Tour by Madonna | |
![]() Promotional poster for the tour | |
Location |
|
---|---|
Associated album | Madame X |
Start date | September 17, 2019 |
End date | March 8, 2020 |
Legs | 2 |
No. of shows | 75 |
Attendance | 179,289 |
Box office | US$51.4 million [a] |
Madonna concert chronology |
The Madame X Tour was the eleventh concert tour by American singer Madonna, in support of her fourteenth studio album, Madame X (2019). It began on September 17, 2019, at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in New York City, United States, and ended on March 8, 2020, at the Grand Rex in Paris, France. An all-theater tour, it was the singer's first time playing small venues since the Virgin Tour (1985); she had previously shown interest in doing a smaller-scale show during a 2017 interview. The tour consisted exclusively of dates in the United States, Portugal, England, and France; mobile phones and smart watches were banned from the concerts, which was met with mixed reactions from fans.
The tour was met with positive reviews from critics, although the inclusion of Madame X album cuts garnered some criticism. Controversy arose due to Madonna's late show starts, with a fan going as far as to file a class action lawsuit against her. At the 2020 Billboard year-end boxscore charts, it was reported that Madame X had grossed over $36,385,935 from an audience of 124,655.
After several cancellations due to a recurring knee injury, the tour ended abruptly three days before its planned end date, following on from the French government announcing a ban on gatherings of more than 1,000 people to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the midst of the pandemic. Shot during the Lisbon dates, the concert film Madame X was directed by Ricardo Gomes, Sasha Kasiuha, and Nuno Xico. It had its premiere on September 23 at New York's Times Square Edition Hotel, and was released through Paramount+ on October 8, 2021.
In 2017, Madonna relocated to Lisbon when seeking a top football academy for her son David Banda, who wanted to become a professional association football player. While living in the city, she began meeting artists; painters and musicians who would invite her to "living room sessions." In the sessions, they would bring food and sit around the table, and musicians would start playing instruments, singing fado and samba music. [2] The singer's fourteenth studio album Madame X was released on June 14, 2019; [3] it became Madonna's ninth number-one album on the Billboard 200. [4] Prior to the album's release, the singer had expressed the idea of going on tour during a backstage interview at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards. [5] During a 2017 interview with BBC News Madonna had mentioned the possibility of doing a smaller-scale show; "I've done so many shows—world tours, stadiums, arenas, you name it—that I feel like I have to reinvent that now too. I like doing intimate shows and being able to talk directly to the audience." [6] The Madame X Tour was officially announced by the singer on May 6, 2019, through her official Twitter account, where she posted a short promotional video co-starring Diplo. [7] It visited smaller venues as the singer liked, in her own words, "the idea of staying in one place and people coming to me." [8] It marked the first time Madonna played theaters and small venues since 1985's the Virgin Tour. [9]
Mobile phones and smart watches were banned from the concerts; attendees were required to put their devices in pouches ahead of each show. A source explained that "[Madonna] wants to have an intimate experience with her audience without phones up in the air and screens separating fans from the performance." [10] Fans online complained of the "stress" of the ban, while others said it made for a "good concert experience." [11] In a telephone interview with Mario Lopez for Megaphone, Madonna said the set list would be 70% new material. [12] Jamie King was appointed creative director; personnel working on the tour included 41 musicians, Monte Pittman on guitar, backup singer Dana "Yahzarah" Williams, 12 dancers, and 14 of the 22 women of the Batukadeiras Orchestra. [13] [14]
