Madonna, often addressed as the âQueen of Popâ, is one of the most popular international artists. She was born into a Catholic family and her mother was a staunch follower of her religion. After the demise of her mother, and her fatherâs remarriage, Madonna went through a radical change and turned into a rebel. She had an affinity towards dancing and dropped out of college to pursue a career in dancing. In a pursuit to chase her dream, she moved to New York. Life was not easy for her in New York, and to survive she had to engage in many odd jobs, which also included being a waitress and nude modelling. At the same time, she also carried on her dance training and participated in bands. Soon her talent got noticed and she got her first solo contract. Ever since the skilled performer has never looked back and has climbed the ladder of success steadily. She has created many records and registered her name in the âGuinness World Recordâ. The talented artist has uncountable awards to her credit. She has been regarded as a style icon and her some of her songs are believed to be classics. Controversies and Madonna go hand-in-hand, and this artist faces all challenges boldly and overcomes them
Childhood & Early Life:
Madonna was born as Madonna Louise Ciccone to Silvio Ciccone and Madonna Fortin on 16th August, 1958, in Bay City, Michigan. She has five siblings named Christopher, Martin, Paula, Melanie and Anthony. She lost her mother at a very tender age and it affected her greatly. The remarriage of her father was unacceptable to her she turned into a rebel. She attended institutions such as âSt. Andrews Schoolâ, âWest Junior Highâ, and âRochester Adams High Schoolâ. She then enrolled at the âUniversity of Michiganâ but in 1978, she abandoned her studies and travelled to New York to pursue her interest in dancing.
Career
In New York, she engaged in various odd jobs such as waitress, nude art modelling and also pursued her dance training simultaneously. She became a member at the âThe Breakfast Clubâ band and later formed a band named âMadonna & the Skyâ.
In 1979, she played a role in the film âA Certain Sacrificeâ. In 1980s, she got a solo contract with the company named âSire Recordsâ which is owned by âWarner Music Groupâ.
In 1982, her first solo album âEverybodyâ was launched which topped the dance charts, and the following year, another album âMadonnaâ was released. The albums fared well in the market and sold many copies.
The year 1984, was a major breakthrough for this artist when her album âLike a Virginâ hit the music stores. This album soon became a huge success and launched Madonna as an international figure. The title track of the album retained the first position on âBillboard Chartâ for six weeks.
In 1985, she worked in the film âDesperately Seeking Susanâ and also lent her voice for the number âInto the Grooveâ in the film. This song too was a huge hit and registered number one in U.S. dance charts.
The same year, she sang âCrazy For Youâ for the film âVision Questâ and this too turned out to successful. Soon after, she went on her first concert tour called âThe Virgin Tourâ.
During 1986-90, this singer worked on several albums such as âTrue Blueâ, âYou Can Danceâ, âWhoâs that Girlâ, âLike a Prayerâ, and films which include âWhoâs That Girlâ, âDick Tracyâ, âBloodhounds of Broadwayâ, âShanghai Surpriseâ. During the same period, she also went on concerts tours like âWhoâs That Girl World Tourâ and âBlond Ambition World Tourâ.
In 1989, she signed an endorsement contract with âPepsiâ company but her controversial video âLike a Prayerâ, led to annulment of the contract.
In 1990, her compilation album âThe Immaculate Collectionâ was released and it received immense success making it the âbest âselling compilation album by any solo artist in historyâ.
In 1991, her first documentary film âMadonna: Truth or Dareâ was released which dealt with the incidents that occurred during her âBlond Ambition World Tourâ. The same year, she also worked in the film âShadows and Fogâ and the following year, she appeared in the film âA League of Their Ownâ
She co-founded the âMaverick Recordsâ music label in association with âWarner Music Groupâ in 1992. The same year, she published her book âSexâ which was an adult coffee table book containing erotic images of this artist; and her album âEroticaâ was also launched during the same time.
