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December 2015

Diplo Praises Madonna, Says Newfound Friendship Was Unexpected

There’s no way around it: Diplo - known equally for his music and for his Twitter jabs at celebs like Taylor Swift - had a massively successful 2015. From earning the most streamed song of the year with Major Lazer’s 'Lean On' to winning an American Music Award for his work with Justin Bieber and Skrillex on the Jack U track 'Where Are U Now,' to working with Madonna on her latest release Rebel Heart - it’s been a good year.

Diplo’s choosing to shine a spotlight on his relationship with Madonna in particular, praising her for the way she fully integrated him in the recording process and extended herself as a friend in a way he didn’t think possible. Diplo posted a photo of the two attending the 2015 Met Gala together to Instagram along with the following lengthy caption:

'When I first got a chance to work with @madonna I didn’t expect much to come from it. Maybe because she is one of the biggest pop stars of all time. I didn’t think she would take me serious just another producer working on a huge album. I didn’t expect to make a great friend for life and didn’t expect to be such a big part of her record. She showed me a whole other level of dedication and old school work ethic when it comes to writing. I’m proud of the work we did. Those sessions were some of the most fun I have done to date. I played some shows and shot videos with her later in the year but going to the Met ball with Madonna was a highlight of 2015.'

And it’s not the first time Diplo’s publicly praised Madonna. Back in July, Diplo spoke with Rolling Stone about the ageism even a living legend like Madonna faces.

He said, 'She created the world we live in. It already sucks to be a woman in the music industry, but to be a boss woman is even harder. She sold out her tour in minutes, but no one seems to want her to succeed - ‘Madonna, we’ve been there, done that, now we’re about Kim Kardashian.’ Her song ‘Ghosttown’ was a guaranteed Number One for anybody else, but she didn’t get a fair shot. With ‘Bitch I’m Madonna,’ everyone said there’s no way it will go anywhere, but I’m like, ‘Screw it, it represents you more than anything.’-

From www.popcrush.com


Madonna's Brit Fall Declared Most Shocking Celeb Moment Of The Year

The year 2015 is nearly at an end and so with it are all of the most shocking celebrity moments the past 12 months have provided the general public. But before it wraps up, Channel 5 wanted to remind us all about the craziest rides some of our fellow famouses have had - and Madonna in particular came out on top.

The popstar’s catastrophic fall in February while performing at the Brits when she was dragged down the stairs by an Armani cape made the channel’s top spot of most shocking celeb moments of 2015.

Speaking of the fall in an interview with Jonathan Ross after the show, the singer said: 'I had a choice, I could either be strangled or fall with the cape and I fell. I didn’t hurt my butt, I hurt my head. I did.'

Of course, the King and Queen of Reality, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, made the grade with the naming of their new born son as Saint ranking quite highly on the ‘OMG’ scale.

Others zingers included the revelation of David Cameron’s after dark relations with a pig and the tragic news of Saturday night hero Cilla Black’s death.

From contactmusic.com


Madonna's Rebel Heart Tour Has Now Grossed $80 Million

Madonna leads Billboard’s latest Hot Tours ranking (see list, below) with the newest reported box office sales data from her global trek.

The new Hot Tours tally includes grosses from 14 shows in eight markets during the European leg of the tour.

Box office revenue from all eight markets totals $22.6 million from 194,827 sold tickets at 14 performances. One venue, Turin, Italy’s Pala Alpitour, hosted the pop legend for three shows (Nov. 19, 21-22). Arenas in four cities, Barcelona, London, Amsterdam, and Paris, brought in the tour for two nights.

Overall sales from the Rebel Heart Tour now total $80 million from 45 concerts during the first two legs of the tour, through Dec. 10.

622,048 fans have seen the tour since the opening jaunt through North America that ran from Sept. 9 until Oct. 29. The run through Europe followed, kicking off on Nov. 4 in Germany.