Stufish provided the show’s sets, which include mapped video projection, large-scale video images, staircases, and other reconfigurable scenic pieces that were compared to a Rubik's Cube. [15] The wardrobe included a glittery Revolutionary War attire with feathered tricorne hat and a chiffon dress, with frills and Swarovski crystals designed by Francesco Scognamiglio. [16] [17] Additional articles were provided by Prada, Burberry, Miu Miu, and Versace. [13] For the performance of "Frozen" (1998), Choreographer Damien Jalet with Luigi & Iango filmed a "dramatic" black and white video of Madonna's eldest daughter Lourdes Leon as a "shape-shifting spirit who finds her freedom through her movements." [18] A week before the tour kicked off, a pop-up store was announced in New York; it counted with exclusive merchandise such as signed vinyls, signed and framed art prints, hand-painted hoodies, and tees. The store also had a make-up counter with artists available each day, an interactive photo booth, and a station where shoppers could add embroidery to their items. [19] The Madame X Tour officially began on September 17, 2019, at New York City's BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, and ended on March 8, 2020, at Paris' Grand Rex. [20] [21]
The show began with a quote by James Baldwin: "Art is here to prove that all safety is an illusion... Artists are here to disturb the peace." Then, a silhouetted woman sat at a typewriter; each key press sounding like a gunshot, accompanied by a dancer jerking and flinching as if he had been shot. Madonna then appeared to sing "God Control" while being bounced between two police officers’ shields. The number had cops attacking dancers under a video montage of news footage. "Dark Ballet" was performed next, with Joan of Arc references and the singer fighting dancers in gas masks reminiscent of the mice in The Nutcracker (1892); it counted with a ballet breakdown halfway through. Afterwards, Madonna yelled "Fuck the patriarchy!" before being dragged by dancers dressed as policemen into a circular cell in the stage. This led to a rendition of "Human Nature", as pointing fingers were projected across the stage, and she joined percussionist Miroca Paris on the congas. Towards the end, she was surrounded by 11 black women − including her twin daughters Stella, Estere, and Mercy James − and chanted the phrase "I'm not your bitch!" An a capella rendition of "Express Yourself" and a brief interlude where Madonna addressed the audience followed.
"Vogue" and "I Don't Search I Find" were performed with lookalike dancers dressed in blonde wigs, trench coats, shades, and high heels. Next, Madonna sang the first verse and chorus of "Papa Don't Preach"; she changed the lyric "I'm keeping my baby" to "I'm not keeping my baby". Afterwards, she played guitar for "American Life" while uniforms fell down from above the stage, and dancers dressed as soldiers dragged a coffin. A short video led to "Batuka", which had 14 women of the Batukadeiras Orchestra playing the drums while Madonna sat to the side on a stairwell, before eventually joining them and doing batuque moves. What came next were performances of Isabel De Oliveira's "Fado Pechincha", and Madame X album tracks "Killers Who are Partying" and "Crazy" - the last one was played with an accordion. A cha-cha-chá mashup of "La Isla Bonita" and a new song called "Welcome to My Fado Club" was performed next, followed by a guitar rendition of Cesária Évora's "Sodade" including Miroca Paris who performed and recorded with Cesaria Evora for over a decade. The next numbers were "Medellín", with Maluma appearing on the backdrop screens, and album track "Extreme Occident". An interlude of dancers doing synchronized moves to lyrics of "Rescue Me" followed.
"Frozen" saw the singer performing in the middle of a massive projection of the video of Leon. For "Come Alive", Madonna and the dancers wore colorful flowing robes. She then played the piano for "Future" and was joined by dancers with red lights on their eyes; the word "Warning" flashed on the stage behind her as she sang. The Tracy Young remix of "Crave" featured Madonna dancing with her twin daughters, while "Like a Prayer" had her performing in front of an X-shaped staircase while surrounded by a choir and the song's music video projected on the stage. The final number, "I Rise", began with Emma González ' speech being presented on the screen, which then showed news footage of protests and marches. Halfway through, the screen turned the colors of the Rainbow flag as Madonna and her dancers left the stage through the audience with their fists raised.
