Madonna Biography

(The 'Queen of Pop' - The Best-Selling Female Music Artist of All Time)

Birthday: August 16, 1958 (Leo)

Born In: Bay City, Michigan, United States

Madonna, often addressed as the ‘Queen of Pop’, 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 father’s 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 ‘Guinness World Record’. 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

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Quick Facts

Nick Name: The Material Girl, Queen of Pop, Queen of Reinvention

Also Known As: Madonna Louise Ciccone

Age: 66 Years, 66 Year Old Females

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Guy Ritchie (m. 2000–2008), Sean Penn (m. 1985–1989)

father: Silvio Ciccone

mother: Madonna Louise Ciccone

siblings: Anthony Ciccone, Christopher Ciccone, Jennifer Ciccone, Mario Ciccone, Martin Ciccone, Melanie Ciccone, Paula Ciccone

children: David Banda Mwale Ciccone Ritchie, Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon, Mercy James, Rocco Ritchie

Partner: Carlos Leon (1995–1997)

Born Country: United States

Feminists Pop Singers

Ancestry: Canadian American, French American

Notable Alumni: University Of Michigan School Of Music, Theatre & Dance

Personality: ESTP

U.S. State: Michigan

Founder/Co-Founder: Maverick, Maverick Films, Maverick Records, Semtex Girls, Raising Malawi, Truth or Dare by Madonna, Hard Candy Fitness

More Facts

education: University Of Michigan School Of Music, Theatre & Dance

Humanitarian Work: Artist who co-founded the NGO ‘Raising Malawi’.

  • 1

    What is Madonna's most famous song?

    Madonna's most famous song is "Like a Virgin", released in 1984.
  • 2

    Has Madonna ever been involved in any controversies?

    Yes, Madonna has been involved in various controversies throughout her career, including her use of religious symbols in her music and performances.
  • 3

    What inspired Madonna to pursue a career in music?

    Madonna was inspired by the New York City club scene and the emerging dance music culture in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
  • 4

    How has Madonna influenced pop culture?

    Madonna has influenced pop culture through her music, fashion, and advocacy for LGBTQ rights and female empowerment.
  • 5

    What is Madonna's impact on the music industry?

