This could be a great move - particularly if they make it conditional on her assent to a robust reissue campaign for all her original Warner albums (with someone else overseeing the project!).
There's a lot of truth in this, I think. Madonna understood from the start that video was the ideal platform to project her personality and star quality. She didn't have the budget to do this properly for the first album, although the simplicity of the 'Lucky Star' video was surprisingly effective (and has since become iconic) and she made her first artistic (and feminist) statement by revealing herself as the woman behind the wheel (and in control) at the end of the 'Burning Up' video. But once her star began to ascend and more money was invested in her, she used video (and MTV) incredibly effectively. 'Like A Virgin' and 'Material Girl' are fantastic singles and would've been hits regardless, but the accompanying videos allowed her to shape her image in a powerful way. Those videos cemented her superstardom — just like she knew they would. So, yes, she was a beneficiary of MTV, but she knew exactly how to use it. She understood the opportunity it offered her and she seized that with both hands. As Wendy Melvoin says in the short documentary piece below, "Madonna had no doubt. She was, like, this is happening. Get out of the way."
Interesting that this was just posted on Madonna's Twitter. This starts with cartoon Madonna emerging from the Warner Bros sign :
I agree. I just don't think she would have been a legend without it, which was my original point. Well said.
More interesting news. Madonna has posted a video on Instagram of her working with screenwriter Diablo Cody: Madonna on Instagram: “with multiple injuries what do you do.? ...........Write a Screenplay with Diablo about..............? #nuts #iconic #walk #serve…” If you listen carefully she seems to be describing the costume she wore for Express Yourself in the Blond Ambition tour. And if you look carefully at the books on the coffee table, these appear to be old diaries. So it's easy to assume that she may be working on a film of her life. She has often talked about this in recent years. Maybe now it's actually happening. And maybe the possible Warners deal is tied in with this.
A film of her life could be amazing. The soundtrack alone could be huge. An autobiography would also be welcome.
I'm not sure that I could deal with an autobiography! I fear she'd be far too concerned with crafting it to match her image of herself and carefully curating her faults. I'd much rather a more journalistic look at her life, written by someone impartial whom she trusts and with her full cooperation, but without her having control over the final edit. Kind of like a written version of Truth Or Dare/In Bed With Madonna - I know that wasn't 100% independent either, but at least there were negotiations and foot-down moments by the director to keep certain content in that might otherwise have been excised. I don't want a hagiography or a sanitized "warts-and-all" bio; even if she went into the project without that being her intent, I'd imagine that's where it would end up. It usually takes someone knowledgeable of the subject but sufficiently outside the bubble to put things in context and reveal insights that the subject could never get to on their own.
If we assume the reports about Madonna returning to Warner Bros, what do you think the discussions between Madonna and the A&R team would be like regarding the approach for a new album? I cast my mind back to when Kylie Minogue signed with BMG a couple of years ago, I remember reading an interview with someone from BMG who talked about how they chose to market her. They considered who her audience was, which radio stations they would target for support and encouraged her to take a musical direction that they could sell. So would they do that in Madonna's case or would they give her free reign to deliver to them what she wants?
I would imagine they would target any new album, Madonna is a heritage act now no matter how she might see herself. Warner’s will be well aware of just how much she has lost direction since leaving them. I think they will steer her back towards what they see as her original audience. Maybe they will advise her to ditch the teeth grilles, put some clothes on, promise to never wear another eye patch, and to remember that having a no 1 record in the US dance charts doesn’t actually mean anything. Well that’s what I would advise anyway. This could be the start of a good old fashioned proper comeback, and everyone loves one of those. Bring it on Madge....
Yes I kind of imagine that she wouldn't listen to a record company person but then I was surprised a couple of years ago when she revealed that her manager had pushes her into working with songwriting committee! I suspect she will work with someone else other than Mirwais. I would kind of like her to work with someone who will shake things up and maybe take her away from the electro pop direction that has been done to death.
I have no idea what she’ll do next. I do think her next album is a few years away at this point. I’d be very surprised if she put something out soon.
Madonna keeps pushing my love over the Borderline Madonna plan for 2020 and beyond: Hairy armpits Steven Bray & Patrick Leonard Fred Zarr John Benitez Shep Pettibone for some re-mixes E-mu Emulator II Oberheim DX Oberheim OB-8 Roland TR-808 Yamaha DX-7 Roland Jupiter 8 Roland Juno 6 Prophet 5 etc New album can be called: Into the Groove 2 Mastered by Steve Hoffman and Bruce Swedien (smoking cigars).
I admit to be crushed when I heard the first single from Madame X. Every time she puts out a new record, there’s a universal hope that Madonna will return to form. Even though no-one is really sure what that is anymore! Everyone has their own opinion. Still, Medellin was a new low and I’d rate it as maybe her worst lead single ever. Given the fact that it’s a nothing song, you also have Madonna sounding like she was trapped in a biscuit tin while she recorded her vocal and a ‘guest’ rapper who comes in less than a minute into the song and proceeds to take over the whole thing. I’d give anything not to experience that again. Though something tells me I will.
I honestly think next time I’ll be more cautious. I blame myself for buying Madame X. I’d heard enough of it before it was released to know it was no good. Yet I still bought it. I had the foolish notion that it might be one of those LPs you have to play in full to appreciate its worth. It wasn’t. In fact, I’d say playing Madame X in one go is largely impossible.
Yes, we differ on our opinions of Madame X. As you know, I actually really liked it (so much more than MDNA but not quite as much as Rebel Heart). However, the guest “rappers” and “vocalists” have been chapping my hide for years now. I wish she would just do her own thing and stop chasing ridiculous trends.
I'm not a big fan of rent-a-rappers, but much like autotune, it's become a necessary evil in pop music that we're not going to get away from. The real problem is that she works better when she teams up with someone who actually has an appreciation for her and likes the collaboration (I can't stand Kanye as a person, but his tune with her actually worked) but with the last album, she worked with a guy (Quavo?) who said he most knew Madonna as someone his mom had in her cd collection... not that promising IMO
Yep, and therein lies the difference in Madonna's approach. She used to be a trend setter; now she is following the trends. Granted, expecting someone to still set the trends at 60+ is unrealistic, but considering how much the game has changed, she probably feels she has to do whatever is needed to try and stay relevant.
True, but Madonna's not the only aging artist to do this. Sting's been using guest rappers for 20 years now, Kendrick Lamar appeared on U2's most recent album (and Bono in turn guested on Kendrick's DAMN). It's just something that's become commonplace in music and I'd still rather see Madonna team up with a rapper if the result is actually halfway decent than see her go and record a covers album or something much safer.
