Madonna

Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone (born August 16, 1958) is an iconic American pop singer, dancer, songwriter, producer, author and actress. After signing to Sire Records in 1982, hits such as "Holiday", "Like a Virgin" and "Like a Prayer" catapulted her to massive success. By the 1990s, her commercially successful albums, constantly reinvented image, groundbreaking music videos and controversial nature would earn her the title "Queen of Pop".

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Madonna is the most successful female solo artist of all time. Apart from achieving twelve number one hits and thirty-seven top ten hits on the U.S Billboard Hot 100, she has garnered twenty MTV Video Music Awards (including the Video Vanguard Award), five Grammy Awards, as well as a Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) Golden Globe Award for her performance in Evita. Two soundtrack cuts performed by her, Sooner or later and You Must Love Me, were awarded with Oscars.

Madonna 2005-present: Confessions on a Dance Floor

Madonna's retro inspired "Hung Up" music video.The day of her forty-seventh birthday, Madonna was thrown by a horse while riding at her English country home, Ashcombe House. She was admitted to a hospital with five cracked ribs, a broken collar bone, a misaligned fibula, a mild case of angina, and a broken hand. She was released later that day.

In 2005, she released her 10th studio album Confessions on a Dance Floor which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 350,606 copies in its first week. It also debuted at #1 in 38 different countries, and shipped over 3 million copies in the first week of its release. Peaking at number one in as many countries as it did, Confessions on a Dance Floor set a new record previously held by The Beatles. As of February 2006, it has sold over six million copies worldwide, thus being one of Madonna's faster-selling releases. It was produced by Madonna, Stuart Price and a host of others including Mirwais Ahmadzai and Bloodshy & Avant. It received better critical reviews than any of Madonna's albums since 1998's Ray of Light.

The first single "Hung Up" peaked at number one in almost 40 countries and has sold over three million copies, becoming one of Madonna's biggest hits. The track features a sample of the popular ABBA song "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme (A Man After Midnight)." and was inspired in part by the French childrens' song "Frere Jacques." Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA stated they allowed the use only because the song was "so good", denying that money had anything to do with the decision. This was one of the two times that ABBA has allowed any other artist to sample directly from one of their songs.

Soon after putting out Confessions on a Dance Floor, Madonna released her second documentary, titled I'm Going To Tell You A Secret, which had been filmed during her 2004 Re-Invention world tour. It showcased Madonna's life behind the scenes of the tour as well as with her family, and it debuted on MTV. Madona opened the MTV Europe Music Awards 2005, performing "Hung Up" live for the first time. Performances at shows in Mannheim, Tokyo, Paris, New York, and London followed to promote the album. She also appeared, along with other artists - such as Iggy Pop and Little Richard - in a TV commercial for the Motorola ROKR phone.

On on February 8th, 2006, Madonna performed with the animated rock band Gorillaz to open the 2006 Grammy Awards, in a medley composed of their hit "Feel Good Inc" and "Hung Up". This was the first time Madonna performed in the U.S. to promote this album.

Madonna's Current Projects

Madonna's second single from her new album Confessions on a Dance Floor is called "Sorry". The video was shot on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 January 2006. "Sorry" will be available as a DVD single. Her longtime choreographer, Jamie King, directed the video. Remixers commissioned for this single include Pet Shop Boys, Man With Guitar, Paul Oakenfold, and Green Velvet.
Madonna is lending her voice to the big budget (approximately eighty million dollars) 2006 animated film Arthur and the Minimoys. Madonna provides the voice of Princess Selenia. The film by Luc Besson is expected to be released in December 2006.
Madonna is planning a world tour for 2006. Madonna about the tour: "I'm currently exploring the possibility. If I go on tour, it would be next summer. And it would be all out disco, with lots of disco balls. I would focus on dance music and the new record. I already did the older stuff on my Re-Invention tour." Madonna confirmed that she's planning on using a new state-of-the-art sound system to improve the listening experience to both the public and performers. Also, her long time friend Jean-Paul Gaultier will be designing the outfits for her tour.
Madonna is nominated for 3 Brit Awards: Best Pop Act, International Female Solo Artist, International Album (Confessions On A Dance Floor).
Madonna is nominated for 5 Australian MTV AVMA: Video Of The Year (Hung Up), Best Female Artist, Song Of The Year (Hung Up), Best Pop Video (Hung Up) and Album Of The Year (Confessions On A Dance Floor)