Madame ❌ Enjoying her day off

Madame ❌. Enjoying her day off 🐎🐎🐎🐎 #madamex #summerdays pic.twitter.com/TyzO1oN7ri

— Madonna (@Madonna) 3 July 2019

Madonna capped off WorldPride with powerful message during concert at 'Pride Island'

All it took was a 30-minute concert for Madonna to deliver her powerful sentiments in support of the LGBTQ community during her performance to close out WorldPride.

Thousands of people flocked to Pier 97 in New York City, also known as 'Pride Island,' to see the icon put on her four-song set. The concert ended a month of festivities for WorldPride, including the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots on June 28 that sparked the gay liberation movement.

'Fifty years of revolution,' Madonna said to the crowd between songs. 'Fifty years of freedom and fighting. Fifty years of putting up with discrimination, hatred and ignorance. Fifty years of not bowing down to fear. I’m so proud and honored to share this historical event with you. Fifty [expletive] years. It’s insane. Are you with me?'

The singer went on to give background as to why she shares a special bond with the LGBTQ community.

'Since I came to New York as a wee-little girl, I have always been embraced by queer nation,' Madonna continued. 'I always felt like an outsider, but you made me feel like an insider, like somebody. So you must know how much I love and appreciate everyone here from the LGBTQ community.'

Madonna opened the show with her smash hit 'Vogue,' followed by a guitar-led rendition of 'American Life' before showing off the singer's new material in the second half of her act.

Before performing her new songs 'God Control' and 'I Rise,' the singer spoke candidly with the crowd about the biggest issues facing America.

She listed gun safety as a major issue: 'Gun safety and gun control which is disproportionately affecting marginalized communities.'

Her performance of 'God Control' featured her background dancers dressed as police officers, while 'I Rise' showcased images of the young students who were at the forefront of the March for Our Lives movement.

Many fans and supporters of the LGBTQ community attended the packed celebration. Comedian Billy Eichner, 'Pose' star Billy Porter and Frankie Grande, brother of singer Ariana, made appearances.

'I’m beyond grateful right now. world pride was everything i could have asked for… celebrated at pride island with @Madonna…w/ my loving boyfriend at my side… & completely SOBER!,' Grande tweeted from the concert.

From USA Today

Madame ❌ is a spy in the House of NYC

Madame ❌ is a spy in the House of NYC................ work BITCHES............. 🌈🗽#nyc #worldpridenyc #stonewall50 #madamex pic.twitter.com/BOsWuzZCBI

— Madonna (@Madonna) 1 July 2019

Get ready for PRIDE Island!

Tonight Madonna will take to the stage to close out World Pride / Stonewall 50 at the Pride Island 2019 event in NYC.

LOVE is the message................... 🏳️‍🌈❤️🏳️‍🌈🧡🏳️‍🌈💛🏳️‍🌈💚🏳️‍🌈💙🏳️‍🌈💜 Madame ❌ #madamex #worldpridenyc #stonewall50 pic.twitter.com/KLrHz80Avm

— Madonna (@Madonna) June 28, 2019

Getting ready for the weekend.................. 🏳️‍🌈 Madame ❌ #madamex #worldpridenyc #stonewall50 pic.twitter.com/hfP2Z24vyf

— Madonna (@Madonna) June 27, 2019

Madonna - World Of Madame X

A 23 minute documentary directed by Nuno Xico is now available to stream on Amazon Prime.

Beautifully set in Lisbon, Portugal, Madonna describes the World of Madame X in this documentary about her recent album. She is joined by collaborators that were part of or inspired Madame X.

Madonna Launching Exclusive SiriusXM Channel, 'Madame X' Radio

Madonna will launch her own SiriusXM channel on July 1, the satellite radio giant revealed today (June 28). Fittingly titled Madame X Radio - after her latest album, which recently debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 - the channel will showcase music from Madonna's decades-spanning career.

Along with music, Madonna's SiriusXM channel will feature exclusive stories from Madame X as well as stories behind other songs.

'This channel brings you into the intricate world of Madame X,' Madonna says in a statement. 'You’ll learn more about the creative process behind my latest album and gain a deeper understanding of what drives me as an artist and a performer.'

Madame X Radio will launch on July 1 at 12 p.m. ET, and run through July 31. Sirius subscribers can access it on Channel 4 on SiriusXM, but fans can also listen on SiriusXM's mobile app as well as on smart TVS, Amazon Alexa, Apple TV, PlayStation, Roku and Sonos speakers.

Just before the channel launches, Madonna will be performing at New York City's Pride Island as part of the Pride Month Celebrations on June 30. She'll kick off an extensive Madame X World Tour on Sept. 12 in Brooklyn, New York.

From Billboard.com

Madonna Releases New Video to Spotlight Issue of Gun Violence: 'I Can't Take It Anymore'

Madonna’s next venture: Preventing gun violence.

On Wednesday, the singer released the highly-anticipated music video for her song, God Control - a rousing, in-your-face and politically charged call for gun violence prevention.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Madonna, 60, called the epidemic of mass shootings in the U.S. “out of control.”

“I made this video because I want to draw attention to a crisis that needs to be addressed. To me, this is the biggest problem in America right now,” she said, adding, “I cannot take it anymore.”

In true Madonna fashion, she pushes the envelope in mixing art and activism. She addresses the horrors of a mass shooting, which she depicts in the video from one of the tracks on Madame X - her ninth No. 1 album to date.

“This is your wake-up call,” she sings in the video, which evokes the disco era of the late 1970s, when Madonna first moved to New York City and went to Studio 54. “We need to wake up.”

To warn viewers about the video’s graphic and violent content, she begins with a disclaimer: “The story you’re about to see is very disturbing. But it’s happening everywhere and it has to stop.”

Moments later, club-goers are shown being shot in a hail of bullets, in scenes reminiscent of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, which claimed 49 lives and injured 53, as well as the 2018 shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, which killed 13 and injured more than 10.

It is tough and shocking to watch - but Madonna says she wanted it that way.