The Madame X Tour was met with positive reviews from critics; Rolling Stone 's Rob Sheffield deemed it "excellent" and a "testament to the genius in her madness", concluding that it proves "Madonna will never be the kind of superstar who repeats her successes, sticks to her strengths, or plays it safe. Instead, she's getting weirder with age. Thank all the angels and saints for that." [22] Jon Pareles, writing for The New York Times , said on his review that, "as both album and show, 'Madame X' is Madonna's latest declaration of a defiant, self-assured, flexible identity that's entirely comfortable with dualities [...] Yes, she is 61, but her music remains determinedly contemporary." [16] Variety 's Ilana Kaplan considered it, "at times[,] performance art, a political rally, a comedy show, a church and even her home in Lisbon." [23] Rhian Daly from NME gave the concert a particularly positive review by calling it "powerful, empowering, stunning", and "one of the best gigs of the year." [24] Bradley Stern, for Paper , opined it was "unlike any other Madonna tour to date", as well as a "hybrid between an actual theatrical production and a concert." [25] According to Pollstar 's Amy Linden, the Madame X Tour is an example of what is known within the music industry as an "underplay [...] when an A or maybe B+ level musician opts out of the de rigueur arena or shed tour in favor of a more intimate and modest venue [...] With Madame X, Madonna joins the ranks of an impressive list of musicians who have also turned the volume down, so to speak." Liden concluded that being able to see the singer in "such close proximity" added a "magical and elite vibe." [26]
"While she did take the stage over an hour late, Madonna proved that she is still at the top of her game musically [...] [She] put on an amazing live show at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in the heart of Brooklyn. She is still the 'Queen of Pop' and shows no signs of relinquishing that throne anytime soon. She is a true visionary, whose music and artistry gets bigger and better each year."
Will Gompertz from BBC News gave the concert a five-star rating, and opined it was "perfectly imperfect, like one of those sketchy landscapes by Cezanne where you can see his underdrawings and misplaced lines, making it so much more beautiful and real than Canaletto's soulless precision." Gompertz concluded his review by saying Madame X was an "adventurous piece of contemporary theatre, and a match for any of the Tony and Olivier-winning shows currently playing the West End and Broadway." [28]
Aidin Vaziri from the San Francisco Chronicle noted how, even though the singer was "battling a cold, suffering from a torn ligament and had a bad knee", she still put on a "spectacular show." [29] For Las Vegas Weekly , Josh Bell considered it, despite the smaller venues, "every bit as majestic as Madonna's arena tours." [30] The performances were also praised; Bell highlighted "Human Nature" and "American Life" for fitting "best with the theme of defiance", and "Like a Prayer" for being "every bit as awe-inspiring and empowering as when it was first released." [30] LA Weekly 's Brett Callwood singled out the "gorgeous rendition" of "Frozen" and the "hair-raising" "Like a Prayer". [31] Stern felt the singer had recreated performances from the past: he saw "American Life" as a "minimized version" of the Re-Invention World Tour (2004) performance; "Vogue" and "I Don't Search I Find" recalled Madonna's appearance at Stonewall 50 – WorldPride NYC 2019; "Dark Ballet" and "Like a Prayer" were "essentially the same stairwell-style set up" of both the Met Gala and Eurovision performances, and "Medellín" was "more or less a recreation of her 2019 Billboard Awards performance." [25] Leslie Katz, writing for the San Francisco Examiner , considered "Batuka" "the evening's most joyous number." [32] For Digital Journal, Markos Papadatos singled out the rendition of "Crave" as "sheer bliss", and considered "Like a Prayer" the "anthem for the night" that earned the singer a "lengthy standing ovation." [27]
The inclusion of Madame X album tracks was met with both criticism and praise; Kaplan said it was "almost cruel" that singles such as "Papa Don't Preach" and "Express Yourself" were "cut to under a minute", while the album tracks were performed on its entirety. [23] For Philadelphia 's Victor Fiorillo, there was "too much [Madame X] material — some of it straight-up filler — and presented in such a meandering way, that any sense of flow, arc, or climax was continuously undermined." [33] Rob Sheffield applauded the inclusion of album tracks, as he felt they "work much better in a theater setting." [22] Daly opined that the singer looked happiest when she was "paying tribute to the musicians and sounds that inspired her to make that record" rather than "her wealth of classics." [24] From Consequence , Michael Roffman felt the singer's "self-deprecating and brazenly honest" behavior was "far more riveting than hearing fucking 'Into the Groove' again." [34]