Billboard has received sales data from Europe through the two nights in Paris on Dec. 9 and 10. Revenue from shows in Zurich and three U.K. markets, Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow, have yet to be reported from the fall leg.

From Billboard.com


What it feels like for an 'Unapologetic Bitch'

You know how it is, one minute you’re in double geography, the next you’re on stage dancing with Madonna.

But that’s exactly what happened when schoolboy Jamie Bell went to see the legendary Queen of Pop at Birmingham’s Barclaycard Arena.

The 14-year-old, from Great Barr, was pulled up on stage before coolly performing a breakdance routine in front of the 14,000-strong crowd.

But it wasn’t the first time the pair had met, as the singer revealed. Jamie, a keen dancer, has been friends with her son Rocco, also a dancer, for four years. They were introduced after Jamie, who learned how to dance in Stafford, was spotted busking in London.

But the invitation to join the superstar on stage came out of the blue.

Jamie’s mother, personal assistant Sadie Bell, said: 'It was a complete shock. We didn’t have a video camera or anything. Jamie took it all in his stride but he was completely buzzing afterwards. It confirmed for him that he definitely wants to be a professional dancer.'

'Next day, he was drumming on stage at school assembly and never mentioned a thing about what had happened the night before. People only found out when videos of him with Madonna started circulating on YouTube. He’s never made a big thing about his friendship with Rocco. He never talks about it.'

The Perry Beeches Academy student spent five minutes on stage with ‘Her Madgesty’, who gave him a kiss and told him he’d grown since she last saw him - and ‘got cute.’

Sadie, aged 39, said: 'I got some shaky footage on my phone, but luckily a fan, who was sitting much nearer, sent him some really good footage which he’s now put up on his website.'

Jamie said: 'It was amazing. I was more excited than nervous. Madonna guided me through it because I had no idea what was happening. It was overwhelming to see all those faces looking back at me. It still felt amazing the next day. My friends could hardly believe it, they were really supportive.'

Jamie, who lives at home with mum Sadie and dad Peter, 39, who works in Walsall as an account manager, has been dancing since he was seven. He was taught by Lucie Talbott, who runs Dance Nuvo from bases in Eccleshall and Birmingham.

It has not gone unnoticed that he shares his name with the actor who played the part of Billy Elliott in the blockbuster film about a miner’s son’s struggle, against the odds, to become a dancer.

Sadie said: 'It hadn’t occurred to me, and it was too late to change it when the midwife pointed it out. She said: ‘He’s going to be a dancer.’ It was obviously written in the stars.'

From Express & Star


Madonna criticises Glasgow Hydro after power turned off

Pop star Madonna has criticised a concert venue after the power was cut during her encore.

The Glasgow leg of her Rebel Heart tour is said to have started late at the SSE Hydro and ran over the planned time.

Madonna left the stage at the end of the concert but returned for an encore of Holiday and videos posted on social media showed the pop star leading the crowd in a sing-along as the power had been cut and floor lights turned up.

Posting on Instagram, the Queen of Pop wrote: 'We don’t stop till its over Glasgow! Don’t try to silence the Queen.

The Hydro said it was Madonna’s own production team who had disconnected the power.

A spokeswoman for the venue said: 'Madonna finished her agreed set and then chose to come on for another song. By that stage, all the power and control equipment had already been disconnected by her own production engineers. I would stress that this was not a venue decision.'

The Glasgow gig was the last of 25 sold-out shows on the European leg of the 57-year-old’s latest tour. Her next show is in Taipei on February 4.

From: www.scotsman.com


Madonna Submits Statement Denying Abuse In Sean Penn Lawsuit

In September, Sean Penn filed papers with the State Supreme Court of New York, alleging filmmaker Lee Daniels made 'false and defamatory statements' about him in relation to domestic abuse, while defending Terrence Howard after his Empire leading man confessed to lashing out at his ex-wives in a Rolling Stone interview.

