New Variety Interview

[Glindathegood 772]

28 minutes ago, Fabiolous said:

She said during Madame X promotion that she wasn't inspired when she made MDNA and Rebel heart and just made them for contractual obligations. She now has none, so it makes sense for her not to waste time making bad music, or recording good music written by someone else. She can make another album when she feels like it. I'd rather have it like that than have another MDNA. 

I don’t remember her ever saying she wasn’t inspired making Rebel Heart. She said it was a difficult album to make because she worked with a lot of different artists who had other projects at the same time. 
I don’t believe she dislikes MDNA and Rebel Heart because she performed a lot of them on the accompanying tours. Why would she perform something she hates, instead of more of her older material which would make the tours more successful and be met with more of a positive response from fans. 

[Glindathegood 772]

17 hours ago, OceanBlue said:

I’m just looking for interesting, fun ways to rerelease my catalog and introduce my music to a new generation.

This is a bit worrying !

No, mama, give us the cds, give us the vinyls, give us the dvd and the br, give us the tapes, if you want ! The catalog is VERY  interesting as it is ! We've been waiting for remizes, demos and bsides for years and years !

She can do both. A conventional Reissue of albums and some new remixes to introduce her music to a new generation. 
She’s not a pure nostalgia artist, she’s going to find a way to put a modern spin on it to keep it interesting for herself. 

[Glindathegood 772]

6 hours ago, Enrico said:

I'd be happy to see her touring again. Yet I don't know if I would spend so much money like I did for 4 MXT shows. I think she needs a new formula and some preparation. A greatest hits tour is highly possible at this point. But if she gets easily bored by the past, why doesn't she work on a new album?

The interview was a little vague on that point. It didn’t say whether or not  she would be making a new album to go with the tour. 
I always thought she would tour when the movie soundtrack came out which would have a few new songs, but the movie seems to be taking a long time. 

[Karma 2,818]

36 minutes ago, nodoman said:

interesting. not so much regarding MDNA, but rebel heart. do you have source to link to?

https://www.drownedmadonna.com/2019/06/25/the-mojo-interview-with-madonna-one-of-her-best-ever-she-explains-everything/

How do you know it’s time to make an album? Is it like a spider sense? Or are there suddenly a load of ideas, and you have to use them or lose them?

"Sometimes that happens. But it has definitely not happened in the last… three records. Honestly, the last couple of albums, I’ve made them reluctantly. Both times I was trying to do something else – to get a film made. That happened on this record too. I moved to Lisbon because I wanted my son [David Banda] to be able to attend a soccer academy, and I was trying to raise money for a film, and then I got bored waiting and then l ended up making a record. So it just kind of happened. It wasn’t like a.. burning thing that I had. But then other times, I did have lots of ideas stirring inside of me and I did have a burning desire".

So which were the albums that just had to be made?

"Ray Of Light. That would be one. Like A Prayer. But my life was simpler then. Like A Prayer – I was married to Sean [Penn]. I had no children and my life was very simple. Ray Of Light, I had my daughter, but again, I didn’t have such a complicated life. Now my life is complicated".

She also complained about the creative process of her Interscope albums on Instagram

“Remember when I made records with other artists from beginning to end and I was allowed to be a visionary and not have to go to song writing camps where No one can sit still for more than 15 minutes.”

These comments echo an interview Madonna did with Billboard around the time of her 2014 disc Rebel Heart, where she complained about “a lot of cooks in the kitchen.”  She said it was “very, very, very, very hard” to collaborate with “young DJs who never can stay in one city for more than five days.”

“It’s a chaotic way to work…there’s a lot of confusion,” she complained, noting that she’d “start things with one group of people, and then I’d start something with somebody else, and then they’d have to leave…and the other person would come back.”

[Karma 2,818]

Anyways, there's some revealing tidbits in this interview. Good to know she's still passionate about performing and that she refuses to sell her music catalog for a quick buck (and of course Guy already suggested that )

[Drownedboy 1,656]

Well, say what you want but for me the worst by miles is the last one, and with Madame X is the first time I thought she lost her talent to do pop songs that nobody can get out of their mind.

[Fabiolous 5,488]

1 hour ago, Karma said:

https://www.drownedmadonna.com/2019/06/25/the-mojo-interview-with-madonna-one-of-her-best-ever-she-explains-everything/

How do you know it’s time to make an album? Is it like a spider sense? Or are there suddenly a load of ideas, and you have to use them or lose them?