“Seeing the reality, and the brutality of things makes you wake up,” she says. “This is really happening. This is what it looks like. Does it make you feel bad? Good, cause then maybe you will do something about it.”

One of the main reasons she made the video was for her kids - and kids everywhere.

“I send my children to school with the same fear every mother in this era has,” says Madonna, who has six children: Lourdes, 22, Rocco, 18, David, 13, Mercy, 13 and twin girls Estere and Stelle, 6.

“As a mother, you feel protective and responsible for all of the children in the world,” she says. “It’s really scary to me that the once-safe spaces where we gather, worship and learn are targets. Nobody’s safe. So of course, as a mother, I acutely feel the worry.”

For the woman who practically wrote the book on stirring up controversy, she is ready with a response to those who might say the video is too graphic.

“I would say this is what happens when people shoot,” she says. “Understand that this is what happens. Guns kill. A bullet rips through your body, knocks you to the floor and takes your life, and you bleed to death.

“I mean, this is reality. People can watch it in action films, and they are okay with it, but when it is about the truth, the reality of what’s happening in our country, why is it too graphic?”

She hopes the video inspires people to take action to find solutions to gun violence.

“It’s a call to action,” she says. “Whatever you can offer, whatever you can contribute can be helpful. It’s twofold: It’s raising awareness and raising money to galvanize, organize and get s- done.”

Shannon Watts, who founded Moms Demand Action, the grassroots arm of the gun violence prevention organization Everytown for Gun Safety, says she is grateful that Madonna is using her platform to raise awareness about the horrors of gun violence.

“It’s really important that she is both raising awareness about the impact of gun violence and urging people to get off the sidelines and get involved to end it,” says Watts.

Says Madonna: “My responsibility is to use my voice to affect change in the world.”

Conversation is great, she says. “But then it has to go to the next level.”

From People.com

Madonna calls on fans to demand gun control

Madonna has urged her fans to “wake up” and demand gun control in the US.

The Queen of Pop, 60, has previously criticised President Donald Trump for failing to act on the issue.

In a social media post, the veteran singer asked her 2.5 million followers to “honor the victims” of gun violence.

On Twitter, she wrote: “This is your wake up call. Gun violence disproportionately affects children, teenagers and the marginalized in our communities.

“Honor the victims and demand GUN CONTROL. NOW. Volunteer, stand up, donate, reach out.”

In a second tweet, she said: “Wake up and insist on common-sense gun safety legislation. Innocent lives depend on it.”

She also urged her fans to follow a number of organisations including Sandy Hook Promise, which trains students to recognise signs of gun violence, and the US advocacy group National Centre for Transgender Equality.

The message came as she unveiled the graphic video for her single God Control, which depicts a shooting at a fictional disco club called the Globe.

The eight-minute video may be in reference to the 2016 mass shooting at the gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando.

The video begins with a message which reads: “The video you are about to see is very disturbing. It shows graphic scenes of gun violence.

“But it’s happening every day. And it has to stop.”

From PA Via Yahoo! News

Wake up and insist on common-sense gun safety legislation. Innocent lives depend on it. Join me in supporting the following organizations: @Everytown @AMarch4OurLives @GAGnoguns @sandyhook @HRC @TheTaskForce @TransEquality @NCADV @1Pulse4America @SUPGVNetwork @MPJInstitute

— Madonna (@Madonna) 26 June 2019

Madonna's God Control Music Video Is A 'Wake Up Call' About US Gun Reform

Madonna has revealed that her graphic new music video is intended as a “wake up call” about the importance of gun regulation in America.

On Wednesday night, Madonna unveiled the clip for her new single God Control, taken from her latest album Madame X.

While the disco-infused song’s lyrics refer to gun control in America, with lines like “when they talk reform it makes me laugh, they pretend to care it makes me laugh”, the accompanying video takes things one step further, depicting Madonna and her dancers as the victims of a mass shooting.

A message at the beginning of the eight-minute clip, a message reads: “The story you are about to see is very disturbing. It shows graphic scenes of gun violence. But it’s happening everyday. And it has to stop.”

Shortly after this, Madonna is seen lying covered in blood after a shooting at a night club, in scenes reminiscent of the Pulse massacre in 2016.

Later in the video, Madonna is also seen being mugged at gunpoint, interspersed with shots of her in a short black wig, sitting at a typewriter.

Madonna has said of the video: “I want to draw attention through my platform as an artist to a problem in America that is out of control and is taking the lives of innocent people.

“This crisis can end if our legislators act to change the laws that fail to protect us all.”

God Control was directed by Jonas Åkerlund, who was previously responsible for the Madonna videos Ray Of Light, Music and Bitch I’m Madonna.

He also directed Madonna’s original American Life music video, which she ended up pulling shortly after its release in 2003, as she didn’t feel the violent content was appropriate.

“It was filmed before the war started and I do not believe it is appropriate to air it at this time,” she said at the time. “Due to the volatile state of the world and out of sensitivity and respect to the armed forces, who I support and pray for, I do not want to risk offending anyone who might misinterpret the meaning of this video.”

From HuffPost UK

God Control Official Video

God Control drops today!

This is your wake up call!...........
GOD CONTROL drops today..,,........, Madame ❌ @nunoxico #godcontrol #madamex pic.twitter.com/mRxTuvtwfi

— Madonna (@Madonna) 26 June 2019

Madonna Now Claims The Fifth-Most No. 1 Albums Among All Artists in the US

For a while, it looked like the race between Madonna and Bruce Springsteen for the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 this week would be a tight one, but now that all is said and done, it turns out it wasn’t as close as some might have imagined.

Madonna’s Madame X ended up on top, beating Springsteen’s Western Stars by almost exactly 30,000 equivalent units, securing the pop icon not only another chart-topper, but moving her up on the all-time ranking of the artists who have landed in the coveted position most often in the process.

