On April 23 1983, the recording of Madonna’s debut album was mentioned briefly in Billboard magazine.
The fact that Jellybean was producing Naked Eyes at the same studio provides some context for the vocal Madonna recorded for the remix of their single, Promises, Promises. Perhaps Sire didn’t support the idea at the time, as Madonna’s cameo remained shelved for twenty years until the band finally issued it on a scarce retrospective, Everything And More, in 2002.
On April 22 2023, Madonna released American Life – Mixshow Mix, an exclusive EP celebrating the album’s 20th anniversary and honoring the life and work of Peter Rauhofer, who created unforgettable remixes for Madonna and many other artists for over two decades.
The vinyl-only 8-tracks release features 6 brand new edits of Madonna’s favorite commercial and promotional remixes from the American Life era. A portion of sales proceeds will be donated to brain cancer research.
Make sure to visit your local indie store on April 22 to get your copy.
You can also visit recordstoreday.com for a list of participating stores.
Madonna – American Life Mixshow Mix :
*Previously Unreleased
On April 21, 2003, Madonna’s ninth studio album, American Life was released by Maverick Records and distributed by Warner Bros. Records. Happy 20th Anniversary American Life!
The album, produced in its entirety by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzaï, features references to many parts of American culture. The album is considered a concept album, with recurring themes of the American Dream and materialism.
Tracklisting:
American Life
Hollywood
I’m So Stupid
Love Profusion
Nobody Knows Me
Nothing Fails
Intervention
X-Static Process
Mother and Father
Die Another Day
Easy Ride
On April 20 2010, The Power of Madonna – Glee episode (Season 1, Episode 15) aired on the Fox network.
When cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) demands that Madonna’s music be played over the school intercom system, Glee club director Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) sets the club a Madonna-themed assignment, hoping to empower the female club members.
Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna, an EP containing studio recordings of songs performed in the episode, was released on April 20, 2010. Its tracklist includes Express Yourself, a mash-up of Borderline and Open Your Heart, Vogue, Like A Virgin, 4 Minutes, What it Feels Like for a Girl, and Like a Prayer.
The iTunes edition features a bonus track, Burning Up, which was not performed in the episode.
Lynch received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance in the episode.
On April 19 2019, Billboard announced that Madonna and Maluma would perform Medellín at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards:
Madonna and Maluma are bringing the worldwide television debut performance of their single Medellín to the 2019 Billboard Music Awards. The appearance, announced on Friday (April 19), will be Madonna’s first performance of new music on TV in more than four years. The pair will take the stage on May 1 at the Kelly Clarkson-hosted show, which will air on NBC at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
The first taste of Madonna’s upcoming 14th studio album, Madame X (June 14), is a mid-tempo Spanish pop burner that finds the pair flirting over a skittering cha-cha beat, with Maluma telling the pop superstar, “Excuse me, I know you are Madonna/ But I’m going to show you how this perro (dog) will make you fall in love.” Madonna last performed at the BBMA’s in 2016 during a tribute to Prince.
They join a previously announced group of performers at this year’s show, which include: the Jonas Brothers, BTS with Halsey, Kelly Clarkson, Lauren Daigle, Khalid, Panic! at the Disco and Sam Smith and Normani. The show from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas will also feature a special performance from 2019 ICON Award recipient Mariah Carey.
On April 18 2019, PopSugar published a review of Madonna’s Medellín featuring Maluma (review by Victoria Messina):
Madonna and Maluma Dropped a Spanglish Collab We’ll Have on Repeat All Summer Long
World, meet Madame X, a persona created by Madonna for her upcoming 14th studio album. The alter ego made her grand debut on Wednesday when the 60-year-old pop star dropped a collaborative single titled Medellín, featuring 25-year-old Colombian singer Maluma. The summery bop, which is Madonna’s first new single since 2015, combines both English and Spanish lyrics with easy-going Reggaeton beats as the two artists reflect on their pasts and imagine a trip to the Colombian city where Maluma was born. Madonna opens the song by singing, “I took a pill and had a dream. I went back to my 17th year. Allowed myself to be naïve . . . to be someone I’ve never been. I took a sip and had a dream . . . And I woke up in Medellín.”
Madonna and Maluma may seem like a random pairing at first, but the two actually met backstage at the 2018 MTV VMAs, where they hit it off and planned to team up on music afterward. Madonna’s entire Madame X album will debut on June 14, and the Medellín music video will be released on April 24. Watch a sneak peek clip below to catch an intriguing glimpse at Madonna — er, Madame X — and Maluma cha cha-ing to the beat for the video.
On April 17 2002, David Williamson spoke to news.com.au about working with Madonna on her West End debut in Up For Grabs, and how she prefers to be called M, not Madge.
Williamson told the new site that Madonna hates the nickname British newspapers have given her:
“They call her Madge to try to domesticate her and she hates it. One of the actors didn’t realise and called her that in rehearsals and got a fairly sharp response.”
What is your favourite Madonna nickname? What do you call her?
Today In Madonna History 