In more critical reviews, Selena Fragassi from the Chicago Sun-Times opined that, although the singer "relied way too heavily on Auto-Tune, and her intimate between-act stage banter was incredibly bizarre and disjointed [...] when she was on stage all eyes were glued to her." [35] Entertainment Weekly 's Leah Greenblatt wrote: "The show is hardly without flaws: her political messaging, though heartfelt, is often clumsily on the nose, and several set projections leaned toward the community-theater end of things." [36] Leslie Katz classified Madame X as "paradoxically both charming and offputting [...] Although [the] setting was smaller than the arenas she's filled during her decades as the world's biggest pop star, it was hardly an intimate or casual affair." [32] Mikael Wood, from the Los Angeles Times , expressed, "for Madonna, intimate doesn't necessarily mean focused. Like the Madame X album [...] the opening Wiltern concert was a bit of a mess." [37] Fiorillo wrote that, "the theater of Madonna just doesn't work as a piece of theater, and great theater is clearly what she is trying to achieve." He felt the show could have benefited from "a real director [...] somebody who [...] could transform the show from a concert with some really cool theatrical elements into an evening of beautiful theater." [33] The staff of Billboard named the Madame X Tour one of the best live shows of 2019. [38] Five years later, the magazine deemed it Madonna's ninth best concert tour, describing it as "part jukebox musical, part avant-garde performance art and part standup special". [39]
The first tickets and VIP packages were allotted to the members of Icon, Madonna's official fan club; price for entrances ranged from $60 to $760. Additionally, fans were given the opportunity to purchase tickets at $10 through the singer's official website. Due to an "overwhelming demand", more concerts were announced in New York and Los Angeles the same day the tour was officially confirmed. [40] In October, Billboard reported that the first 16 dates had grossed $9.6 million and sold over 31,401 tickets. [41] At the 2020 Billboard year-end boxscore charts, it was reported that the Madame X Tour had raked in $36,385,935 from an audience of 124,655; additionally, the shows at the London Palladium were ranked on the seventh position of the top 25 Boxscore of the year, with $9,816,383 grossed. [42]
Madonna's tardiness was widely criticized. [43] [44] In Las Vegas, she took the stage at 12:30 am when the concert was scheduled to start at 10:30 pm; she then told the audience: "A queen is never late." This was met with backlash from fans, who demanded a refund and deemed her attitude "condescending and alienating." [44] [45] A man from Florida named Nate Hollander went as far as to file a class action lawsuit against Madonna after the Miami concert he planned to attend was pushed back by two hours to accommodate the singer's tardiness. "Ticketholders had to work and go to school the next day, which prevented them from attending a concert that would end at around 1:00 a.m.", the lawsuit read. Hollander then attempted to obtain a refund for the three entrances he had purchased but was unsuccessful. [46] Due to the singer's late appearance for the February 5, 2020, concert in London, the show went over the Palladium's 11 pm curfew, causing the venue to pull the curtains down on the concert. [47] The final song, "I Rise", was performed with the lights and Madonna's microphone switched off. [48] She claimed it was "5 minutes past our 11:00 curfew" and accused the venue of trying to "censor" her and of "pulling down the metal fire curtain that weighs nine tonnes." The venue denied having used the fire curtain, but did not directly comment on the show being cut short. [48] Madonna then posted a video on Instagram showing her swearing from behind the curtain, before eventually returning to perform "I Rise". [47]
Following the cancellation of the last North American concert, the singer took to Instagram and talked about the "indescribable" pain caused by an injury: "As I climbed the ladder to sing 'Batuka' on Saturday night in Miami I was in tears from the pain of my injuries [...] With every song I sang, I said a prayer that I would make it to the next and get thru [ sic ] the show [...] However this time I have to listen to my body and accept that my pain is a warning I want to say how deeply sorry I am to all my fans." [49] After several cancellations due to the recurring injury, [50] the tour ended abruptly three days before its planned final date, after the French government announced a ban on gatherings of more than 1,000 people to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the midst of the pandemic. [51] [52]