With nine chart-owners to her credit, Madonna now claims the fifth-most No. 1 albums in U.S. history, and she’s tied with some of the greatest acts to ever record and release music. Three other familiar names, Eminem, Garth Brooks and The Rolling Stones, have also made it to the highest possible rung on the Billboard 200 nine times.

Just ahead of Madonna (and company) with 10 No. 1s is Elvis Presley, and in front of him come both Barbra Streisand and Bruce Springsteen, with 11 apiece. Had the latter beaten Madonna, he would have remained in third place among artists with the most No. 1s, but he would have altered the rest of the list.

In second place comes Jay-Z with 14 leaders, and in a relatively distant first remain The Beatles, whose 19 No. 1 albums continues to be the most impressive count of any act. In fact, while plenty of artists may join this list in the coming years, and while names like Springsteen, Streisand, Eminem, Madonna and more may add to their tallies, it’s possible that no one will ever challenge The Fab Four when it comes to the most chart-toppers on the Billboard 200.

From Forbes.com

God Control...coming soon...

GOD CONTROL...........coming soon............ Madame ❌ #guncontrol #gunsafety #madamex #jonasakerlund pic.twitter.com/S2fEzkFGQR

— Madonna (@Madonna) 24 June 2019

Its time to wake up.................GOD CONTROL...........Madame ❌! #guncontrol #wakeup #madamex #jonasakerlund #mirwais pic.twitter.com/adysEceCXb

— Madonna (@Madonna) 24 June 2019

Madonna Scores Ninth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 with Madame X

Madonna lands her ninth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart as Madame X enters atop the tally. The set, released via Interscope Records on June 14, launches with 95,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending June 20, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 90,000 were in album sales.

Madame X grants Madonna her ninth leader on the Billboard 200. She last led the list in 2012, with MDNA. Here’s a look at all of Madonna’s No. 1 albums: Madame X, MDNA, Hard Candy (2008), Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005), American Life (2003), Music (2000), Like a Prayer (1989), True Blue (1986) and Like a Virgin (1985).

Madonna continues to have the second-most No. 1 albums among female artists, trailing only Barbra Streisand, who has 11. Among all acts, The Beatles have the most No. 1s, with 19. They are followed by Jay-Z (14), Streisand and Bruce Springsteen (both with 11), Elvis Presley (10), Eminem, Garth Brooks, Madonna and The Rolling Stones (all with nine).

Madonna is a frequent visitor to the top 10 of the Billboard 200, having notched at least four top 10 albums in each of the last four decades (‘80s, ‘90s, ‘00s and ‘10s). Madame X marks her 22nd top 10, and fourth of the ‘10s. Earlier in the decade, she reached the region with her last studio effort, Rebel Heart (No. 2 in 2015), MDNA (No. 1, 2012) and the live album Sticky & Sweet Tour (No. 10, 2010).

From Billboard.com - thanks to Micheal

Madame X is grateful for chart success!

Madame ❌ is grateful................thanks to everyone who made this possible. 🙏 #madamex #gratitude pic.twitter.com/f5zc4YcbIS

— Madonna (@Madonna) 23 June 2019

Madame X Tour: Two extra Paris shows announced

With 10 shows already announced and due to overwhelming demand, Madonna, Maverick and Live Nation have just announced 2 additional Madame X shows at the Grand Rex in Paris on 3rd and 4th of March!

Tickets to these newly added shows will be released for general sale Friday, 28 June at 10:00am CEST at ticketmaster.fr

ICON is Madonna's official fan club. Citi is the official presale credit card of the Madame X tour. Lifetime Legacy members of ICON and Citi card holders will be eligible for a special presale starting Wed. 26 June (10am CEST) - Thursday, 27 June (6pm CEST).

- Icon Lifetime Legacy members will be assigned unique presale codes.
- If you are a Lifetime Legacy member, your unique presale code is assigned directly to your Madonna.com account, found on your logged-in Profile page or Tour page starting prior to 10am CEST on 26 June.
- Your unique access code is valid for up to four (4) tickets total, and it can be used across multiple shows. EXAMPLE: 4 tickets to one event only, or 2 tickets for one event and 2 tickets for another event and so on.
- All sales are final. No refunds.
- The Icon Legacy Member / Citi card holder Presale will close on Thursday, 27 June @ 18:00 CEST.

From Madonna.com

UK Magazines: MOJO

There is a great six-page interview with Madonna and Madame X album review in the new issue of MOJO magazine. Out in UK stores now.

Magazines: Women in Pop

2019 marks the 30th anniversary of Madonna’s iconic ‘Like A Prayer’ album. It not only became one of the most lauded albums of all time, but influenced everything that came after it. In a 10-page ‘Behind the Music’ article we take an in-depth look back at the making of the album, its artistry, its reception upon release, and its legacy.

The article was written by Women In Pop Editor, Paul Mitchell. It is also illustrated by beautiful retrospective images from the ‘Like A Prayer’ era. It’s a great piece for any Madonna fan’s collection.

Women In Pop is on sale from Tuesday 25 June.
Visit: www.facebook.com/womeninpop for more information.

Madonna dons floral kimono at the Kabbalah Centre in NYC

Madonna was spotted heading to the Kabbalah Centre in New York City on Saturday - for more pictures visit: www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/

Madame X NYC Pop-Up Shop

Madame ❌. Goes shopping..................... 🗽 NYC POP UP 430 W 15th st. @ryanbdrake #madamex #crazy #nyc pic.twitter.com/hY75b0GcFS

— Madonna (@Madonna) 22 June 2019

NYC #MadameX POP UP
430 W 15th St.
New York, NY 10011
Thursday, June 20th - Sunday, June 23rd
11AM-8PM pic.twitter.com/DjZuy1LBqP

— Madonna (@Madonna) June 20, 2019

Madonna on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

Madonna recalls the time she met Barack Obama on the show, explains why she's touring only small venues for Madame X and teaches Jimmy and the Tonight Show audience how to do her 'Medellín' cha cha cha dance.

