Madonna is an American pop singer, television presenter and music producer. The most commercially successful performer in history according to the Guinness Book of Records. Since the late 1980s, critics began calling her the “Queen of Pop.” The singer acquired a scandalous reputation thanks to her use of provocative erotic images and free handling of religious themes. Madonna no longer performs on stage, but in her youth she practically did not leave it, giving a huge number of concerts around the world and winning new awards. It is about the youth and beginning of the career of this iconic singer that we will talk in this article.
Childhood and youth
The singer's real name is Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone. She was born under the zodiac sign Leo on August 16, 1958 in the American state of Michigan. She spent her childhood surrounded by five brothers and sisters. Her mother died when Madonna was 5 years old, and her stepmother cared only about her own children. It was precisely this “competition” from childhood, as the singer would later tell, that gave birth to her dream of becoming famous throughout the world.
Nine years later, Madonna Ciccone performed at a school talent competition, where she shocked all the teachers. For the number where the girl sang from the stage in a top and shorts, decorated with paints, her father put her under house arrest.
After school, Madonna entered the University of Michigan with the hope of becoming an outstanding ballerina; at that time she did not even think about music. She did not become a successful dancer, and soon the girl realized that she needed to leave the province to pursue her dream.
Madonna moved to New York, where for a very long time she worked only for food, living in a crime-ridden area. In 1979, she auditioned to be a backup dancer for a famous touring performer. Professionals noticed good potential in her and decided to make Madonna a dancing singer.
Carier start
The pop diva’s full-fledged creative biography began in 1983 with the recording of Madonna’s debut album, which reached number 8 on the Billboard 200 chart. The second disc, Like a Virgin, instantly reached the top of the prestigious US charts, which made Madonna famous throughout the world. In 1985, Madonna released her famous video for the hit Material Girl.
Following this, a series of successful releases by the artist began, including the album True Blue, the single Live to Tell, and the video clip for the composition La Isla Bonita, written in the genre of Latin American pop music.
In 1998, “the greatest pop masterpiece of the 90s,” as the music magazine Rolling Stone called the record, was released - the album Ray of Light, the single from which, called Frozen, became a record-breaking leading position in the prestigious charts.
In 2000, Madonna released her next studio album, called Music. In it, the singer used a vocoder for the first time. The album took first place in the top ratings of the USA and Great Britain.
In 2003, Madonna made her debut as a writer with the children's picture book English Roses, which topped The New York Times bestseller list.
The singer's fame as a children's writer was overshadowed by a scandal. At the MTV ceremony, a famous incident occurred - a kiss with Britney Spears, after which Madonna was accused of promoting lesbianism. The singer justified the kiss with a stage image: the artist performed in a groom's suit, and Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera - in bridesmaid dresses.
In 2005, with the release of the single Hung Up, the singer was also awarded the title of queen of the dance floor. This is facilitated by the performer’s incendiary performances and music videos.
First steps in show business
In her youth, Madonna quickly realized that only perseverance and upward striving would allow her talent to shine in the firmament of show business stars. Together with her friend Dan Gilroy, she formed the first band, Breakfast Club, in which she played drums. But this was not the role the ambitious Madonna envisioned for herself. The singer showed herself in all her glory, independently composing songs and performing them. Her works delighted her friends. They predicted a great future for her and they were not mistaken.
The eighties became the starting point for the rising star named Madonna. Music was everything for the girl - a chance to survive, realize herself and prove to the whole world and her family, who were against the path she had chosen. Madonna in her youth was not always scrupulous in choosing the means to make her cherished dream come true. By hook or by crook, she appeared among the right people and got her first producer, who contributed to the release of her debut album in 1983.
Rare photos of Madonna in her youth
Madonna was never ashamed of herself, her emotions and her body, thanks to which in the archives you can find a lot of interesting photographs of Madonna - lively, funny, brave... We have collected some rare photos.
The photo on the left is one of the earliest photos of the singer with her mother. And on the right, Madonna herself has become a mother.
In her youth, Madonna studied ballet and dreamed of becoming a world famous dancer.