    Madonna is known for pushing boundaries in the music industry and paving the way for other female artists to express themselves creatively and boldly.
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 ‘St. Andrews School’, ‘West Junior High’, and ‘Rochester Adams High School’. She then enrolled at the ‘University of Michigan’ but in 1978, she abandoned her studies and travelled to New York to pursue her interest in dancing.
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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 ‘The Breakfast Club’ band and later formed a band named ‘Madonna & the Sky’.
In 1979, she played a role in the film ‘A Certain Sacrifice’. In 1980s, she got a solo contract with the company named ‘Sire Records’ which is owned by ‘Warner Music Group’.
In 1982, her first solo album ‘Everybody’ was launched which topped the dance charts, and the following year, another album ‘Madonna’ 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 ‘Like a Virgin’ 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 ‘Billboard Chart’ for six weeks.
In 1985, she worked in the film ‘Desperately Seeking Susan’ and also lent her voice for the number ‘Into the Groove’ in the film. This song too was a huge hit and registered number one in U.S. dance charts.
The same year, she sang ‘Crazy For You’ for the film ‘Vision Quest’ and this too turned out to successful. Soon after, she went on her first concert tour called ‘The Virgin Tour’.
During 1986-90, this singer worked on several albums such as ‘True Blue’, ‘You Can Dance’, ‘Who’s that Girl’, ‘Like a Prayer’, and films which include ‘Who’s That Girl’, ‘Dick Tracy’, ‘Bloodhounds of Broadway’, ‘Shanghai Surprise’. During the same period, she also went on concerts tours like ‘Who’s That Girl World Tour’ and ‘Blond Ambition World Tour’.
In 1989, she signed an endorsement contract with ‘Pepsi’ company but her controversial video ‘Like a Prayer’, led to annulment of the contract.
In 1990, her compilation album ‘The Immaculate Collection’ was released and it received immense success making it the ‘best –selling compilation album by any solo artist in history’.
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In 1991, her first documentary film ‘Madonna: Truth or Dare’ was released which dealt with the incidents that occurred during her ‘Blond Ambition World Tour’. The same year, she also worked in the film ‘Shadows and Fog’ and the following year, she appeared in the film ‘A League of Their Own’
She co-founded the ‘Maverick Records’ music label in association with ‘Warner Music Group’ in 1992. The same year, she published her book ‘Sex’ which was an adult coffee table book containing erotic images of this artist; and her album ‘Erotica’ was also launched during the same time.
During 1993-99, she was engaged in movies such as ‘Body of Evidence’, ‘ Dangerous Game’, ‘ Blue in the Face’, ‘Four Rooms’ and ‘Girl 6’. She also launched some albums such as ‘Bedtime Stories’ and ‘Ray of Light’, and was part of the concert tour ‘The Girlie Show World Tour’.
In 1996, she portrayed Eva Perón in the musical drama ‘Evita’ 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 ‘The Next Big Thing’, ‘Swept Away’, ‘Die Another Day’, ‘I’m Going to Tell You a Secret’, ‘Arthur and the Invisibles’.
Her albums during the same period include ‘Music’, ‘American Life’, ‘Confessions on a Dance Floor’, ‘Hard Candy’, ‘MDNA’.
In 2012, she was engaged in the concert tour named ‘The MDNA Tour’.
In 2015, her album named ‘Rebel Heart’ 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 ‘Semtex Girls’, ‘Hard Candy Fitness’, ‘Truth or Dare by Madonna’.
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Major Works
Her album ‘True Blue’ was immensely successful containing the songs ‘Papa Don’t Preach’, ‘Live to Tell’ and ‘Open Your Heart’ which topped the ‘Billboard Hot 100’ list. The album was placed on top of the charts in more than 28 countries.
Her compilation album ‘The Immaculate Collection’ became a hit and earned her a place in the history of music by registering as the ‘best-selling compilation album by a solo artist’.
Awards & Achievements
In 1989, she was awarded with the ‘Artist of the Decade: Mega Artist’ by MTV.
This artist has been the recipient of several eminent awards for her singing as well as her acting. Her first ‘Grammy Awards’ was in the year 1992, for the ‘Blond Ambition world Tour Live’ in the ‘Best Music Video, Long Form’ category. This was followed by six more ‘Grammy Awards’ for her works ‘Ray of Light’, ‘Beautiful Strangers’, ‘Confessions on a Dance Floor’ and ‘The Confession Tour’.
During 1996-2012, this talented artist has been credited with eleven ‘Guinness World Records’ in categories such as ‘Highest grossing music tour per concert by a female artist’, ‘Highest paid female singer on the planet’, ‘Most Number-one Albums in the UK charts’, ‘Largest TV audience Super Bowl in history’.
She has been the recipient of the ‘Juno Awards’ twice for the song ‘Vogue’ and her album ‘True Blue’.
In 2006, the ‘TRL Awards’ presented her with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’. Two years later, this artist was inducted into the ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’.
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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.
Facts About Madonna
Madonna is known for her unique fashion sense and has popularized many trends over the years, including layered jewelry, lace gloves, and cone bras.
She is a talented businesswoman and has successfully launched several business ventures, including a clothing line, fragrance line, and children's book series.
Madonna is a dedicated philanthropist and has supported various charitable organizations over the years, including those focused on children's education and healthcare.
She is a versatile artist who has not only achieved success as a singer but has also excelled in acting, winning a Golden Globe for her role in the film "Evita."
She has released several workout videos and is known for her dedication to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Awards

Golden Globe Awards
2012 Best Original Song - Motion Picture W.E. (2011)
1997 Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical Evita (1996)
Grammy Awards
2020 Best Remixed Recording Winner
2008 Best Long Form Music Video Madonna: The Confessions Tour Live from London (2006)
2007 Best Electronic/Dance Album Winner
2001 Best Recording Package Winner
2000 Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
1999 Best Recording Package Winner
1999 Best Pop Album Winner
1999 Best Pop Vocal Album Winner
1999 Best Dance Recording Winner
1999 Best Short Form Music Video Madonna: Ray of Light (1998)
1992 Best Music Video, Long Form Madonna: Blond Ambition World Tour Live (1990)
ASCAP Film And Television Music Awards
2000 Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
1993 Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures A League of Their Own (1992)
1988 Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures Who's That Girl (1987)
1987 Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures At Close Range (1986)
MTV Video Music Awards
1999 Best Video from a Film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
1999 Best Video from a Film Madonna: Beautiful Stranger (1999)
1998 Video of the Year Madonna: Ray of Light (1998)
1998 Best Female Video Madonna: Ray of Light (1998)
1998 Best Choreography in a Video Madonna: Ray of Light (1998)
1995 Best Female Video Madonna: Take a Bow (1994)
1991 Best Long Form Video Madonna: The Immaculate Collection (1990)
1989 Viewer's Choice Madonna: Like a Prayer (1989)
1987 Best Female Video Madonna: Papa Don't Preach (1986)

See the events in life of Madonna in Chronological Order

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- Madonna Biography
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URL
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