After Penn filed the lawsuit, Daniels responded by filing a request for dismissal, citing America's First Amendment of free speech. While the result of Daniels' motion has yet to be revealed, Penn is continuing strike back at the filmmaker by calling on his ex-wife Madonna to formally state he never abused her.

On Thursday, Penn filed an amended complaint featuring a declaration under oath from the pop star that he never hit her during their relationship.

'I am aware of the allegations that have surfaced over the years accusing Sean of incidents of physical assault and abuse against me," Madonna states in her declaration, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. "Specifically, I am aware of the allegations concerning an alleged incident that occurred in June, 1988, whereby (according to tabloid reports), Sean allegedly struck me with 'a baseball bat'. I know the allegations in those and other reports to be completely outrageous, malicious, reckless, and false.'

Madonna also referenced accusations of abuse during an incident in 1989, which allegedly resulted in Penn's arrest for domestic assault and battery.

'While we certainly had more than one heated argument during our marriage, Sean has never struck me, 'tied me up', or physically assaulted me, and any report to the contrary is completely outrageous, malicious, reckless, and false,' Madonna states.

The amended lawsuit also reads: 'Unfortunately for Daniels, his statements - which by direct reference to Howard's misconduct, falsely accuse Penn of committing serious, multiple crimes against women - are not protected by the First Amendment. As Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes famously observed almost 100 years ago, the First Amendment is not absolute. Just as it does not protect a person from 'shouting fire in a crowded theatre', it also does not protect defamatory conduct.'

The case is scheduled to be heard in court on 16 January, 2016.

From contactmusic.com


Brisbane Rebel Heart Tour dates rescheduled

Live Nation announced that due to scheduling changes, Madonna’s Brisbane concert dates previously scheduled on Saturday, March 26th and Sunday, March 27th will move ahead one week with the revised dates changed respectively to Wednesday, March 16th and Thursday, March 17th. There is no change to the venue which remains the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

Tickets for the Brisbane concert previously scheduled on March 26th will be valid at the Wednesday, March 16th event. Tickets for the Brisbane concert previously scheduled March 27th will be valid at the Thursday, March 17th event.

Current tickets are valid for the corresponding rescheduled dates and do not need to be exchanged.

Any ticket holders unable to attend on the new rescheduled dates must contact Ticketek before 5pm on Monday February 1st, 2016, to arrange a full refund (including your ticket insurance premium, if relevant). Visit Ticketek on www.ticketek.com.au or call 132 849 for more details.

There are options for fans that have purchased flights with Live Nation partners Qantas and Jetstar with a Qantas Group spokesperson saying, 'Qantas and Jetstar are offering Madonna fans the opportunity to change their flights without incurring fees. Changing your booking is quick and easy, ring 13 13 13 for Qantas or 131 538 for Jetstar or your travel agent.'

From www.livenation.com.au/artists/madonna


Madonna: 'We did our best! And we still had to pay a fine!'

madonnalicious was at the Manchester show last night but due to a crashed video, the show started late (around 10pm), the curfew of the venue was 11pm but they got an extension to later, so some songs were cut (Dress You Up medley, La Vie en Rose, Unapologetic Bitch and unfortunately the encore of Holiday). It was disappointing to miss out on some of the show, but the reports the mainstream press are coming out with are way over the top! There was an PA announcement before the show that it was due to finish by 11:30pm and it was outside the artist and venue control. PS You can make it up to all your Rebel Hearts in Birmingham Madonna ;-)

Madonna herself has just posted this message on her Instagram page about what happened before and during the Manchester show last night.

FACTS: its good to have them before you jump to conclusions! The Entire video for my show crashed as I arrived for sound check. The back up file was corrupt. We had no choice but to reboot and pray for a good outcome. The video lights 75 % of my show. We cant play in the dark. We were rebooted and ready by 9:30 even though we planned to go on earlier. I had to make cuts in show before show started. Dress you Up was one of them and my 3rd guitar song. This still brought us past the 11:00 curfew! But we went on and the venue was kind enough to extend till 11:39!! It was their choice not mine to end the show!! I always want to finish. So we all missed the last 3 songs! And I'm sorry about that. And iI thank all my Rebel Heart fans for understanding! We did our best! And we still had to pay a fine! That life. 😂. PS you still got to see an amazing show. And only missed. 12 minutes!! The ❤️#rebelhearttour goes on!