Madonna catches a bouquet at one of the weddings. Here she is 17 and looks very modest. Although her behavior has not been the same since she was 13: after one of her performances at an evening of young talents, her father put Madonna under house arrest.
Young Madonna Louise Ciccone came to conquer New York.
She dropped out of the University of Michigan, where she received her dance education, having attended a master class with New York choreographer Pearl Lang and having a dream of joining her troupe. Madonna goes through a tough casting and gets a place, although not in the first line-up. Her first role in the Lang troupe was a boy in a Jewish ghetto.
Madonna has never been shy about posing nude. And at the beginning of her career she did this very often. In great need of money, she worked part-time as a model in an art studio and as a nude model for photographers.
Shot by legendary nude photographer Martin Schraffder:
Few people know, but Madonna was once a punk rock fan. In general, singing happened by accident: she had no money at all and she began auditioning for various musicals, and one day Madonna came to an audition as a backup dancer for the world tour of singer Patrick Hernandez. The musician's producers unexpectedly asked the dancer... to sing. And her pleasant voice was highly appreciated. Madonna is invited to Paris - her career begins! True, the producers offer her disco-pop, but Madonna loves punk rock and does not like the proposed material. Madonna studies music, begins to write songs and even creates a couple of her own groups, which, however, did not last long. But the love for rock and punk remained throughout my life. Well, at least in images:
In addition, her song “Like a Virgin” shocked the audience in the best traditions of rock music and was included in the list of 200 iconic songs of all time under the auspices of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Now Madonna is an ardent supporter of a healthy lifestyle, but there were times when the singer really had a blast.
Madonna at the beginning of her pop career:
Finding your own style. Yes, it looked incredibly fashionable back then:
A photo that looks like it’s from Instagram: Madonna was often photographed on Polaroid by her friend, leaving many live photos for history:
The photo is unsuccessful, but funny:
Madonna has always boldly experimented with her appearance: blonde, brunette, brown-haired, redhead - a new look every month. Here are a couple of examples of very different brunette Madonnas:
What do you think of this demonic image?
Madonna in a children's hospital. The singer has always been actively involved in charity work, supported various foundations and herself launched several charitable projects - her organization promotes peace, equal rights and accessible education, according to the Rayoflight project website. Madonna also loves children very much. She even wrote a children's book called English Roses.
Madonna tender:
Madonna of the Gypsy:
Business Madonna:
In general, Madonna was and remains multifaceted, active and unpredictable.
Castle in Portugal
The singer purchased the neo-Moorish style mansion Quinta do Relogio, built in the 18th century, for $7 million in 2020. The house, with an area of 1,500 square meters, is recognized as a historical site; it is located near the capital of Portugal, Lisbon, on the hills of the resort town of Sintra.
The palace was erected in 1865 by the architect Antonio Manuel da Fonseca. The house is adjacent to a two-hectare plot. At the end of the 19th century, the future monarchs of Spain lived here: King Carlos I and his wife Amelia.
In 2020, few people believed that Madonna would decide to move with her four youngest children. The tabloids suggested that the house was bought because the Benfica football club was located nearby, where the artist’s adopted son David Banda was training at the time.
The fact is that the 60-year-old artist is now trying to devote more time to promoting her son’s career, rather than her own, already established one.
Madonna's four-story Baroque palace has 12 bedrooms and five bathrooms. The building is surrounded by a garden with a lake, a swimming pool, fountains and a greenhouse. From the windows you can see the sights of Sintra: the Quinta da Regaleira estate and the “Castle of the Moors”.
The ancient castle bears no resemblance to the singer’s former ultra-fashionable American houses and apartments. The palace has a lot of furniture in the Baroque style.
The interior of the kitchen is very unusual. In the room, which has hardly been altered since the castle was built, there is a place for a fireplace (now there is a stove there). The walls and ceiling are decorated with various kitchen utensils (baskets, boxes, pans), which, if necessary, can be taken by extending your hand.
New pictures and videos from the Portuguese castle are constantly appearing on Madonna's Instagram. One shows a man dancing in her kitchen, another shows the singer’s daughter decorating a Christmas tree, and the third shows the artist’s youngest children: sisters Stella and Esther.
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