On February 18, 2021, ¡Hola! reported that Madonna would release a documentary film with behind-the-scenes footage from the tour exclusively through Netflix. A source said the project would depict the Madame X Tour "for the spectacle that it was", revealing how the singer "quite literally put blood, sweat and tears into [the concert]." The article also said Madonna was "incredibly involved", having spent weeks "watching previews and helping to edit the footage at home." [53] That same month, it was reported that Madonna was re-shooting scenes for the film. [54] On July 15, 2021, it was announced that the documentary would premiere exclusively through Paramount+ on Friday October 8; it would be available for subscribers in North and South America, Australia, and the Nordics. [55] The film made its television debut on October 7, when it aired on MTV UK. [56]
Shot during the Lisbon concerts and directed by Ricardo Gomes, Sasha Kasiuha, and Nuno Xico, Madame X had its premiere on September 23 at New York's Times Square Edition Hotel; Madonna herself attended the event. [55] [57] Reviews were generally positive: The Guardian 's Alexis Petridis deemed it "beautifully shot", while according to NME's Nick Levine it "proves the Queen of Pop is still in her prime." [58] [59] On a more mixed review, Owen Gleiberman from Variety opined the documentary is "heavy on message" but "light in euphoria." [9] To promote the release, Madonna gave a surprise performance in the basement of Marcus Samuelsson's Harlem restaurant Red Rooster. [60]
The following set list was obtained from the concert held on October 16, 2019, at the Chicago Theatre. [34] It does not represent all concerts for the duration of the tour.
Act I
Act II
Act III
Act IV
Act V
Encore
Date (2019) | City | Country | Venue | Attendance (Tickets sold / available) | Revenue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 17 | New York City | United States | BAM Howard Gilman Opera House | 31,401 / 31,401 | $9,631,760 |
September 18 | |||||
September 19 [b] | |||||
September 21 | |||||
September 22 | |||||
September 24 | |||||
September 25 | |||||
September 26 | |||||
September 28 | |||||
October 1 | |||||
October 2 | |||||
October 3 | |||||
October 5 | |||||
October 6 | |||||
October 10 [c] | |||||
October 12 [c] | |||||
October 16 | Chicago | Chicago Theatre | 23,233 / 23,233 | $5,517,435 | |
October 17 | |||||
October 21 | |||||
October 23 | |||||
October 24 | |||||
October 27 | |||||
October 28 [d] | |||||
November 2 | San Francisco | Golden Gate Theatre | 6,744 / 6,744 | $1,945,333 | |
November 4 | |||||
November 5 [e] | |||||
November 7 [f] | Las Vegas | The Colosseum at Caesars Palace | 12,613 / 12,613 | $4,244,777 | |
November 9 | |||||
November 10 | |||||
November 13 | Los Angeles | Wiltern Theatre | 17,941 / 17,941 | $5,874,394 | |
November 14 | |||||
November 16 | |||||
November 17 | |||||
November 19 | |||||
November 20 | |||||
November 21 | |||||
November 23 | |||||
November 24 | |||||
November 25 | |||||
December 7 | Philadelphia | The Met | 11,604 / 11,604 | $2,519,172 | |
December 8 | |||||
December 10 [b] | |||||
December 11 | |||||
December 14 | Miami Beach | The Fillmore Miami Beach | 13,339 / 13,339 | $3,727,742 | |
December 15 | |||||
December 17 | |||||
December 18 | |||||
December 19 | |||||
December 21 | |||||
Date (2020) | City | Country | Venue | Attendance (Tickets sold / available) | Revenue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
January 12 | Lisbon | Portugal | Coliseu dos Recreios | 15,493 / 15,493 | $2,930,802 |
January 14 | |||||
January 16 | |||||
January 18 | |||||
January 21 | |||||
January 23 | |||||
January 29 | London | England | London Palladium | 26,002 / 26,002 | $9,816,383 |
January 30 | |||||
February 1 | |||||
February 2 | |||||
February 5 | |||||
February 6 | |||||
February 8 | |||||
February 9 | |||||
February 12 | |||||
February 13 | |||||
February 15 | |||||
February 16 [g] | |||||
February 22 | Paris | France | Le Grand Rex | 20,919 / 20,919 | $5,153,216 |
February 23 | |||||
February 26 | |||||
February 27 | |||||
February 29 | |||||
March 3 | |||||
March 4 | |||||
March 8 | |||||
Total | 179,289 / 179,289 (100%) | $51,361,009 |
Date (2019–2020) | City | Country | Venue | Reason |
---|---|---|---|---|
September 15 | New York City | United States | BAM Howard Gilman Opera House | Production issues |
October 7 | Injury | |||
November 12 | Los Angeles | Wiltern Theatre | Scheduling limitations | |
November 30 | Boston | Wang Theatre | Injury | |
December 1 | ||||