Madonna critiques Jimmy's new facial hair before proposing to him, and she reveals her favorite ad-lib from her song 'Future' with Quavo off her latest #1 album, Madame X.

Madame ❌ crushes @jimmyfallon in a dance battle................. 💃🏻🕺🏻 pic.twitter.com/wWjLgHVcPi

— Madonna (@Madonna) 21 June 2019

Madonna Talks 'Madame X,' Classic Hits and Running for President at Intimate Fan Event

During an iHeartRadio listening party in New York, the pop superstar shared more stories about the making of her latest album, the songs that came before it and laughed off the idea of a 2020 campaign: 'Oh God, you don't want me in the White House.'

Nearly a week after Madonna released her 14th studio album, Madame X - which is expected to debut at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 200 chart - the pop superstar took the stage at New York's iHeartRadio Theater on Thursday night to talk with an intimate group of fans and press about the genesis of her latest body of work.

In a conversation moderated by co-hosts Cubby Bryant and Christine Nagy, from iHeartRadio's 106.7 Lite fm, Her Madgesty offered more insight into her creative process, while waxing nostalgic about beloved hits such as 'Vogue' and 'Like a Virgin.'

But music wasn't the only topic on the table. A lively, warm and candid Madonna, 60 - fueled by rosé champagne and dressed in a sparkling blazer, bustier, silk shorts and her signature Madame X eyepatch - spoke about using art as activism in 2019's divisive sociopolitical climate and joked about the possibility of running for president. However, the performer did her best not to bring up current POTUS Donald Trump, whom she has publicly criticized in the past. "Let's not go there," she said at one point when his name slipped out of her mouth.

Here, The Hollywood Reporter rounds up the highlights from Madonna's wide-ranging discussion - which also included interesting commentary about relocating from the U.S. to Portugal, her relationship with social media, collaborating with Latin artists and her role as a mother of six.

Finding inspiration in Lisbon
Madonna admitted that she didn't think she would record another album after 2015's Rebel Heart — but she changed her mind after moving to Portugal's capital nearly two years ago. She originally settled in Lisbon so her 13-year-old son, David Banda, could pursue his dreams of becoming a soccer player, but she unexpectedly found her creative juices flowing again in the scenic coastal city.

'I never in a million years would have imagined that I would live in Lisbon. But it really was about supporting my son's passion for soccer and wanting to have an adventure and to get outside of America for a minute,' said Madonna, who has homes in New York and London. 'So I did go there. And it was a confusing, crazy experience for me specifically in the beginning, because I didn't know anybody. And the culture is very different. It's very much slower than New York.'

After the initial culture shock, the entertainer found herself connecting with local musicians who helped her lay the foundation for Madame X. 'In my moments of loneliness, and not having a friend which reminded me of my early days in New York, I met a few people who led me to meeting other people who introduced me to amazing musicians who invited me to parties and small bars and clubs. I was truly, truly inspired. I had no intention of recording another album, but somehow it just happened.'

Still, while recording Madame X, Madonna made sure to never miss one of David's soccer games - often wearing 'sneakers, you know, normal-type clothes. Maybe designed by Gucci? I don't know.'

To read the rest of the article visit: www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/madonna

Madame X in the city that never sleeps

Madame ❌ is happy to be home. ........................🗽 🍾🥂#nyc #madamex pic.twitter.com/ITYydzo4bE

— Madonna (@Madonna) 20 June 2019

Madame ❌ in the city that never sleeps................. #madamex #waitingforanitta @ryanbdrake pic.twitter.com/GlbESmcuEl

— Madonna (@Madonna) 20 June 2019

Madame ❌ is waiting for @Anitta .................... 🔥🔥🔥🔥 #madamex #waitingforanitta pic.twitter.com/7gBtw8GqVu

— Madonna (@Madonna) 21 June 2019

Madonna Earns 47th No. 1 On Dance Club Songs Chart With Maluma Collab 'Medellin'

The Queen of Pop leads for the first time since 2015.

Madonna scores her record-extending 47th No. 1 on Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart, as 'Medellín,' with Maluma, rises 2-1 on the June 29-dated survey.

Latin charts titan Maluma, meanwhile, notches his first Dance Club Songs No. 1.

The chart (and all rankings dated June 29) will refresh on Billboard.com on Tuesday, June 25.

With her latest coronation on Dance Club Songs, which measures reports submitted by a national sample of club DJs, Madonna pulls further ahead of runner-up Rihanna, who boasts 33 No. 1s. (The chart launched as a national survey in the Billboard issue dated Aug. 28, 1976.)

'Medellín' was released, in its ballad form, on Madonna's new album, Madame X, released June 14. 'Medellín' was remixed for clubs by Offer Nissim, LA95, Robbie Rivera and John Christian & DJLW, among others.

From Billboard.com

New Video Inspired by Madonna's 'I Rise' Captures Global Protest Movement

'Freedom,' sings Madonna, 'is what you choose to do with what’s been done to you.' This lyric from the artist’s new song 'I Rise,' off her 14th studio album Madame X, is a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit.

A new video inspired by the song, created by Madonna and TIME Studios, weaves together footage of the survivors of the Parkland shooting, supporters of LGBTQ equality, Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman’s powerful testimony about sexual abuse, first responders to natural disasters and other social justice movements. The video, directed by Peter Matkiwsky, tells the story of a global population fighting for rights, recognition and survival.

From Time.com

God Control is coming....

GOD CONTROL is coming............... ............Madame ❌ #wakeup #guncontrol #godcontrol pic.twitter.com/Ke5sTSkKwv

— Madonna (@Madonna) 17 June 2019

'Like a Prayer': A Documentary Film About Madonna Fans

New Screening Dates Announced in the West Coast and in NYC!

After a successful screening in NYC last month, The Documentary Film about Madonna fans called 'Like a Prayer' by Oxana Nabokova will have private fundraiser screenings on the West Coast in San Francisco, on June 23rd, L.A. on June 26th, and San Diego June 28th. Due to popular Demand, we have added one more private showing in NYC on July 1, 2019 .

