Madonna is a pop singer, songwriter, and actress, also known as ‘the Queen of pop.’ Her music career span over four decades and she is a seven-time Grammy Award-winner. Madonna’s music has sold over three hundred million records worldwide. She became a worldwide sensation during the 1980s and 1990s and accumulated worldwide fame and success that is nearly unprecedented for a woman in the entertainment industry.
Early life
Madonna was born Madonna Louise Ciccone in 1958. She was nicknamed Nonno to avoid confusion with the elder Madonna, who was of French-Canadian descent. Her mother died due to breast cancer when she was only five. The loss significantly affected Madonna’s adolescence and her personality. She rebelled against her traditional bringing and wore revealing outfits, frequenting nightclub visits and rejecting her religious background. Her father put her in classical piano lessons, but she later switched to ballet dancing. Madonna attended Rochester Adams High School, where she became a straight-A student and a cheerleading squad member. In 1978 she dropped out of college and moved to New York City to pursue her dreams. She struggled a lot in her early life, did several odd jobs, and lived in small apartments. Madonna worked as a waitress in many restaurants. She even did nude art modeling and danced for several companies. She formed the punk band Breakfast Club with one boyfriend and the rock group Emmy with another boyfriend and spent a brief amount of time in France working as a showgirl.
Music Career
Madonna joined Gilroy’s band in 1980 as a drummer and later became the lead singer. She also worked with several other bands over the next few years, including ‘Madonna & The Sky,’ ‘The Millionaires’ and ‘Emmy.’
In 1981, Madonna decided to go solo, and she got a solo contract with the company named ‘Sire Records,’ which is owned by ‘Warner Music Group.’ Madonna released her first solo album ‘Everybody’ in 1984, and it was a breakthrough. The album topped the dance charts, and the following year she released another album, ‘Madonna.’ The albums fared well in the market and sold many copies. In 1984, she released another album, ‘Like a Virgin,’ and it soon became a huge success. The title track of the album retained the first position on ‘Billboard Chart’ for six weeks. During the 1980s, Madonna released several other albums, including ‘True Blue,’ ‘Who’s that Girl, ‘Bloodhounds of Broadway,’ and ‘Shanghai Surprise.’
Madonna started the 90s with a blockbuster album ‘The Immaculate Collection. The album became the bestselling album, and it received immense success. In 1991, her first documentary film ‘Madonna: Truth or Dare’ was released, which dealt with the incidents during her ‘Blond Ambition World Tour.
Acting career
Madonna made her acting debut in the movie ‘Desperately Seeking Susan .’ She also lent her voice for the number ‘Into the Groove’ in the film. In 1991, she worked in the film’ Shadows and Fog’ and the following year, she appeared in the movie ‘A League of Their Own. She was also starred in the critically acclaimed screen adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical ‘Evita (1996)’.
Personal life and marriages
Madonna was married to actor Sean Penn in 1985, but the marriage lasted for four years. She remained in a relationship with her personal fitness instructor Carlos from 1995 to 1997. She also had a daughter named Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon. In December 2000, Madonna married a second time to director Guy Ritchie, and the marriage lasted for eight years. She had two sons from Guy Ritchie named Rocco John Ritchie and David Banda Mwale Ciccone Ritchie. Later, she adopted a daughter Mercy James from an orphanage in Malawi.
Here below are some beautiful photographs of young Madonna from her early life and career.
