On February 6 2014, Like A Virgin producer Nile Rodgers mentioned his collaboration with Madonna during a Google+ Hangout with Billboard:
“I don’t have any unreleased Madonna material because Madonna knew exactly what she wanted her album to be when we did Like a Virgin. The only song that I had any input of bringing into the mix was a cover of Rose Royce’s ballad Love Don’t Live Here Anymore. That was a final last-minute decision.”
On February 5 2014, Madonna introduced Pussy Riot at the Amnesty International’s human rights concert.
It was the first Amnesty International concert for the cause in 16 years, and took place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
During her introduction, Madonna thanked Pussy Riot “for making pussy a ‘sayable’ word in my household. Now, my 8-year-olds say it all the time.”
More seriously, Madonna spoke of the death threats she received during the Russian portion of her MDNA World Tour, which took place at the same time as Pussy Riot’s trial.
“Eighty-seven of my fans were arrested for gay behavior — whatever that is,” she said.
The Pussy Riot members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, spoke in Russian with aggression and passion. A translator related the women’s speech.
“Freedom is not a given,” she translated. “It is something we have to fight for every day. It is our duty to speak for those who are still behind bars.”
On December 21 2014, Madonna hit #1 on iTunes in 36 countries around the world with the release of six songs from her forthcoming album, Rebel Heart. In virtually every country the songs were released, they held six of the ten slots on the iTunes Top 10 chart. In seven of those countries, she had multiple #1’s across various iTunes charts. The lead single Living for Love topped the iTunes chart in twenty counties.
The other tracks made available for immediate download were: Ghosttown, Devil Pray, Unapologetic Bitch, Illuminati & Bitch I’m Madonna.
News of the surprise drop came when Madonna posted a link on Instagram late the previous night announcing the release as “an early Christmas gift” to those who pre-ordered the album. Fans immediately went to iTunes and drove the songs to the top of iTunes charts around the globe. Instantaneously Rebel Heart exploded on social media with the album topping the Billboard Trending 140 chart.
The early release of six songs from Rebel Heart came on the heels of a series of leaks which forced Madonna and her team to quickly devise a new marketing plan for the album.
On December 20 2014, this press release was sent to media announcing an early Christmas gift from Madonna, the release of six songs from Rebel Heart, a response answer to the leaked (and unfinished) tracks from the album expected in March 2015.
Madonna has just released six songs from her new studio album Rebel Heart. The six songs are currently available for purchase now via preorder at iTunes and other music outlets with purchase of the album and a la carte as well. The music will also be available on all streaming services. Additional music will be released on Feb. 9th. The full album of Rebel Heart on Interscope Records is scheduled to be released the first week in March 2015.
Song titles that are currently available from the new album are Living For Love, Devil Pray, Ghosttown, Unapologetic Bitch, Illuminati and Bitch I’m Madonna which was recorded with Nicki Minaj. Producers include Madonna, Diplo, Kanye West, Billboard, was recorded in NY, LA and London.
The decision to release the songs much earlier than anticipated was due to the leaking of several work-in-progress demos earlier this week.
“I was hoping to release my new single Living For Love on Valentine’s Day with the rest of the album coming in the Spring. I would prefer my fans to hear completed versions of some of the songs instead of the incomplete tracks that are circulating. Please consider these six songs as an early Christmas gift,” commented Madonna.
On December 17 2014, Madonna responded to the leak of songs from her forthcoming album with this statement to her fans:
“Thank you for not listening! Thank you for your loyalty! Thank you for waiting and if you have heard please know they are unfinished demos stolen long ago and not ready to be presented to the world.”
On February 19 2014, Madonna went to see the rehearsals of New York City Ballet’s Les Bosquets.
Les Bosquets was choreographed by Madonna’s longtime friend, JR, and featured Lil Buck, who was a dancer on the MDNA World Tour.
Watch a clip of Les Bosquets here: https://vimeo.com/96113355 (the video cannot be embedded here for some reason).
On February 12 2014, Madonna’s range of skin care products, MDNA Skin, was released in Japan. The premiere took place in Tokyo, and the product was developed in collaboration with MTG Co. Ltd, one of the foremost beauty care product developers in Japan.
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