Tickets are available below!
Don't miss the film every Madonna fan is talking about!

Movie Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzvaLCiXWRI
Q&A with Director/Cast: https://youtu.be/Gm4_eQLk06s

Sunday, June 23rd San Francisco Screening of 'Like a Prayer' at The Presidio Theatre
RSVP: www.facebook.com/events/429302161216064/
For tickets: https://likeaprayersanfran.eventbrite.com

Wednesday, June 26th Los Angeles Screening of 'Like a Prayer' at the Downtown Independent
RSVP: www.facebook.com/events/1063359453873952/
For tickets: https://likeaprayerlosangeles.eventbrite.com

Friday, June 28th San Diego Screening of 'Like a Prayer' at the Mission Valley 20 AMC Theater
RSVP www.facebook.com/events/2144876242297184/
For tickets: https://likeaprayersandiego.eventbrite.com

Monday, July 1st NYC Screening of 'Like a Prayer' at the AMC Theater in Times Square
RSVP: www.facebook.com/events/375777879811533/
For tickets: https://likeaprayernyc.eventbrite.com

Madonna heads back to New York for more Madame X duties

After a busy week of Madame X press and promotional duties in London, Madonna has now arrived back in New York City (see pictures below at the airport).

On Thursday she has a Q&A session at the iHeartRadio Theater and then later that night will appear on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Following that she has her Pride performance on Sunday 30 June, and then the tour prep starts!

For more pictures visit: www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz

Breaking records....and glasses!

Madame ❌ celebrates being # 1 around the World 🌎🌍🌏............breaking records and glasses 🥂🍾 #ahla_malik #juicewrld999 pic.twitter.com/xZiMaLEWsG

— Madonna (@Madonna) 16 June 2019

Win a chance to attend a Madonna soundcheck in London!

Madonna will be inviting 150 fans (each with a +1) to attend soundcheck in London during her residency at The Palladium in 2020, an incredibly rare experience that has only ever happened a few times in her career. Enter to attend this once in a lifetime event by simply purchasing* (read the terms and conditions) any version of Madame X here by 5pm on Thursday 20th June. Successful fans will be notified on Friday 28th June. Please note the prize does not include a ticket for the show, just the opportunity to attend the soundcheck.

Enter at https://Madonna.lnk.to/MadonnaStoreFP

UK TV: The One Show

Rylan Clark-Neal's interview with Madonna will be featured on Monday's edition of The One Show on BBC1 at 19:00.

Monday... @BBCTheOneShow pic.twitter.com/7BXT36SbMk

— Rylan Clark-Neal (@Rylan) June 15, 2019

An Audience at Ally Pally with #MadameX

We had an amazing time at Alexandra Palace on Thursday night. After three days of talking to the press Madonna seemed to enjoy taking questions from fans. The venue, an old Victorian theatre recently restored, was a beautiful site.

These huge billboards were at the venue, we tried to drag one home as they were really light, but it was a bit difficult and wouldn't fit on the bus!

The whole event that was filmed, and we hope it will be broadcast in its entirety (and not just the snippets that have been released on Instagram) as it showed a relaxed and comfortable Madonna interacting with her fans. All the questions were fan-asked and Graham Norton was only really there to moderate the event.

Madonna's Instagram has now released these two clips, including Dean's dance with Madonna - read his exclusive story with madonnalicious here: madonnalicious/fan-report-when-madonna-taught-me-the-butterfly-move.

Madame ❌ is a cha cha instructor................Q&A at Alexandra palace with my fans ♥️ @TheGNShow #madamex #thegnshow pic.twitter.com/8FOSeNjxpb

— Madonna (@Madonna) June 14, 2019

Madame ❌ gives Birth................Thank you again to all who have helped with this creation! 🙏🏼 You know who you are!! @TheGNShow @ryanbdrake #madamex #thegnshow pic.twitter.com/ObdMPUyAnj

— Madonna (@Madonna) June 14, 2019

UK TV: The Graham Norton Show

The Graham Norton Show has been sharing clips from Madonna's interview on the show. The program airs at 22:40 on BBC1 tonight and will be available on the iPlayer after the broadcast.

UK Press: The Guardian

UK newspaper The Guardian certainly gave Madonna's Madame X album great coverage on the release day. Not only was she featured on the front cover, there was a full-page inside cover, a two-page article and a half-page album review!

Fan Report: When Madonna taught me the butterfly move!

Madonnalicious reader Dean was the lucky audience member to be selected to ask a question at the Alexandra Palace event last night....and his question was one of the highlights of the night. Could Madonna teach him the 'Butterfly' move from the Medellin video? Here is Dean's story:

I’ve been a fan for years, I first saw Madonna on the Who’s That Girl tour in 1987 in Roundhay Park and have seen every tour since.

My eight year old daughter Stevie loves her and is obsessed with the whole Madame X persona. One day she came down with her three year old brother’s pirate eye patch that she had drawn a red X on with nail polish and wore it for weeks. She knows all the words and moves but couldn’t do the butterfly move.
I saw the competition and told her that we would enter and she could ask Madonna to teach it to her. We won the tickets but it was 18 years old only so she couldn’t come and was v v disappointed. I told Stevie that I would ask Madonna to teach me and that I could then teach her. I never thought it would actually happen!!!!

When they called out my name and Madonna asked me on stage I was surprisingly composed. Madonna was very calming and welcoming, as you saw. I shook then kissed her hand. I didn’t need to be asked to bend the knee...

The dance move was really difficult. I don’t know how she does that and sings at the same time. Up close, kissing distance, as I was she is so beautiful. She looks exactly like she did back in 1987 on the Who’s That Girl tour only with an eye patch. The big beautiful eyes, the perfect complexion. So so beautiful.
I know I’m very lucky to have danced with her on stage, kissed an icon and had the most famous woman on the planet say my name TWICE!!!!

I just wish that I had a better picture as mine is all fuzzy. If any of your readers do can they please email to to me at [email protected] as I’d love one for a frame and my eight year old daughter wants one to take to her Show and Tell at school.

