The Look of Madonna

( The official album cover, photographed by Annie Leibovitz) Welcome back on Blogger!  What if we take a step back? The year is 1984 and two women, Madonna and Cyndi Lauper, are ruling the Billboard charts with their respective debut eras. They both showcase a Street/Post-Punk look, they both have a high-pitched singing voice and their songs are just as famous as their outfits.  The press immediately tries to create a rivalry between them, critics praise Lauper and dismiss Madonna, the public appreciates both.  Who is better? Who will stand the test of time? Who will fade into oblivion? Back to present day. Thirty-six years later, both women are respected legends and highly busy philanthropists who still release albums, sell out concert tours and win awards.  This review marks the start of a series dedicated to Madonna's peers  and what better way to start it than to review the iconic  She's So Unusual by Cyndi Lauper, Ma...

Welcome back on Blogger! 1985 was inarguably Madonna's biggest year for soundtracks. Three successful soundtrack singles were indeed released: Crazy For You, Gambler and Into The Groove.  I'm ready to delve into them with you!  (Madonna on the set of Vision Quest, photographed by Richard Corman) Crazy For You: Released as the lead single from the soundtrack album to the film Vision Quest, Crazy For You was the first proper Madonna ballad. It was written by John Bettis and Jon Lind and produced by John "Jellybean" Benitez. The song is about sexual desire between two lovers and it features one of Madonna's best vocal performances, technically and emotionally, especially during the chorus. Madonna manages to convey sexual desire, love and pain through her voice, just like on Borderline.  The song was well received by music critics, who defined it "sophisticated" compared to Madonna's previous singles. Crazy For You ended up r...

Welcome back on Blogger! Today I'm going to talk about Desperately Seeking Susan, Madonna's acting breakthrough! Let's jump into it! CREDITS The movie was directed by Susan Seidelman and was released on March 29, 1985. It stars Rosanna Arquette as Roberta, Madonna as Susan, Aidan Queen as Dez, Mark Blum as Gary, Robert Joy as Jim and Laurie Metcalf as Leslie.  Other notable actors are Will Patton, who plays Wayne Nolan (the main antagonist)   and Anna Levine, who plays Susan's best friend  Crystal.  Last but not least, we have Peter Maloney and John Turturro. They play Ian and Ray respectively, two characters that work at the Magic Club, a key place in the movie. ( The entire cast of the movie, photographed by Richard Corman) BASIC PLOT Roberta, a bored housewife who lives in Fort Lee, New Jersey, has developed a curious interest in reading the personals section of a NYC tabloid. She is particularly intrigued by a woman named Su...

( Album artwork   by Steven Meisel) Welcome back on Blogger! Today I'm going to review Madonna's second studio album, Like a Virgin, released in 1984. This year marks the 35th anniversary of this classic, decade defining album and I'm ready to delve into it with you! While her debut album was still selling, Madonna started to work on a follow-up. She originally wanted to be one of the main producers but Warner Bros. Records was not ready to give her that kind of artistic freedom. Having idolized him since his "Chic" days, Madonna then chose Nile Rodgers as the producer of the album. She also particularly liked his work on David Bowie's  Let's Dance, which came out the previous year, in 1983.   Rodgers later commented:  " I am always amazed by Madonna's incredible judgement when it comes to making pop records. I've never seen anyone do it better, and that's the truth. When we did that album, it was the perfect un...

(Album artwork shot by Gary Heery) Welcome back on Blogger fans! Today we're going to talk about Madonna's eponymous debut album, which was released in 1983. Let's jump into this review! In 1982, Madonna was signed to Sire Records with the help of her friend and former lover Mark Kamins, who worked as a DJ and was a relevant figure on the New York club scene at the time. Madonna's debut single, the self-penned Everybody, was produced by Kamins and came out that same year, in October. The song became a success on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart and paved the way for the following single, Burning Up, which not only confirmed Madonna's success as a dance act but also became a top 20 hit in Australia. Sire Records saw the potential of Madonna and allowed her to record an album. A dance, post-disco and funk record, with  Madonna our Diva became the first white popstar to adopt those genres and achieve commercial success with them. Let's...

How I became a Madonna fan, what it was like growing up with her music and what  the blog will be about.  (Photo by Steven Klein) Welcome on Blogger fans!  First of all, I thank you all for the love and support you keep on giving me and The Look of Madonna, it means a lot to be able to promote and share my thoughts with you all about our favorite Diva.  I'd like to start this new "blogging" adventure by talking about my Madonna experience and how I became a fan in the first place. It all started in 2005, I was 11 years old and Madonna was everywhere with her brand new single Hung Up. I remember being intrigued and impressed by the star power  of that young woman (yes, I thought she was in her 20's) dressed in a pink leotard, dancing around in a ballet studio. She exuded confidence, sexiness, energy and independence. I used to wait for the video to come up on TV so I could watch her again.  The name Madonna was familiar but I never r...