Events: The 2nd Annual Madonna Holiday Party

Madonnathonnyc and Madonnasworld presents The 2nd Annual Madonna Holiday Party

Friday, December 18th 2015 at 9pm

DJ set by DJ JENE

Rockbar
185 Christopher street
NY, NY (bet. Washington and Weehawken)
(212) 675-1864

RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/1654898908107450/

Join us at NYC's only ALL MADONNA MONTHLY DANCE PARTY plus on this night we will be celebrating the end of 2015 with the REBEL HEART TOUR era !

Our monthly Madonna parties are a time to celebrate the queen of Music with all of your friends, near and far. Its your invitation to get into the groove; your spotlight is waiting!

Doors open at 9 P.M. / Exclusive Madonna giveaways all night including madonna stocking stuffers!
Madonna Drink specials / $5 cover

Visit: www.madonnathonnyc.com www.djjene.com www.Rockbarnyc.com for more info

Party_madonnathon_holiday

Madonna Blasts Radio Stations For Ageism Against Women

Madonna has blasted radio stations for only playing the music of younger musicians, explaining in her no-holds-barred fashion, 'It's bullsh*t - but that's the way it is.'

The singer, currently in the middle of her successful Rebel Heart tour, tells journalist Cameron Adams for Australia's Daily Telegraph that 'Radio is ageist. If you’re not in your twenties they won’t play you on the radio. It’s bullsh - but that’s the way it is. It is disappointing. We live in an ageist society. I’ve tried my hardest to do whatever I can to change peoples’ perception of women, of age, of what is possible and why should any of us limit ourselves in any way, shape or form regardless of our sex, our sexual preference, our age, our religious beliefs, our race etc. So for me it’s shocking in this day and age where we’re now accepting gay marriages that we still treat women in a very sexist way. That’s one frontier that has not been conquered. Because if I was a man, things would be different....'

Madonna also used the interview to set the record straight on rumours that she and ex-husband Sean Penn had rekindled their romance, following his split from actress Charlize Theron.

'We’ve been friends for ages,' Madonna clarifies. As for the rumours....'Yeah, but we're friends.'

Madonna, who still has a didgeridoo in her London home as a souvenir of her 1993 tour Down Under, also explains why she will never be tempted by a Greatest Hits tour.

'I don’t want to just sing all my hits, that’s so boring. There needs to be a thread that connects them all, they have to flow from one to the other seamlessly, and for me it’s always a challenge to make that happen.'

Madonna impressed her fans last night with a spontaneous concert in Paris's Place de la Republique, the main site for tributes for victims of the recent attacks on the city.

Following her concert on Wednesday evening in the French capital, she tweeted that she would be heading to the square for a further appearance. Once she'd arrived, she launched into moving renditions of her song 'Ghosttown', John Lennon's 'Imagine' and her own 'Like a Prayer'.

The star told the crowd: “Everybody knows why we’re here....we just want to sing a few songs about peace, just to spread love and joy, and to pay our honour and respect to the people who died almost four weeks ago. And to spread light....we all need it.'

From www.huffingtonpost.co.uk


Christine and the Queens Was Madonna’s ‘Unapologetic Bitch’ in Paris

Madonna’s lengthy 'Unapologetic Bitch' list just added one more name: During Thursday night’s Rebel Heart tour stop in Paris, Madge welcomed Christine and the Queens’ Heloise Letissier to the stage for the concert’s raucous final number.