@Madonna at @Yourallypally teaching Dean the butterfly move. pic.twitter.com/gWi8qoT7rq

— madonnalicious.com (@_madonnalicious) 14 June 2019

Bonkers but brilliant: The critics on Madame X

Madonna’s highly-anticipated album Madame X has proved a hit among the critics with many describing it as her best work in 15 years.

The record, released overnight, finds the Queen of Pop singing in Portuguese and exploring the Lisbon-centric genre of fado as well as other contemporary pop sounds.

Much praise centred on the record’s diverse musical palette, with some calling it her best record since 2005’s Confessions On A Dance Floor.

However, some critics found Madonna’s busy approach to song-writing lent the album, her 14th, a disjointed feel.

The Financial Times gave Madame X three stars out of five, saying that 'although it has a scattershot quality, the scattering is done with a devil-may-care bravado'.

Variety magazine said the album sees Madonna giving in to 'the diva within', adding: 'That’s what makes Madame X Madonna’s best album since Confessions On A Dance Floor. She’s confessing again, but this time, she’s not interested in editing herself for mass consumption.'

The Independent gave the album three stars out of five, describing it as the 60-year-old’s 'most exciting, hostile, and, well, bonkers record in ages'.

Rolling Stone magazine also rated the album three stars out of five.

The US publication said Madame X contains a clutch of well-written songs with a distinctly Latin American flavour but to reach them listeners were forced to 'endure' a number of 'disasters'.

Last week, in a flurry of pre-release reviews, the Guardian and the Times gave Madame X four stars out of five, while the Telegraph gave it three.

Fans were broadly happy, with many dubbing it her best work since 2005.

Madonna has conducted a notably large-scale publicity campaign in the lead-up to Madame X’s release.

This came to a head with a two-song performance at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv, Israel, last month despite calls for her to boycott the event.

Last month she announced a world tour including a string of shows at the London Palladium.

From PA Entertainment

UK Press adverts for Madame X

Full-page adverts have been seen in several UK magazines this week, this one was spotted in the current issue of Grazia.

UK TV: Madonna on The Graham Norton Show tonight

Madonna has warned off any filmmakers from planning a biopic of her life.

The Madame X star insisted she should be the one to make a movie about her colourful past.

Madonna, 60, told The Graham Norton Show: 'If there ever is one, I’ll be directing it.'

She joked: 'I warn any director who tries to make one, there will be a mysterious death!'

Madonna’s last attempt at directing a feature film was 2011’s W.E. about the affair between King Edward VIII and American divorcee Wallis Simpson which led to his abdication, but it bombed at the box office.

The singer also told the BBC chat show host that she believes her six children wish she was somebody else.

Madonna is mother to biological children Lourdes, 22 and Rocco, 18, as well as David, 13, Mercy, 13, and six-year-old twins Stelle and Estere who were all adopted from Malawi.

She said: 'I think they wish I wasn’t Madonna. I think it would be less challenging, in their minds, if they didn’t have me as their mother.'

The family currently reside in Lisbon where aspiring footballer David attends Benfica soccer academy.

Madonna admitted that she wasn’t a huge fan of the sport.

She confided: 'I admit I only watch when he’s playing. If he’s on the bench, I’m on my phone!'

Speaking about moving to Lisbon for David to pursue the sport she said: 'I surprised myself. Barcelona and Turin were an option, but I couldn’t see myself living there. It would have been a lot easier if he’d liked music!'

Host Graham Norton with (seated left to right) Sir Ian McKellen, Madonna, Danny Boyle, Lily James, Himesh Patel and Sheryl Crow during the filming for the Graham Norton Show at BBC Studioworks 6 Television Centre, Wood Lane, London, to be aired on BBC One on Friday evening.(Credit: PA)

Madonna told Jo Whiley earlier this week that her family all dance together in the evenings after mealtimes.

She said: 'We just always have music playing and there’s always dancing. I mean we watch movies at night on weekends but TV, no and phones, no. Music and dancing and talking to each other. Old fashioned.'

Madonna’s interview on The Graham Norton Show airs on BBC One tonight at 10.40pm.

From Yahoo! Celebrity UK

Australian TV: 'Interview' with Madonna

Madonna is scheduled to appear on Andrew Dentons 'Interview' program on Australian television on the 7 network on Tuesday 18 June at 9.00pm AEST.

Here's your first look at pop icon @Madonna's interview with Andrew Denton, airing Tuesday night! @InterviewAU #MadameX pic.twitter.com/OLLfIam34m

— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) 13 June 2019

Thanks to Geoffrey

Madonna on The Jo Whiley Show on BBC Radio 2

BBC Radio 2 presenter Jo Whiley has interviewed Madonna and it will be featured on her show tonight from 19:00 to 21:00. It will also be available on catch-up on the iPlayer after the show is broadcast.

Job done. Fixed the plumbing. Changed the lightbulbs 💡 Interviewed the inimitable @Madonna 💪🎙💃🏼📻
Listen tonight @BBCRadio2 Talking Music, family, the early days & #MadameX ❤️ pic.twitter.com/U79oADKdac

— Jo Whiley (@jowhiley) 13 June 2019

One more day till Madame X drops!

Madame ❌. Is celebrating.............. one more day till Album drops!!🥂................,,,June 14th #madamex pic.twitter.com/xoDiC7GgWr

— Madonna (@Madonna) 13 June 2019

Madame ❌ is feeling PRESSED.................. Album drops in one day 🚀🚀🚀🚀 @ryanbdrake #madamex pic.twitter.com/ezQ35ZFKI0

— Madonna (@Madonna) 13 June 2019

Madonna's 17 Madame X Shows In New York Are More Than 90% Sold Out, So Everybody Chill

Following on from several news reports saying Madonna was not selling tickets to her shows, Live Nation's Arthur Fogel has put the record straight in this interview with Billboard:

Want to see Madonna's Madame X show in New York? No problem. As of yesterday there were about 3,000 tickets available to one of her 17 shows at Brooklyn's Howard Gilman Opera House. Same for her shows in Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and Miami - fans can still buy tickets directly from the 'Medellin' singer through Ticketmaster for all 48 shows on her intimate Madame X theater tour stops in the U.S.