"Sometimes that happens. But it has definitely not happened in the last… three records. Honestly, the last couple of albums, I’ve made them reluctantly. Both times I was trying to do something else – to get a film made. That happened on this record too. I moved to Lisbon because I wanted my son [David Banda] to be able to attend a soccer academy, and I was trying to raise money for a film, and then I got bored waiting and then l ended up making a record. So it just kind of happened. It wasn’t like a.. burning thing that I had. But then other times, I did have lots of ideas stirring inside of me and I did have a burning desire".

So which were the albums that just had to be made?

"Ray Of Light. That would be one. Like A Prayer. But my life was simpler then. Like A Prayer – I was married to Sean [Penn]. I had no children and my life was very simple. Ray Of Light, I had my daughter, but again, I didn’t have such a complicated life. Now my life is complicated".

She also complained about the creative process of her Interscope albums on Instagram

“Remember when I made records with other artists from beginning to end and I was allowed to be a visionary and not have to go to song writing camps where No one can sit still for more than 15 minutes.”

These comments echo an interview Madonna did with Billboard around the time of her 2014 disc Rebel Heart, where she complained about “a lot of cooks in the kitchen.”  She said it was “very, very, very, very hard” to collaborate with “young DJs who never can stay in one city for more than five days.”

“It’s a chaotic way to work…there’s a lot of confusion,” she complained, noting that she’d “start things with one group of people, and then I’d start something with somebody else, and then they’d have to leave…and the other person would come back.”

Thank you!

 

@Glindathegood I didn't say that she hates the albums, but that she didn't feel like making them. Find the interview above 

[Loki 227]

as usual, an interview with her means more than thousand words. there are many interesting points, starting from her relationship with Guy O., which seems it got deteriorated in these last 13 years, basically when he negotiated that monster contract that almost killed all the magic in her. I didn't know he is friend with the Live Nation CEO, but maybe this explains why she joined them. Since she hasn't missed any occasion to kindly remind us how bad that choice was, at the point she admitted she never wanted to make neither MDNA nor Rebel Heart, I wonder if she'll flank him with another person who will dedicate himself, body and soul, to her, as Guy did the in first 20 years, following her step by step in everything and acting as a good creative advisor after all, because it was him who phoned Orbit and submitted to her the tape with the 'Production' demos by Mirwaïs. From her words, it's clear she still needs someone who acts like 'the voice of reason' and guides her, confronts with her and gives the proper shape to her ideas: more a wise friend than a simple financial consultant. despite the age gap, Guy O. acted as a parental figure for her, just as Freddy and Liz did. In these 15 years everything fucked up not because of Guy, but beacause of Guy's absence, imo: since when he rightly decided to focus more on his own business and his life, she felt descarded by him and we all know she works well only when she's fully committed, thing she hasn't been lately because she chose her family over her career (nothing to say against it), and the small group of trusted people (always the same ones, funny isn't it?) she works with are fully focused on her, her requests, her ideas. Paradoxally, this way of working is quite démodé and it's obvious she feels like a fish out of water right now, where you can easily make an album even without seeing the producer in person. Speaking for myelf, reading she's intrigued by how TikTok or internet in general let people promote and manipulate music cracks me up: it's true her attempts of coping with technology are a bit cringy and embarrassing sometimes, but I'm very fascinated that a woman in her 60s still wants to try to understand how we, gen Z, handle our relationships with music and visual arts. bracket closed.
About the rest, I'm quite curious to see her next moves and I have the feeling everything will be totally different from what we've seen so far. 

[Glindathegood 772]

Yes, I think she should find someone who has the time to more closely focus on her career and guide her. Don’t most artists at Madonna’s superstar level have managers who primarily focus on them? 
I personally think it’s great that she takes an interest in trying to understand how younger people interact with technology instead of just throwing her hands up and saying I’m too old to understand as a lot of older artists do. 

[The Ghost 1,566]

9 hours ago, Enrico said:

I'd be happy to see her touring again. Yet I don't know if I would spend so much money like I did for 4 MXT shows. I think she needs a new formula and some preparation. A greatest hits tour is highly possible at this point. But if she gets easily bored by the past, why doesn't she work on a new album?

She needs to sing!!!!   lol

[Glindathegood 772]

2 hours ago, Karma said:

Anyways, there's some revealing tidbits in this interview. Good to know she's still passionate about performing and that she refuses to sell her music catalog for a quick buck (and of course Guy already suggested that )

So many older artists have done that.  It’s becoming harder to find one that hasn’t. 

[Blue Jean 15,092]

3 hours ago, Fabiolous said:

No, sorry. It was in one of the many many interviews she gave in 2019. I don't even remember if it was in video or print form.