Of note: Madonna’s 'Living For Love' video takes influences from Christine and the Queens’ choreography, a fact Madonna’s admitted in her admiration of the French pop star. 'She’s great, I love her music,' she said in an interview earlier this year. Watch Madonna and Christine frolic - spanks and all - in Paris together below.

From SPIN


Madonna performs in Place de la Republique in tribute to Paris attack victims

Madonna surprised Parisians with an impromptu performance as she paid tribute to the victims of the attacks in the French capital. The 57-year-old pop star is in Paris for her Rebel Heart tour.

After her sell-out concert at the Bercy Arena on Wednesday, the singer tweeted to say she was heading over to the Place de la Republique which has been the focus of Paris rallies against terrorism.

'Im singing some songs in place de la republique. Meet me there now #Paris. #rightnow #aftershow #rebelheartour,' she posted.

Instagram_paris1

Videos online feature the star singing with her 10-year-old son David, accompanied by guitarist Monte Pittman, who is currently on tour with the artist.

The crowd joined in with the impromptu show, but the multi award-winner appeared to have forgotten some of the lyrics to John Lennon classic Imagine. She also sang smash hit Like A Prayer and Ghosttown, taken from her Rebel Heart album.

Madonna told those assembled: 'Everybody knows why we're here....we just want to sing a few songs about peace, just to spread love and joy, and to pay our honour and respect to the people who died almost four weeks ago. And to spread light....we all need it.'

From Press Association Via Yahoo! News


'We will not bend to fear,' Madonna says of Paris attacks

Singer Madonna made an emotional appeal following attacks in Paris a month ago that killed 130, shouting 'We will not bend down to fear!' during a concert in the French capital on Wednesday.

'I think of what happened almost four weeks ago now,' the visibly emotional artist said. 'The heart of Paris and the heart of France beats in the heart of each city.'

She continued: 'We are one heart and our heart can beat as one....The power of love is greater than the love of power. I came here when I was 20 and it was here, in Paris, that I decided to make music. Thank you Paris for planting that seed in my heart!'

Swathed in a French flag, she sang the French national anthem, La Marseillaise, bringing the concert-goers to their feet.

The star then moved to Place de la Republique, which has become an unofficial hub for mourners of the November 13 attacks, and sang a series of songs to a small crowd.

'It was inspiring, it was raw, it was real,' said Pete Hall, a 45-year-old tourist from London who had just left Madonna's concert at Bercy when he saw on social media she was at the square in central Paris. 'She was paying her respects to Paris,' he said.

Wearing a down jacket with a fur hood over her head and accompanied by her guitarist Monte Pittman, Madonna sang her hits 'Like a Prayer' and 'Ghosttown', as well as John Lennon's 'Imagine', according to those who attended the impromptu concert.

'She wanted to pay tribute, she loves this city,' Pittman told AFP. 'It is magical. I will never forget this.'

From Relaxnews Via Yahoo! News

"David singing Redemption Song for Paris🇫🇷 So amazing 🙏🏻 Thank you Universe. ❤ #rebelhearttour" -Madonna

Instagram_paris2

Dancing with the Wonderful and Amazing JP Gaultier!

Later on Jean-Paul Gaultier posted this picture of what he did with the banana!


And you know, you definitely don't want to miss your trains....

madonnalicious got the feeling that someone in her team had told her that people had complained that they were missing their trains as she was coming on-stage later than advertised....so being Madonna....well you can guess!

However because she was annoyed and still started later than advertised, she cut out Dress You Up / Into The Groove out of the show, and failed to do her costume change.


Madonna review - mistress of sex, sacrilege and stairs

* * * * *
O2 Arena, London
In a shock-and-awe spectacular that deftly blends past with provocative present, the queen of pop is charm itself.

There is something strangely comforting in the blasphemous stage extension on this first night of Madonna’s UK tour. It’s a crucifix crowned by a heart that actually looks like the head of a penis.