That's normal. A lack of sellouts for what some would consider a once-in-a-lifetime experience doesn't mean that's Madonna's tour is 'tarnished' as the New York Post claimed yesterday. Similar things were said about Taylor Swift's Reputation tour, which went on to be highest grossing U.S. tour of 2018, as well as Jay-Z, whose 4:44 tour was the highest grossing of his career.

The truth about Madonna's ticket sales are more complicated than a Page Six headline and foreshadow changes to the way tickets are priced and sold that will ultimately reshape how the music industry views success in touring.

In Madonna's case, on Monday, Live Nation released about 3,000 unsold tickets to the public. Madonna sold 31,000 tickets during the presale for her 17 New York shows and the tickets left over represent 8.8% of available ticketing inventory for the New York run. With exactly three months to go until the first show on Sept. 12, there's little doubt the iconic artist will sell the remaining tickets says Arthur Fogel, chairman of global music and president of global touring at Live Nation, which is promoting the tour.

So why is the media piling on like Madonna has been cancelled if she has sold more than 90% of her tickets for the New York shows?

'In life, the only guarantees are death, taxes and the New York Post take-down piece on Madonna,' jokes Fogel, who has battled the tabloid over its negative coverage of her tours going back to 2008's Sticky and Sweet Tour. (That tour was described as a flop by the Post and to this day holds the record for highest-grossing tour by a female artist with $408 million in ticket sales.)

'We started with seven shows' for Madonna in Brooklyn, Fogel says, 'then added five more to get to 12 shows then added another five to get to 17. I'm adding shows because it's a flop? Is that some kind of new business model that I'm not familiar with?'

In fairness, Madonna's tickets prices are part of an even evolution in how concerts are priced, although the Queen of Pop has always charged more for tickets than her contemporaries. For decades, an artist's ability to quickly sell out shows has been the barometer of success, although as the secondary market matured, artists are increasingly realizing that it usually wasn't fans that created instant sellouts. It was brokers. And in recent years it's also been bots buying up tickets they think are underpriced and then relisting them on sites like StubHub and Viagogo for double and triple face value.

The concert business has been watching and, seeing how much money is being made on the secondary market, has increasingly shifted to more aggressive pricing strategies to earn more money for artists while also making it difficult for scalpers to resale tickets for a profit.

For Madonna, that meant charging $1,650 plus fees to sit in the front row, $1,350–$700 to sit in the front orchestra section, $550 per ticket to sit in the mezzannine section and $359 to sit in the rear balcony. Many of her longtime fans were not happy with the pricing, but 'if she were to put them on sale at half the price, they would immediately be bought up by brokers and listed on StubHub,' says Patrick Ryan with Eventellect, a ticket pricing and distribution company.

Instead the tickets are priced at what end consumers are willing to pay and sell slower than in the past with more lead time out to move the pricier platinum tickets and VIP packages. While the shows might not technically sell out, Madonna is going to make far more money than anyone else playing venues that size and will likely walk away with one of the highest grossest theater tours in history.

Fogel says more than 100,000 people registered for Madonna's Verified Fan presale for the Brooklyn shows. Ticketmaster then 'scrubs those accounts and kicks out known scalpers and people using multiple credit cards to buys tickets,' he says.

Live Nation allows the remaining presale registrants their crack at buying tickets and 'at the end of the process, there's some tickets left,' he adds. 'And those tickets were put on sale yesterday because the registrants we're all satisfied. So out of 17 shows, 34,000 tickets available, there's a few thousand tickets left. So fucking what?'

To read the rest of the article visit: www.billboard.com/articles/business

Madame ❌ Survives a long day of press

Madame ❌. Survives A long day. of press 🎥 .................Album drops June 14th ❌ @ryanbdrake #madamex pic.twitter.com/Ot6R7EYJzf

— Madonna (@Madonna) 12 June 2019

Madonna, I'm sorry for calling you 'desperate'

When Madonna called out ageist reactions to her 14th album this month, I felt a nasty lurch of guilt in my stomach. Reviewing MDMA in 2012, I was mean about her decision to invest so much 'desperate” energy into maintaining the impression of eternal youth, leaving her looking and sounding “exhausted and unhappy and making me feel the same'.

I was 36 then and Madonna was 54. I’d just given birth to my second child and wanted to weep at the number of playgroup conversations in which the women around me discussed the diets, workouts and cosmetic surgery required to restore their figures to perky, pre-pregnancy form. The female celebrities they saw in magazines seemed time-proof and they dutifully added this responsibility to their To Do lists.

It seemed to me that if anybody had the power to flip a big, stadium-sized, multi-platinum V sign at this rubbish it was the hero of my early teens - Madonna. She had reinvented herself so many times, inspiring girls like me with possibilities of freedom and flexibility of identity.

She gave me my first feminist lesson in embracing the reality of female bodies by blow-drying her armpits in a public restroom in Desperately Seeking Susan (1985). Shortly before I saw that film, a friend of mine had provoked sniggers when she dropped a deodorant in a changing room. She flushed as the can rolled across the tiles with its shaming label promising: 'extra protection.' We were all expected to use the stuff, but to spray it discreetly, beneath the shirt, pretending we naturally smelt like whatever chemicals they put in it. And then, swaggering across the big screen came Madonna: honest about her body, owning her sweat, taking pleasure in the blast of air on her skin and looking fantastically cool in the process.

So I wanted Madonna to age like a punk: like Vivienne Westwood, flashing the wrinkles beneath the lace. I didn’t want her to stop making music or dancing in her underwear or speaking out whenever she wanted. I just wanted to her to age frankly and show me how much of a party that could be.

