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October 2020

How Rock the Vote Changed the Way Young People Viewed Politics

It all began with a single image: a bikini-clad Madonna wrapped in an American flag.

"Truth is where you find it. Get up and vote," the artist broke it down "Vogue"-style as two dancers waved flags behind her. "Dr. King, Malcolm X, freedom of speech is as good as sex."

Then, she delivered her final tantalizing line: "And if you don't vote, you're going to get a spanking.''

And with that, Rock the Vote had released its first PSA.

If Madonna was hoping to elicit a reaction from the American people, she got her wish. The pop star set off a flurry of criticism, with the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization accusing her, according to The New York Times, of "desecration of the flag."

But, as the singer's publicist, Liz Rosenberg, said at the time, ''That was certainly not Madonna's intention at all. My sense is that wrapping the American flag around her is not insulting. It is essential that people should vote. She's trying to get that message across in a humorous, dramatic way. But she's very serious about the issue.''

At first glance, it might seem like a bad idea to start a movement on such a sour note, but as they say, there's no such thing as bad publicity.

But Rock the Vote was started by people who were already known for being controversial. In fact, Virgin Records co-founder Jeff Ayeroff and other music executives were initially responding to the Parent Music Resource Center's goal to have Parental Advisory labels placed on every album on the market that contained so-called explicit content, a desire that a select group of politicians were happy to fulfill.

What the PMRC and its supporters failed to foresee though, was that musicians have thousands of fans, many of voting age - and that those fans would be called upon to vote against the politicians in favor of censoring their music.

That's why Madonna and other artists who were named in the PMRC's "Filthy 15" - a list of songs the group called "objectionable" - were at the forefront of this movement.

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


Mirwais on producing Madonna: 'I'm not comparing her to a bull but –'

Mirwais Ahmadzaï is trying to sum up his frequent collaborator Madonna. “You know bullfighting?” he begins ominously. “It works because the bull is so powerful that you have to weaken it.” Right. “Look, I’m not comparing Madonna to a bull,” he quickly adds, “but she was so powerful at that time.”

The Parisian, who turns 60 on Friday, peppers our 90-minute phone call with similar flights of fancy, ponderously linking Brexit to Baudrillard and dropping situationist truth bombs. And he has witnessed that power up close. A cult musician in France since the late 70s, and cited as an influence by the likes of Air and Daft Punk, Ahmadzaï was plucked from the sidelines by Madonna in 1999. He helped coax out her most experimental era, bolting his brand of heavily filtered, minimalist electrofunk on to the superstar’s 11m-selling album Music. His sonic fingerprints were all over two singles that immediately slotted into the already heaving Madge canon: the delicious electro-bounce of the title track and thigh-slapping country curio Don’t Tell Me.

Three years later came the politically-minded American Life, a divisive flop, before Ahmadzaï seemed to disappear into the pop wilderness. However, the pair reunited for last year’s album Madame X. How did she coax him back?

“Very simple – she called me,” he says. “It was after Donald Trump’s election and there were so many celebrities who were saying, ‘I’m leaving America [if he wins]’ and none of them left except her,” he says, referring to Madonna’s relocation to Portugal. “That’s why I have to defend her. It’s cool to have the courage of your convictions.”

Perhaps Madonna recognised that in Ahmadzaï, too. Twenty years after the release of his breakthrough solo album, Production, he’s back with a new single, 2016 – My Generation, and a forthcoming album, The Retrofuture. A mainly instrumental track, all chunky synths and trademark acid bass, 2016 – My Generation comes with an eye-popping animated video from Oscar-winning director Ludovic Houplain that offers up a panoramic view of modern life, from porn addiction (one section features skyscraping ejaculating phalluses), to the rise of the far right.

To read the rest of the article visit: www.theguardian.com/music


Kylie Minogue Reveals The One Thing Standing In The Way Of A Madonna Duet

Kylie Minogue has revealed the one thing that needs to happen for her to duet with Madonna.

A collaboration between the two pop queens is at the top of many pop fan’s wish list, and while Kylie is up for it, it all boils down to one important factor.

Speaking about the prospect of teaming up with Madge, Kylie told Metro: “I am as curious as the fans are. It would be amazing.

“The hard part is to get the right song and the right moment. Maybe any moment is the right moment… but the right song? One that’s in people’s imagination, mine included, because don’t forget I was a 14-year-old Madonna maniac. I was that kid.”

And if the duet with Madonna never comes off, there are other pop titans that Kylie would love to get in the studio with.

“Miley [Cyrus] is absolutely smashing it right now,” Kylie said. “I am such a big fan of Gaga. Her talent is phenomenal. She has done some cute things recently by urging people to vote in America. There are so many facets to her. The list would go on and on.”

Kylie is currently gearing up for the release of her fifteenth studio album, Disco, on 7 November.

From The Huffington Post UK


Madonna Voices Her Support for 'Intelligent, Compassionate, Well Spoken' Kamala Harris

Madonna is on Team Kamala!

The singer took to Instagram on Friday (Oct. 9) to voice her support for the Democratic Vice Presidential nominee, sharing a compilation of clips from Wednesday's VP debate, in which Harris is seen calling out Vice President Mike Pence a number of times for interrupting her.

While critics though Harris' facial expressions were condescending, Madonna pointed out that if "Kamilla [sic] were a man no one would make comments about her facial expressions. Do people fixate on Trumps facial expressions?? That are hideous and rude every time he speaks. This is another example of Sexism and Racism in America."

Chance the Rapper, Hayley Williams & More React as Kamala Harris & Mike Pence Face Off in Vice Presidential Debate She also threw a jab at Pence, and the moment where a fly landed on his head mid-debate. "The Fly knew exactly where to go. It landed on s---," Madonna wrote. "There are signs everywhere. Woke people see them."

"Kamilla [sic] is an intelligent, compassionate, well spoken leader who stands for justice and equal rights for all people," she concluded. See her post here.

From Billboard.com


Madonna rejected a David Guetta collaboration over his star sign

The stars didn’t quite align for David Guetta and Madonna. The music producer has revealed the Queen of Pop nixed an album collaboration after she discovered what his star sign was.

In a new interview, Guetta revealed Madonna left him during a lunch meeting about the album after she discovered he was a Scorpio.

Guetta caught Madonna’s attention when he remixed her song 'Revolver' in 2009, which she loved so much that she “[suggested] that I produced her next album” Guetta recounted to YouTubers McFly and Carlito.

He continued: “I arrive for lunch. We talk about everything, the music, what she wants to do with the album. Super nice. It's just her and me. Very relaxed, very cool. We have lunch."

Although Guetta was convinced things were going “very good” and that it was likely they’d work together on an album, astrology put a pin in their plans.

He said: “She asks me for my astrological sign. I answer her, 'Scorpio'. Suddenly, she makes a face and she says to me, 'I'm sorry, we're not going to be able to work together. It was a pleasure to know you. Goodbye.’”

Madonna was born on August 16, making her a Leo.

Although things didn’t work out with Madonna, Guetta has gone on to work with other performers including Sia, Kid Cudi, Justin Bieber and more - alongside releasing his own music.

From Evening Standard