December 2 | ||||
December 22 | Miami Beach | The Fillmore Miami Beach | ||
January 19 | Lisbon | Portugal | Coliseu dos Recreios | |
January 22 | ||||
January 27 | London | England | London Palladium | |
February 4 | ||||
February 11 | ||||
February 20 | Paris | France | Le Grand Rex | |
February 25 | ||||
March 1 | ||||
March 7 | ||||
March 10 | Measure taken by the French government in face of COVID-19 advance | |||
March 11 |
Credits adapted from Madonna's official website. [13]
Show
Band
Performers
Batukadeiras
Choreographers
Assistant choreographers
Costume department
Live Nation
The Team
Tour crew
Video content
Tour book design
Tour book photography
Participating designers
Madonna Louise Ciccone is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Regarded as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting and visual presentation. Madonna's works, which incorporate social, political, sexual, and religious themes, have generated both controversy and critical acclaim. A cultural icon spanning both the 20th and 21st centuries, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame called her one of the most "well-documented figures of the modern age" in 2008. With sales of over 300 million records worldwide, she is the best-selling female recording artist of all time.
The Blond Ambition World Tour was the third concert tour by American singer Madonna. It supported her fourth studio album Like a Prayer (1989), and the soundtrack album to the 1990 film Dick Tracy, I'm Breathless. The 57-show tour began on April 13, 1990, at the Chiba Marine Stadium in Chiba, Japan, and concluded on August 5 at the Stade Charles-Ehrmann in Nice, France. Additionally, it marked Madonna's first concerts in Sweden and Spain. Originally planned as the Like a Prayer World Tour, it was supposed to be sponsored by soft drink manufacturer Pepsi. However, the company cancelled the contract following the controversy surrounding the music video of "Like a Prayer".
The Drowned World Tour was the fifth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna in support of her seventh and eighth studio albums, Ray of Light (1998) and Music (2000). The tour began on June 9, 2001, at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, Spain, and ended on September 15 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, United States. It was her first tour in eight years, following the Girlie Show in 1993. Set to start in 1999, it was delayed until 2001 as Madonna filmed and starred in the movie The Next Best Thing (2000), began working on Music, gave birth to her son Rocco and married Guy Ritchie.
The Virgin Tour was the debut concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna. The tour supported her first two studio albums, Madonna (1983) and Like a Virgin (1984). It started on April 10, 1985, at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, United States, and ended on June 11 of the same year at the Madison Square Garden in New York City. Although initially planned for an international audience, the tour was restricted to the United States and Canada. Warner Bros. Records decided to send Madonna on tour after Like a Virgin became a success. After an official announcement on March 15, 1985, Madonna and her team began production plans. She wanted the tour to be a reflection of her own self and collaborated with designer Maripol for the costumes.
The Girlie Show was the fourth concert tour by American singer and songwriter Madonna, in support of her fifth studio album, Erotica (1992). It began on September 25, 1993, at the Wembley Stadium in London, England, and ended on December 19 of the same year at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan.
The Re-Invention World Tour was the sixth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna, in support of her ninth studio album American Life (2003). The tour began on May 24, 2004, at The Forum in Inglewood, United States, and ended on September 14 at the Pavilhão Atlântico in Lisbon, Portugal. Additionally, it marked Madonna's first concerts in Portugal and Ireland. Rumors of a concert tour first began circulating in October 2003, but nothing was confirmed until March 2004. According to some, the title Re-Invention was a dig at Madonna's critics who, throughout her career, had talked about her "reinventing herself"; the singer said she chose this name because she wanted to "re-invent" her old material. A number of songs were rehearsed for the tour, with twenty-four making the final setlist. Like past Madonna tours, Re-Invention was divided into different thematic acts: Marie Antoinette, Military, Circus, Acoustic, and Scottish-Tribal. The wardrobe was created by designers Arianne Phillips, Stella McCartney, Christian Lacroix, and Karl Lagerfeld.
