Finally, someone says something right and totally full of reason.
Despite puting U2 in the first place, I'm a truly Madonna fan too in the similar way.
I didn't use to like Madonna (neither to U2
), but a friend of mine lent me her "The Immaculate Collection" when we were in highschool and I enjoyed very much those songs I knew very well but that I didn't enjoy.
Then, it happened the same as to U2.
I became interested by other songs that were not in the compilation, started to explore her discography and then became a fan.
I always was even more critique and impartial to Madonna than to U2, and at the time I saw (and still see) her as a not a great singer but a truly great artist. This opinion changed a bit when Madonna came to Lisbon in her 2004 Re-Invention Tour and I had the opportunity to see her live for the first time. I left the place just like
. It was even bigger than what I used to watch in the DVD's. It was probably the greatest entertainment pop music show I've ever seen. And it proved me that she was not such a bad singer live as I thought, she had a few highlights in a few moments of the show (I won't forget "Lament" in the electric chair
). And it showed me that lots of people that didn't like her as an artist came only to see her and left there even more impressed than I.
In college, I have a scholar subject called Imagetic Analysis and we had an obligatory extensive written dissertation to do. As familiar to her work I choose the title "Madonna: deconstruction of a image machine". It was worthy, because I had 17/20 note
and because it helped me to discover even more about her and how she really is as a reference in our culture.
I do not admire her because of her singing (of course not), neither only because she has very original videos and images. I like her, because I believe that she is a cultural icon.
Many people hate her, het her music, hate the fact that she is a bitch that thinks she can make whatever she wants to, but no one can deny that she became a cultural symbol and a reference of the society of the late XX century and the beggining of XXI.
What captures my attention in her is her capacity to attract attentions, to turn publicity (whether good or bad it always works for her) in her favour and her capacity to dominate and to manipulate the media and the public opinion the way she wants to.
What I like in her too is the several messages she's been spreading and the last 25 years, the way she makes it and the way she obligates the viewer to receive them.
It interestes me too very much, the way she programms and evolutes her career, and the strategies she finds for when things go wrong. Another point that amazes me is that she controls and participates massively (contrary to the public's opinions) in the process of making an album, since the lyrics and arrangements (most of them created by her or the producer at that moment) through the recording sessions, producing and mixing. She decides (the publisher and editors don't make much pression, in a similar way to U2) most of the times what's good or not, what gets in an album or not and this is valid for her shows in which she is a real dominator master.
I admire her for mostly for her bravery and courage to push boundaries, to shake structures and to try break social conventions, causing controvesy about everything she does, and because those acts mostly obligate the viewer - at least - to think about it.
It still amazes me how can a woman have 48 years old and still be in the shape of a 35, still writes children books, sings, puts albums and singles in the world charts, sells millions, still provoques controversy and polemics, have her own businesses and then... have a life... and have a body and such energy like that!
I wish I can turn 40 with her wealthyness and physical resistance!
That's why I understand when people come talk to me and tell me that she's untallented, bad singer and that she only can cause controversy and sing shitty songs only to put a few more millions in her pocket.
But that doesn't erase from the public's mind all the images, stereotypes and characters she has interpreted and incarnated through her career.
I think Madonna and U2 have so much in common, more than we can think!
Zootlesque has resumed it very well, what's the similarity is about.
I'm sorry if my post is too loooooooooooong, but I couldn't contain...
Should I open a new thread about this with this same text in Just The Bang And The Clatter?
Thankx, Zoots
Wow, I thought Madonna would be more popular around these parts!
.
I love this thread.
