Today in Madonna History: February 24, 1999

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On February 24 1999, Madonna performed Nothing Really Matters at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards. Madonna also took home 4 Grammies:

  • Best Pop Album – David Reitzas, Jon Ingoldsby, Pat McCarthy (engineers/mixers), William Orbit (producer) and Madonna (producer & artist) for Ray Of Light
  • Best Dance Recording – Pat McCarthy (mixer), William Orbit (producer) and Madonna (producer & artist) for Ray of Light
  • Best Short Form Music Video – Jonas Åkerlund (video director) and Madonna for Ray of Light
  • Best Recording Package – Kevin Reagan (art director) for Ray of Light performed by Madonna

Today in Madonna History: February 23, 1998

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On February 23 1998, Frozen was released by Maverick records as the lead single from Madonna’s seventh studio album, Ray of Light. The song was written by Madonna & Patrick Leonard and was produced by Madonna, Leonard & William Orbit.

Madonna has mentioned that she considers Frozen as part of a thematic trilogy with The Power Of Good-Bye and To Have And Not To Hold. In an interview with Barry Walters for Spin magazine, Madonna commented on the inspiration behind the song:

“I was so obsessed with the movie The Sheltering Sky and that whole Moroccan/orchestral/super-romantic/man-carrying-the-woman-he-loves-across-the-desert vibe. So I told [Patrick Leonard] that I wanted something with a tribal feel, something really lush and romantic. When he started playing some music, I just turned the DAT on and started free-associating and came up with the melody.”

Initially unsure of which song should be released as the album’s first single, Madonna was eventually convinced by Warner Bros. executives that Frozen would be a perfect way to bridge the Adult Contemporary leanings of her most recent hits (Take A Bow, You’ll See and the singles from Evita) with the more cutting-edge, electronic sounds of Ray Of Light.

Today in Madonna History: February 22, 1995

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On February 22 1995, Madonna and Babyface performed Take A Bow at the San Remo Music Festival in Italy. At the end of the performance, Madonna thanked the audience in Italian, and received a standing ovation.  

Today in Madonna History: February 21, 2016

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On February 21 2016, Madonna performed the second of two sold out shows during her Rebel Heart World Tour at the Studio City Event Center in Macau, China.

The undisputed ‘Queen of Pop’ is set to excite and delight Asia’s music fans at Studio City’s awe-inspiring Studio City Event Center when she brings her ‘Rebel Heart Tour’ to Macau.

The ‘Rebel Heart Tour’, which lands in Macau on February 20 and 21, 2016, is supporting Madonna’s 13th studio album ‘Rebel Heart’ which includes the Billboard Hot 100 hit, ‘Bitch, I’m Madonna’. The hit single features star-studded cameos by Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Kanye West as well as appearances by Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and Rita Ora.

The ‘Rebel Heart’ Tour follows the spring release of Madonna’s Rebel Heart album on Interscope Records. Rave reviews of the album include: ROLLING STONE: ‘Rebel Heart is a long, passionate, self-referential meditation on losing love and finding purpose in chilling time.’ LA TIMES: ‘Rebel Heart like its creator pushes through the pain and more often than not lands solidly and with great grace on its feet.’ NOISEY: ‘Madonna continues to keep us on our toes, like no other performer in the history of modern music. NY DAILY TIMES ‘Rebel Heart’s best moments boast some of the most finely structured pop melodies of Madonna’s 32-year career.’

Along with extraordinary critical acclaim as an artist, songwriter and producer who has sold a record breaking 300 million records, Madonna’s reputation as one of the most successful, provocative and enduring live performers of all time speaks for itself. The 2008/2009 Sticky & Sweet tour is the highest grossing tour of all time for a solo artist and the 20123 MDNA tour was the most successful tour of that year.

Today in Madonna History: February 20, 1995

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On February 20 1995, Madonna performed Bedtime Story live for the first and only time at the Brit Awards. The performance was set to a remix of the song by Junior Vasquez. Madonna wore a white Versace dress and long hair extensions, an image similar to her 1995 Versace advertisement campaign spread.

Madonna invited Björk to feature in the performance but Björk declined the offer, later stating: “I was supposed to get [Madonna’s] personal number and call her up, but it just didn’t feel right. I’d love to meet her accidentally, really drunk in a bar. It’s just all that formality that confuses me.”

Today in Madonna History: February 19, 2015

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On February 19 2015, Living For Love became Madonna’s 44th #1 Billboard Dance Club hit in the USA.

Here is a list of Madonna’s 44 number one Dance hits so far:

1983 – Holiday/Lucky Star
1984 – Like A Virgin
1985 – Material Girl
1985 – Angel/Into the Groove
1987 – Open Your Heart
1987 – Causing a Commotion (Remix)
1988 – You Can Dance (LP Cuts)
1989 – Like A Prayer
1989 – Express Yourself
1990 – Keep It Together
1990 – Vogue
1991 – Justify My Love
1992 – Erotica
1993 – Deeper and Deeper
1993 – Fever
1994 – Secret
1995 – Bedtime Story
1997 – Don’t Cry for Me Argentina
1998 – Frozen
1998 – Ray of Light
1999 – Nothing Really Matters
1999 – Beautiful Stranger
2000 – American Pie
2000 – Music
2001 – Don’t Tell Me
2001 – What It Feels Like for a Girl
2001 – Impressive Instant
2002 – Die Another Day
2003 – American Life
2003 – Hollywood
2003 – Me Against the Music – Britney Spears featuring Madonna
2004 – Nothing Fails
2004 – Love Profusion
2005 – Hung Up
2006 – Sorry
2006 – Get Together
2006 – Jump
2008 – 4 Minutes
2008 – Give It 2 Me
2009 – Celebration
2012 – Give Me All Your Luvin’
2012 – Girl Gone Wild
2012 – Turn Up the Radio
2015 – Living for Love

Today in Madonna History: February 18, 2006

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On February 18 2006, Shaun Woodford spoke to the BBC about how he was challenged to transform the back of an everyday van into a ’70s nightclub on wheels for Madonna’s Sorry music video.

Shaun said that when his customized car firm in Wales first received the request to pimp out the van with pink neon lights, lilac shag carpet and mirror disco balls, he thought it was a joke.

“We weren’t sure what to think at first! And it was only when we got the go ahead, that we knew it was for Madonna’s video.”

Shaun’s team at AB Styling Ltd were given one week to complete the job.

“Everything we needed had to be ordered in and there was a couple of moments where I thought it was going to be touch and go, but we did manage it.”

Shaun delivered the van on time and spent the week on set.

“It was a brilliant experience and by far the biggest job we’ve ever done – you can’t get bigger than Madonna.”

MTV documented and aired the makeover of the van in an episode of Pimp My Ride.