The Who's That Girl World Tour was the second concert tour by American singer and songwriter Madonna. The tour supported her 1986 third studio album True Blue, as well as the 1987 soundtrack Who's That Girl. It started on June 14, 1987, at the Osaka Stadium in Osaka, Japan, and ended on September 6 of the same year at the Stadio Artemio Franchi in Florence, Italy. It was Madonna's first world tour and marked her first visits to Japan and Europe. Musically and technically superior to her previous Virgin Tour, Who's That Girl incorporated multimedia components to make the show more appealing.
The Confessions Tour was the seventh concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna, launched in support of her tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005). The tour began on May 21, 2006, at The Forum in Inglewood, United States, and ended on September 21 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, visiting North America and Eurasia. Additionally, it marked Madonna's first concerts in Russia, Czech Republic and Denmark. Like past tours of the singer, it was divided into different thematic acts: Equestrian, Bedouin, Never Mind the Bollocks, and Disco. It received generally positive reviews, although Madonna's performance of her 1986 single "Live to Tell", which found her hanging on a giant mirrored cross wearing a crown of thorns, was met with strong negative reaction from religious groups; the performance at Rome's Stadio Olimpico was condemned as an act of hostility toward the Roman Catholic Church by religious leaders. Madonna responded saying that her main intention with the performance was to bring attention to the millions of children dying in Africa.
The Sticky & Sweet Tour was the eighth concert tour by American singer Madonna, to promote her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy (2008). It was Madonna's first major venture under a new ten-year 360 deal with Live Nation. Following a series of promotional appearances in support of Hard Candy, the tour was announced in May 2008, with concerts in Europe and North America; additionally, it marked the singer's first dates in Latin America in fifteen years. The first part of the tour began on August 23, 2008, at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, and ended on December 21 at the Morumbi Stadium in São Paulo, Brazil. Afterwards, it was announced that Madonna had decided to resume the tour in the summer of 2009, with twenty-seven more concerts, mostly in European markets she had either never played in or visited in several years; the 2009 extension started on July 4 at the O2 Arena in London, England, and concluded on September 2 at the Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv, Israel. Though initially planned, the tour did not visit Australia and East Asia due to financial problems and the financial recession. The show was described as a "rock driven dancetastic journey" and, like previous tours by the singer, was divided into different thematic acts: Pimp, Old School, Gypsy, and Rave.
The MDNA Tour was the ninth concert tour by American singer Madonna, launched in-support of her twelfth studio album, MDNA (2012). Comprising 88 shows, the tour began on May 31, 2012, at the Ramat Gan Stadium in Tel Aviv District, Israel, and concluded on December 22 of the same year at the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Córdoba, Argentina. Rumors of the singer embarking on a concert tour first began in October 2011, but nothing was confirmed until four months later, following her performance at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show. As Madonna's fifth tour with Live Nation, the MDNA Tour visited not only Eurasia and the Americas, but marked the first time she performed in the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine and Colombia. Additionally, it was her first visit to Turkey since 1993's the Girlie Show. An Australian leg was planned for January 2013, but was cancelled.
The Rebel Heart Tour was the tenth concert tour by American singer Madonna, staged in support of her thirteenth studio album, Rebel Heart (2015). Comprising 82 shows, the tour visited North America, Asia, Europe and Oceania. It began on September 9, 2015, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada, and concluded on March 20, 2016, at the Allphones Arena in Sydney, Australia. The tour was officially announced on March 1, 2015, through Madonna's website and was led by Live Nation Entertainment's Global Touring Division, helmed by Arthur Fogel; this was the fifth collaboration between Madonna and Live Nation as well as her third tour to be promoted by the company. Additionally, the tour marked the singer's first visits to Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, Philippines, Singapore, and New Zealand, and was her first to visit Australia and Puerto Rico since the Girlie Show (1993).
