Band Session III 2025: Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone, better known by just her first name, burst onto the pop scene in 1983 and quickly claimed the title “Queen of Pop,” producing a lengthy catalog heavy on pop, electronica and dance, and helping popularize dance music as mainstream music.
In addition to singing, Madonna plays piano, synthesizer, drums and guitar – and was credited for playing cowbell on her debut album.
When Madonna debuted, most of the top artists in the world –Michael Jackson, Hall & Oates, Duran Duran, Lionel Richie, The Police, David Bowie, Prince– were men, and her success as a female solo artist was groundbreaking. Over the ensuing decades she has carved out a career for herself as a singer (the world’s best-selling female recording artist of all time), songwriter, record producer, actress, philanthropist and businesswoman in charge of every aspect of her career, earning accolades like 18 multi-platinum albums, Grammy awards and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
One thing that set Madonna apart from the rest of the music crowd was her live shows, featuring elaborate choreography and costumes. “Artists like Madonna and Janet Jackson set new standards for showmanship, with concerts that included not only elaborate costumes and precision-timed pyrotechnics but also highly athletic dancing,” wrote Chris Nelson in The New York Times. And her unique look – featuring fishnet stockings, crucifixes and bleached hair – made her a style icon in the 1980s.
Throughout her career, Madonna has played with the power of reinvention and self-promotion, carefully crafting, and evolving, both her image and her musical style while still staying true to her own artistic vision. “People have been obsessed with the idea that I am always reinventing myself, [but] I’d rather think that I’m slowly revealing myself,” she said.
As demonstrated by her wide-ranging body of work, Madonna cites musical influences from Mozart to Debbie Harry, as well as non-musicians like the writer James Baldwin, movie star Jean Harlow and artist Frida Kahlo.
Many pop artists who came after Madonna cite her musical style, constant reinvention and business smarts as an influence, including Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Gwen Stefani, Britney Spears, Kesha, Selena Gomez, Gwen Stefani, Dua Lipa, Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Adele and Beyoncé. “A lot of my influence came from her early work, like directly, like a Xerox,” Stefani said.
In addition to her musical and business ventures, Madonna founded a charity that works to improve life in Malawi, and advocates for gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights.
As you learn Madonna’s music this session, think about how she uses image, reinvention, and collaboration to stay relevant, plus incorporating diverse influences and using your voice and vision to support others.
Check out these Madonna songs for inspiration as you plan your performance (see the Spotify playlist for links and some music inspiring and inspired by Madonna):
“Material Girl”
“Holiday”
“Open Your Heart”
“Express Yourself”
“True Blue”
“Live to Tell”
“Ray of Light”
“Cherish”
“Lucky Star”
“Vogue”
“Dress You Up”
“4 Minutes”
“La Isla Bonita”
“Music”
“Beautiful Stranger”
“Where’s the Party”
“Who’s that Girl”
“Hung Up”
“Gambler”
“Borderline”
“Into the Groove”
“Hollywood”
“Ghosttown”
“Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina”
“Don’t Tell Me”
Important Dates:
Start date: February 3, 2025
End date: April 6, 2025
Dress Rehearsal: April 4, 2025
Show: April 6, 2025
(8 weeks)
Holidays:
Mid-Winter Break, 2/17/25-2/21/25