Madonna’s is a Rebel Heart, after all, one that has long relished conflating the Passion of the Christ with the more lurid human urges the church fails to sublimate. 'Things always get heated up when I get here,' Madonna jokes from her position on a stool near the tip of the glans, in one of many often spontaneous-sounding asides tonight.

This most famous of lapsed Catholics recently referred to the pontiff as 'popey-wopey' on the Philadelphia leg of this tour, a show that finds Madonna returning to themes she (and we) know well: religion, sex, provocation, heartbreak, the romance of Spain. In short, it’s a little like 1989 all over again, when Madonna’s Like a Prayer video found the singer getting steamy with a black saint.

This time, Holy Water - to be perfectly clear, a Rebel Heart song about cunnilingus and vaginal juices, 'Bless yourself and genuflect', it goes - features pole-dancing nuns in their frillies. At the end, it finds Madonna and her many dancers in a tableau suggesting the Last Supper. Only it’s more like the Last Bacchanal, with all sorts of simulated sins of the flesh instead of dessert.

To read the rest of the review visit: www.theguardian.com/madonna-o2-arena-london-live-review-rebel-heart-tour


Madonna Remembers Adopted Son's Tragic Family On World Aids Day

During her concert at London's O2 Arena on Tuesday, the pop superstar stopped the show to give a candid speech about the global AIDS epidemic and dedicate her hit track Like A Prayer to the victims.

She told the audience her adopted son David, who was born in the African nation of Malawi, had lost family members to the disease.

'I should acknowledge not only the dearest and most amazing friends of mine who died of AIDS so many years ago, and who still do, but the....family of my adopted son who died of AIDS,' Madonna told the crowd. 'Let's give a big thanks to people who continue to fight to find a cure for this disease and let's acknowledge all the people who have passed who have fought to raise awareness. We shall overcome one day. Just to say thank you I'd like to sing a little prayer to you.'

Madonna has adopted two children, David and Mercy, from the impoverished country, where around 10 per cent of the population is infected with the HIV virus, which causes AIDS.

The singer has been a long-time campaigner for AIDS awareness, having lost her dance teacher and mentor Christopher Flynn to the disease in 1990.

From contactmusic.com


Queen of Pop hits the O2 in London

The Queen of Pop was performing at the O2 in London where her on-stage fall at the Brit Awards earlier this year made headlines around the world.

But Madonna, 57, put on a slick routine where two dancers pulled off her trailing pink cape with one quick tug and the star stayed on her feet.

Dressed in an array of costumes, she sang new material from her latest album as well as classic hits including Material Girl, before finishing with a rendition of Holiday.

The star was even joined for a lively dance on stage with TV host Graham Norton.

Madonna told the crowd: 'I've been married twice and I suck at marriage so far. But there's always hope. I haven't given up on love. I don't want you to be thinking I'm cynical about love. I haven't given up on love at all. In fact, it's my life's dream to find the perfect love. Until then I am married to all of you.'

Talking about hardship in the world, she said: 'It does make me want to cry sometimes. I know that we, the people, if we're unified and we are together and we have love, we can conquer anything. And I'm not being idealistic. I truly believe that.'

The star got laughs from the crowd when she said she needed a rest more than halfway through her energetic show. 'It's so nice to sit down for a wee moment. You don't mind do you? Oh my goodness. Even I have to admit that I outdo myself,' she joked.

More cheers and laughs came from the crowd when she declared: 'Nobody f***s with the Queen.'

Hailing London as one of her favourite places, she said: 'It's so good to be back. Right back here where I belong. London has a very special place in my heart. When I was a young, young girl living in New York. I was a bartender in a restaurant. I robbed the cash register blind every night. Why? Because I was dying to come to London and check it out. So I saved up all my stolen cash and I came here and it was the most amazing experience of my life.'

Marking World Aids Day, the star paid tribute to her friends who have died from Aids and said the entire family of her adopted son died from the virus. 'We shall overcome one day,' she said.

Madonna plays one more night at the O2 before taking her show to Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow.

From Press Association Via Yahoo! News