"Crave" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna and American rapper Swae Lee, from the former's fourteenth studio Madame X (2019). The song was written by the two artists and Starrah, while production was handled by Madonna, Mike Dean, and Billboard. It was released by Interscope Records for digital download and streaming as the album's second single on May 10, 2019. The song has been noted as a pop, trap, and hip hop ballad inspired by Fado music, with the lyrics talking about desire and craving for someone who's running away. It was one of the first songs Madonna wrote for Madame X, but she put the work on hold when she began working with other musicians in Lisbon. When she revisited the song, Madonna came to the conclusion that a male voice was needed for inclusion and approached Swae Lee to sing with her, as she was a fan of his voice.
Madame X is the fourteenth studio album by American singer and songwriter Madonna. It was released on June 14, 2019, by Interscope Records, as Madonna's final album with the label. The record was creatively influenced by her expatriate life in Lisbon, Portugal, after Madonna relocated there in mid-2017 to put her son David Banda into a top football academy. Madonna co-wrote and co-produced the album with a number of musicians, including Mirwais, Mike Dean, Diplo, the Picard Brothers and Jason Evigan, during a process that lasted 18 months. Madame X also features guest appearances by artists Maluma, Quavo, Swae Lee and Anitta.
"Medellín" is a song by American singer Madonna and Colombian singer Maluma released as the lead single from Madonna's fourteenth studio album Madame X (2019). The song was produced by Madonna, Mirwais, who wrote it alongside Maluma and Edgar Barrera. It was released as the lead single from the album on April 17, 2019, by Interscope Records. The song is named after the city in Colombia, in which Maluma was born, and is a Latin pop track with elements of reggaeton and dance-pop. Lyrically, it finds Madonna and Maluma reflecting on past struggles while dreaming about a trip to Medellín.
"Dark Ballet" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her fourteenth studio album Madame X (2019). It was released on June 7, 2019, as the album's third promotional single. Written and produced by Madonna and longtime collaborator Mirwais, the song contains a sample from The Nutcracker (1892) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and was inspired by the historical figure Joan of Arc. It is an experimental pop and electro-gospel piano ballad, with the use of vocoder on her vocals and lyrics about rebelling against the patriarchy.
"I Don't Search I Find" is a song by American singer Madonna from her fourteenth studio album, Madame X (2019). The track was written and produced by Madonna, alongside Mirwais Ahmadzaï. It was released to Italian contemporary hit radio by Interscope Records as the fourth single from the album on May 22, 2020. Two EPs containing several remixes had previously been released to accompany the song. It is an EDM and house influenced track that takes inspiration from Madonna's previous works, including "Vogue" (1990), Erotica (1992) and Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005).
"I Rise" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her fourteenth studio album Madame X (2019). The song was written by the singer herself, alongside Starrah and Jason Evigan, while produced by Madonna and Evigan. It was released on May 3, 2019, by Interscope Records, as the first promotional single from the album, and later sent to Italian radio on October 4, 2019, as the album's third single, by the aforementioned label. The song is a mid tempo pop track which lyrically deals about self-empowerment and draws attention to gun violence in the United States, and contains a sample from a speech by American activist X González.
"God Control" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her fourteenth studio album, Madame X (2019). It was written by Madonna, longtime collaborator Mirwais, and American musician Casey Spooner. Madonna and Mirwais produced the song along with Mike Dean. Lyrically the song talks about gun control and also touches on the political climate of the United States at the time. It is an experimental pop, disco, hi-NRG and electropop song and features the Tiffin Children's Chorus repeating "We lost god control" all throughout. In the music video, we can see Madonna typing "we lost gun control" and not "god control" as the song title suggests.
Madame X is a 2021 concert film starring American singer-songwriter Madonna, chronicling her Madame X Tour. Written and produced by Madonna herself, the film was shot in January 2020 when she held her concerts in Lisbon, Portugal at the Coliseu dos Recreios. The film was directed by Ricardo Gomes and SKNX.