Which I now realise was ridiculous. Because being the world’s best-selling female artist hasn’t been a party for Madonna, has it? The self-confessed “masochist… walking alone/ never satisfied/ trying to fit in” of 2014’s 'Rebel Heart', Madonna continued to need our attention: sometimes seeking approval, sometimes being an unapologetic bitch. And she continued to be wounded by the criticism which was aimed at her more aggressively than at her male contemporaries. Sitting safely behind my keyboard with my mumtum, while the paparazzi aimed their lenses at her “wrinkled” hands, I had no right to expect her not to care. Her job was bloody hard work and I had no right to resent her for letting that show.

To read the rest of the article by Helen Brown visit: uk.news.yahoo.com

Madame X Meets the Press

Madame ❌. Meets the Press............... ❌ Album drops June 14th #madamex pic.twitter.com/h3rOY5q1Ih

— Madonna (@Madonna) 12 June 2019

Win tickets to a Q&A with Madonna in NYC #madamex

Attend An Exclusive Q&A About Madonna’s New Album Madame X At The iHeartRadio Theater In New York On June 20th!

The event will happen June 20 at 6:30 p.m. ET. During the playback of songs from the new album, Madonna will talk about the making of the record and more in a conversation hosted by radio personalities Paul 'Cubby' Bryant and Christine Nagy.

Only open to fans who are legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia and who are 18 years of age (or the age of majority in the entrant’s state of residence, whichever is older).

Sweepstakes begins on June 11, 2019 at 5:00:00 p.m. ET and ends at 11:59:59 p.m. ET on June 17, 2019

Four Grand Prize Winners will be randomly selected on or abour 18 Jun: Each grand prize winner will receive two (2) tickets to the Madonna ICONS Q&A Session at the iHeartRadio Theater in NY on 6/20/19.

Visit this link to enter.

How Madonna's 'Vogue' Helped Shape 'Pose' Season 2 Narrative

The cast and creators of the groundbreaking FX drama talk about the pop icon's impact on New York's LGBTQ ballroom scene in 1990.

The second installment of FX awards season breakout Pose jumps from the '80s to 1990, the year New York's LGBTQ ballroom scene was illuminated by the dazzling glare of Madonna's 'Vogue.' According to co-creator Steven Canals, the pop icon's intense fascination with the art of voguing and its originators injected a crucial dose of optimism into a community that was facing increased marginalization as the HIV/AIDS crisis worsened in the U.S.

'We introduce Madonna's 'Vogue' in the premiere and I think the presence of the song is really woven throughout season two. If we're looking at the history of ballroom and specifically that moment in time, what Madonna did was bring ballroom to the mainstream,' Canals tells The Hollywood Reporter. 'She introduced the world to this community who, up until that point in time, had been a subculture.'

'Vogue' - inspired by the pioneering dance moves of ballroom leaders and their underground celebrations of self-expression - was a massive hit. Reaching No. 1 in more than 30 countries not long after its March 1990 release, the song soon became inescapable. Madonna's decision to include real-life ballroom luminaries in its accompanying music video - and, later, a world tour - seemed to signal greater opportunities for trans and queer people of color.

Writer, producer and director Janet Mock says that she was interested in exploring the commentary surrounding ballroom's sudden exposure. 'What do these people think about the mainstreaming of something that had just been incubating for years in secret? A lot of the ballroom community felt they were stars,' she says, adding that the Pose team conferred with in-house consultant and ballroom king Jose Xtravaganza, one of the lucky few chosen to be part of Madonna's 'Vogue' era. 'They felt like they had been preparing for years for their closeups. This finally felt like their time.'

Indeed, Tuesday's season two premiere (airing at 10 p.m. on FX) sees Mj Rodriguez's Blanca thinking of ways to make the most of the moment. 'Madonna is shining a bright spotlight on us,' she says at one point, and later declares, 'We are on the cusp of a revolution.' Galvanized, Blanca - the founder and mother of the House of Evangelista - encourages her kids Angel (Indya Moore) and Damon (Ryan Jamaal Swain) to seriously pursue their respective passions for modeling and dance.

To read the rest of the article visit: www.billboard.com

Madame X Tour: Limited tickets to go on sale for London on 13 June

With 15 shows confirmed at The London Palladium in London and with requests for these dates now fulfilled and delivered to verified registered fans, Live Nation has announced that limited tickets will be available for general sale starting Thursday 13 June at 10am at www.livenation.co.uk, therefore giving fans who may have missed out an additional chance to attend these very special performances.

Madame X Tour VIP Packages will also be available and may include great ticket locations, an exclusive backstage tour, a photo opportunity on stage, a VIP pre-show reception, a limited edition Madonna gift item, fast pass access to designated VIP merch and concessions lanes, and more. Additionally, fans can access travel packages which include great ticket locations, exclusive merchandise, hotel accommodations and more. Tickets, VIP and Travel packages available Thursday 13 June at https://www.livenation.co.uk/

From Madonna.com

Madame X is looking at your tweets

Madame ❌ is 👀 at your tweets………use the #MadameX hashtag and I’ll reply to some questions leading into the new album dropping. Thanks 🙏 @Twitter for the custom emoji! One more week: https://t.co/DazvBgk3il

— Madonna (@Madonna) 8 June 2019

Madame X Tour: Limited tickets to go on sale for Paris on 11 June

With 10 shows announced in Paris and put on preview on the Verified Fans, Live Nation announces today that a limited quota of places will be on sale Tuesday, June 11 at 10am, giving fans who did not have access to pre-sales opportunity to attend these special dates. There will be a limit of 4 tickets per show and each ticket sold includes a copy of Madonna's album Madame X, which will be released on Friday, June 14th.

Madame X Tour VIP Packages will also be available and may include exceptional locations, an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour, an on-stage photo opportunity, a pre-show VIP reception, a limited edition Madonna gift, quick access to VIP products and more. In addition, fans can access packages with great locations, exclusive merchandising, hotel rooms and more. Tickets, VIP package and TRAVEL package available on Tuesday, June 11th on www.livenation.fr

From Madonna.com