During 1993-99, she was engaged in movies such as âBody of Evidenceâ, â Dangerous Gameâ, â Blue in the Faceâ, âFour Roomsâ and âGirl 6â. She also launched some albums such as âBedtime Storiesâ and âRay of Lightâ, and was part of the concert tour âThe Girlie Show World Tourâ.
In 1996, she portrayed Eva PerĂłn in the musical drama âEvitaâ and her award winning performance was highly acclaimed by many.
She continued to carry on her musical as well as acting career in spite of all the controversies she was surrounded with, and during the period 2000-12, she acted in movies such as âThe Next Big Thingâ, âSwept Awayâ, âDie Another Dayâ, âIâm Going to Tell You a Secretâ, âArthur and the Invisiblesâ.
Her albums during the same period include âMusicâ, âAmerican Lifeâ, âConfessions on a Dance Floorâ, âHard Candyâ, âMDNAâ.
In 2012, she was engaged in the concert tour named âThe MDNA Tourâ.
In 2015, her album named âRebel Heartâ was released and she also embarked on a concert tour by the same name.
She is associated with a few production companies and brands such as âSemtex Girlsâ, âHard Candy Fitnessâ, âTruth or Dare by Madonnaâ.
Major Works
Her album âTrue Blueâ was immensely successful containing the songs âPapa Donât Preachâ, âLive to Tellâ and âOpen Your Heartâ which topped the âBillboard Hot 100â list. The album was placed on top of the charts in more than 28 countries.
Her compilation album âThe Immaculate Collectionâ became a hit and earned her a place in the history of music by registering as the âbest-selling compilation album by a solo artistâ.
Awards & Achievements
In 1989, she was awarded with the âArtist of the Decade: Mega Artistâ by MTV.
This artist has been the recipient of several eminent awards for her singing as well as her acting. Her first âGrammy Awardsâ was in the year 1992, for the âBlond Ambition world Tour Liveâ in the âBest Music Video, Long Formâ category. This was followed by six more âGrammy Awardsâ for her works âRay of Lightâ, âBeautiful Strangersâ, âConfessions on a Dance Floorâ and âThe Confession Tourâ.
During 1996-2012, this talented artist has been credited with eleven âGuinness World Recordsâ in categories such as âHighest grossing music tour per concert by a female artistâ, âHighest paid female singer on the planetâ, âMost Number-one Albums in the UK chartsâ, âLargest TV audience Super Bowl in historyâ.
She has been the recipient of the âJuno Awardsâ twice for the song âVogueâ and her album âTrue Blueâ.
In 2006, the âTRL Awardsâ presented her with the âLifetime Achievement Awardâ. Two years later, this artist was inducted into the âRock and Roll Hall of Fameâ.
Personal Life & Legacy
On 16th August, 1985, she married actor Sean Penn but the couple divorced four years later.
During the period 1995-97, she was in a relationship with her personal fitness instructor Carlos Leon with whom she has a daughter named Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon.
On December 2000, she married a second time to director Guy Ritchie with whom she has two sons Rocco John Ritchie and David Banda Mwale Ciccone Ritchie.
In October 2008, she and Guy Ritchie separated. Later, she adopted a daughter Mercy James from an orphanage in Malawi.
Trivia
She has won the âGolden Raspberry Awardsâ for the âWorst Actressâ category in as many as six occasions
My mother was a religious zealot. There were always priests and nuns in my house growing up.
I think the biggest reason I was able to express myself and not be intimidated was by not having a mother.
I really saw myself as the quintessential Cinderella.
For some reason, I feel like I never left high school, because I still feel that if you don't fit in, you're going to get your ass kicked.
I believe sometimes we aren't always in charge of everything that we do creatively. We submit to things as we're going on our own journey.
We like to put people on a pedestal, give them one character trait, and if they step outside of that shrinelike area that we blocked out for them, then we will punish them.
