Kabbalah is "not hurting anybody." [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4393642.stm |title=Madonna defends Kabbalah interest|work=BBC|date=2005-10-31|accessdate=2008-06-03]
Legacy
Many critics have described her lyrics as simple, and even dull. [cite web | url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/track_review/30177-love-profusion |work=Pitchfork |title=Madonna: Love Profusion Track Review|accessdate=2007-12-30] Her Confessions Tour is the highest grossing concert tour by a female artist. [cite web|first=|last=|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/wjn8/|title=Madonna, The Confessions Tour|work=BBC|date=|accessdate=2008-06-03] In the United Kingdom, she is the most successful female in the singles chart history and has more number one singles than any other female solo artist. [cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/01_january/05/one_superstars.shtml|title=The musical superstars|work=BBC|accessdate=2008-06-09] In 2008, she surpassed Elvis Presley as the artist with most top ten hits in the history of Billboard Hot 100. [cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/chart_beat/bonus_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001570647|title=Chart Beat|work=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media|date=2005-11-24|accessdate=2008-02-05|last=Bronson|first=Fred] In 2007, Madonna was listed by VH1 as eighth in the "Greatest Women of Rock & Roll." [cite web|url=http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/62166/episode_wildcard.jhtml?wildcard=/shows/dynamic/includes/wildcards/the_greatest/women_list_full.jhtml&event_id=862765&start=81|title=100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll (20-1)|work=VH1|publisher=MTV Network| accessdate=2008-06-05] On March 10, 2008, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. [cite web |first= |last= |url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Music/12/13/rockhall.inductees.ap/index.html|title=Madonna leads list of Rock Hall inductees| work=CNN| date=|accessdate=2008-06-09]
There has been speculation about her relationships with other women, including Naomi Campbell and Sandra Bernhard. The book "Sex" depicts her in sexual situations with men and women, and she has been credited with educating people about bisexuality. [cite book|last=Rust|first=P. C. R|title=Bisexuality in the United States: A social science reader|origyear = 2000|publisher=Columbia University Press|location =New York|quote=Madonna's relationships with women have been the subject of public intrigue and scrutiny. She has been linked with Naomi Campbell and Saundra Bernhardt... the "Sex" book features her in... sexual situations with both men and women... Madonna's sexual fluidity has been attributed to the social liberation of bisexuality in the United States in the 1990's.] Madonna has been criticized by the Roman Catholic Church, particularly during her "Who's That Girl", "Blond Ambition" and "Confessions" tours. "New York Times" journalist and author Gay Talese relates this to her Italian ancestry – people from Pacentro have been in a long tradition of rebellion against Catholics. [cite video|date2= 2004-09-28|title=Italians in America - Our Contribution, Region 1|format=NTSC|medium=DVD|publisher=White Star|id=ASIN: B0002S643C] Madonna had her son Rocco baptized in a Presbyterian Church. [cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=111609&page=1 |title=Madonna's Son Baptized |date=December 21|work=ABC News| accessdate=2008-06-05]
Madonna has generated academic interest. Interdisciplinary research and publications address her relationship to and place within commodity culture, the mass-media spectacles she creates, and the iconography of minority groups such as gay and lesbian people, which she uses in videos such as those for "Vogue", "Like a Prayer", "La Isla Bonita" and "Borderline". These publications were so extensive that in the 1990s, academics would refer to "Madonna Studies" as a sub-field of media studies. [Robertson, P (1996), Guilty Pleasures: Feminist Camp From Mae West to Madonna Duke University Press, London pp. 117]
In 2006 a new (ITIS) number of the species is 711164. [cite web |first= |last= |url=http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=711164 |title=Echiniscus madonnae |publisher=ITIS |date=|accessdate=2008-06-03]
Discography
* 1983: "Madonna"
* 1984: "Like a Virgin"
* 1986: "True Blue"
* 1989: "Like a Prayer"
* 1992: "Erotica"
* 1994: "Bedtime Stories"
* 1998: "Ray of Light"
* 2000: "Music"
* 2003: "American Life"
* 2005: "Confessions on a Dance Floor"
* 2008: "Hard Candy"
Filmography
Tours
Madonna has had eight successful tours in the course of her career, being:
* 1985: The Virgin Tour
* 1987: Who's That Girl World Tour
* 1990: Blond Ambition World Tour
* 1993: The Girlie Show World Tour
* 2001: Drowned World Tour
* 2004: Re-Invention World Tour
* 2006: Confessions Tour
* 2008: Sticky & Sweet Tour
ee also
*List of best-selling music artists
*List of best-selling music artists in the United States
*UK Best selling singles artists of all time
*List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (United States)
*List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. dance chart
*List of artists who reached number one in Ireland
*List of artists who reached number one on the Australian singles chart
*Madonna as gay icon
*Honorific titles in popular music
*Mononymous persons
References
External links
*
###@@@KEY@@@###
-! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Golden Globe Award
-succession box
title = Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
years = 1997
for "Evita"
before= Nicole Kidman for "To Die For"
after = Helen Hunt for "As Good as It Gets"
-! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Grammy Award
-succession box
title = Best Long Form Music Video
years = 1992 for "Live! - Blond Ambition World Tour 90"
before= MC Hammer for "Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em the Movie"
after = Annie Lennox for "Diva"succession box
title = Best Short Form Music Video
years = 1999 for "Ray of Light"
before= Janet Jackson for "Got 'Til It's Gone"
after = Korn for "Freak on a Leash"succession box
title = Best Pop Vocal Album
years = 1999 for "Ray of Light"
before= James Taylor for "Hourglass"
after = Sting for "Brand New Day"succession box
title = Best Dance Recording
years = 1999 for "Ray of Light"
before= Giorgio Moroder & Donna Summer for "Carry On"
after = Cher for "Believe"succession box
title = Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
years = 2000 for "Beautiful Stranger"
before= James Horner & Will Jennings for "My Heart Will Go On"
after = Randy Newman for "When She Loved M"succession box
title = Best Electronic/Dance Album
years = 2007 for "Confessions on a Dance Floor"
before= The Chemical Brothers for "Push the Button"
after = The Chemical Brothers for "We Are the Night"succession box
title = Best Long Form Music Video
years = 2008 for "The Confessions Tour"
before= Thom Zimny and Bruce Springsteen for "Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run"
after = TBA
-! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | MTV Video Music Awards
-succession box
title = Video of the Year
years = 1998 for "Ray of Light"
before= Jamiroquai for "Virtual Insanity"
after = Lauryn Hill for "Doo Wop (That Thing)"succession box
title = Best Female Video
years = 1987 for "Papa Don't Preach"
before= Whitney Houston for "How Will I Know"
after = Suzanne Vega for "Luka"succession box
title = Best Female Video
years = 1995 for "Take a Bow"
before= Janet Jackson for "If"
after = Alanis Morissette for "Ironic"succession box
title = Best Female Video
years = 1998 for "Ray of Light"
before= Jewelfor "You Were Meant for Me"
after = Lauryn Hill for "Doo Wop (That Thing)"
Persondata
NAME=Madonna
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Ciccone, Madonna Louise
SHORT DESCRIPTION=musician, singer, songwriter, actress, author
DATE OF BIRTH=August 16, 1958
PLACE OF BIRTH=Bay City, Michigan, United States
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=