Today in Madonna History: May 7, 2003

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On May 7 2003, Madonna performed a small club show at La Cantine Du Faubourg in Paris, France as part of her American Life promo tour. The seven-song set list was broadcast live on French radio station NRJ, the show’s sponsor. Its audience consisted mainly of contest winners selected by NRJ, along with VIP guests which included Madonna collaborators Jean-Baptiste Mondino and Jean Paul Gauthier.

Set list:

  • American Life
  • Hollywood
  • Nothing Fails
  • X-Static Process
  • Mother and Father
  • Like A Virgin
  • Don’t Tell Me

Today in Madonna History: May 6, 1995

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On May 6 1995, the first of a two-day shoot for the music video for Human Nature took place at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, California.

The video was directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino while the work of S&M comic artist Eric Stanton provided inspiration.

Mondino found this book by this illustrator named Stanton who did kinda S&M drawings and stuff, but we didn’t want to go with the straight S&M; we wanted to have it be more about making fun of it.” – Madonna

All I know is…my main problem is I don’t like videos when somebody’s dancing, that the camera is moving a lot. I’m more like an old-time, classic guy, because I remember most of the video you had shot with the crane, some Steadicam, plus some panning. So you have about five different cameras shooting a performance, and after they edit like crazy. It gives you a lot of freedom, but I feel very frustrated because I like to see somebody dancing. I hate when there’s too much editing. I like the steadiness of the performance because then you can really enjoy the movement of the body. You see the skill. I like to shrink — as much as I can — the stage because I can grab her. If not, everyone is running around and I’m not good with this. So I came up with the boxes [laughs] and I knew that with the boxes I had to do with something quite un-expect-able because there’s not too much stage to dance in. So there’s something beautiful about it and they looked like bees or something. And the rest of it was how to create some kind of choreography and some graphic imagery with the S&M outfits, but with humor. So she has a little dog and she has some funny moments where she drops down, there’s some Charlie Chaplin-esque moments into in it. Because S&M is a game, you know? It’s dark, it looks dark, but I think people have fun. When you wear rubber like this, you better have fun. If not, you stop using it for sex and you become a diver, you know?” – Jean-Baptiste Mondino

Today in Madonna History: May 5, 2009

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On May 5 2009, Madonna attended The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala Ball with Jesus Luz (boyfriend), Guy Oseary (her manager) and her publicist Liz Rosenberg.

Here’s what Marie Claire had to say about Madonna’s MET appearance:

Madonna blows minds with bunny ears! Madonna was back to her attention-grabbing best last night, stepping out for her first red carpet appearance with toyboy lover Jesus Luz at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala ball. And it wasn’t just the arm candy that got tongues wagging. The Queen of Pop brought out her 80s side, taking the evening’s dress theme – The Model As Muse: Embodying Fashion’ and running with it. Dressed in a navy blue ruched Louis Vuitton mini dress, thigh-high black boots and the black fingerless gloves of old, Madge completed her ensemble with a teal-coloured hair piece tied around a top knot. The style chameleon’s get-up didn’t put off beau of the moment though, as 22-year-old toy-boy, Jesus Luz, showed up at fashion’s most stylish annual bash, looking super suave in a slick black dinner jacket and waited attentively as the flashbulbs went into overdrive for his date. The pair has frequently been spotted out and about in New York in recent weeks but last night was the couple’s first outing as a confirmed item and the duo couldn’t have cared less about the ensuing gossip.

Today in Madonna History: May 4, 2016

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On May 4 2016, Madonna tweeted about her long-time friend and Like A Prayer collaborator, Prince:

“It’s been 7 hours and 13 days since you took your love away……….all the flowers you planted died when you went away……….Nothing Compares 2 U.”

Today in Madonna History: May 3, 2011

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On May 3 2011, Madonna attended the Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Madonna wore a Stella McCartney dress, vintage Cartier jewels and carried a Christian Dior clutch.

Today in Madonna History: May 2, 2015

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On May 2 2015, Madonna participated in an Ask Me Anything interactive chat with Saturday Night Online – live with Romeo.

During the chat we learned the following:

  • Madonna’s mantra is “Live each day like it’s your last.”
  • She wanted to release Falling Free from MDNA, but didn’t because “it’s not conventional enough.”
  • She most enjoyed filming the music videos for Justify My Love, Open Your Heart, Material Girl and Like A Virgin.
  • Madonna enjoys rosé wine.
  • She would love to release an album (or maybe more than one) of unreleased material.  She said that it would be a “long ass album.”
  • She likes the idea of recording with Britney Spears again.
  • She thinks Drake kisses like a girl, “Don’t kiss Drake, no matter how many times he begs you to.”
  • Her party playlists include: Kaytranada, Grimes, James Blake, Harry Belafonte, Duke Ellington, Major Lazer, Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix.

Today in Madonna History: May 1, 1999

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On May 1 1999, the music video for Madonna’s Beautiful Stranger was shot at Universal Studios in Universal City, California.

Beautiful Stranger was directed by Brett Ratner, and went on to win an MTV Video Music Award for Best Video from a Film.