It was print promoting Madame X Tour release I think, that’s all i remember 

[Blue Jean 15,092]

1 hour ago, Loki said:

starting from her relationship with Guy O., which seems it got deteriorated in these last 13 years, 

She doesn’t say that at all.

[Glindathegood 772]

36 minutes ago, Blue Jean said:

She doesn’t say that at all.

Yes, it changed but didn’t deteriorated. She was focusing more on her family as well so maybe she was fine with him working on other things. They are still close friends. 

[VogueMusic 677]

3 hours ago, Drownedboy said:

Well, say what you want but for me the worst by miles is the last one, and with Madame X is the first time I thought she lost her talent to do pop songs that nobody can get out of their mind.

Thank god I feel the opposite. MX was a truly inspired return to form for many of us, and you could just feel it. She's always been more than just catchy pop one can't get out of their mind.

[VogueMusic 677]

5 hours ago, Fabiolous said:

"I’m just looking for interesting, fun ways to rerelease my catalog and introduce my music to a new generation"

God, this is terrifying.

Quite the contrary. For the longest time, fans have been complaining about her not taking care of her legacy. Being invested in getting that legacy to a new generation is incredibly important, and long past due. I'm glad she's openly acknowledging it now.

[Drownedboy 1,656]

3 hours ago, VogueMusic said:

Thank god I feel the opposite. MX was a truly inspired return to form for many of us, and you could just feel it. She's always been more than just catchy pop one can't get out of their mind.

Really? Is there a power of goodbye or a Ray of light among Bith I´m a loca and Funana..MMM I don´t think so. However I´m glad some fans love it at least. The general public was not with her this time and I can see why. When she does great music, people are masively with her.

[Andreo 5,303]

55 minutes ago, Drownedboy said:

Really? Is there a power of goodbye or a Ray of light among Bith I´m a loca and Funana..MMM I don´t think so. 

But what about songs such as Devil Pray, Ghost Town, Joan, Heartbreak City, Wash All Over Me, Veni Vidi Vici, Messiah, Rebel Heart, God Control, Crave, Come Alive, Crazy, Ciao Bella, Extreme Occident, IDIF, Looking For Mercy? People only mention the weakest of her new music and compare them to the classics, not really fair imo. There's so much good stuff even in her worst work ever tbh 

[Drownedboy 1,656]

Rebel heart had many gems, I agree.

[Starchild 3,064]

Rebel heart had many gems, I agree.

But way too many songs.

[50ft Queenie 2,787]

Rebel Heart could have been a great album if the filler had been cut out, still a much better era than Hard Candy, MDNA or Madame X though.

[Redha DBL 7,259]

23 hours ago, Karma said:

https://www.drownedmadonna.com/2019/06/25/the-mojo-interview-with-madonna-one-of-her-best-ever-she-explains-everything/

How do you know it’s time to make an album? Is it like a spider sense? Or are there suddenly a load of ideas, and you have to use them or lose them?

"Sometimes that happens. But it has definitely not happened in the last… three records. Honestly, the last couple of albums, I’ve made them reluctantly. Both times I was trying to do something else – to get a film made. That happened on this record too. I moved to Lisbon because I wanted my son [David Banda] to be able to attend a soccer academy, and I was trying to raise money for a film, and then I got bored waiting and then l ended up making a record. So it just kind of happened. It wasn’t like a.. burning thing that I had. But then other times, I did have lots of ideas stirring inside of me and I did have a burning desire".

So which were the albums that just had to be made?

"Ray Of Light. That would be one. Like A Prayer. But my life was simpler then. Like A Prayer – I was married to Sean [Penn]. I had no children and my life was very simple. Ray Of Light, I had my daughter, but again, I didn’t have such a complicated life. Now my life is complicated".

 

Thank you so much for posting this ! I had never read it before and damn, that makes so much sense... 

[VogueMusic 677]

17 hours ago, Drownedboy said:

Really? Is there a power of goodbye or a Ray of light among Bith I´m a loca and Funana..MMM I don´t think so. However I´m glad some fans love it at least. The general public was not with her this time and I can see why. When she does great music, people are masively with her.

So an entire body of work is no good because of a couple of songs? I should disregard the majority of the work for a few silly moments that happen on nearly every Madonna record (which, for the record, I always enjoy as they are quintessentially Madonna)?

And with all due respect, who gives a flying fuck about the general public, especially at this point. "Good music" has nothing to do with the general public. Especially considering what passes for hits these days. By that measure, a handful of some of the best songs on the last 3 albums absolutely deserved to be hits.

It was clear from first listen that MX was not designed for the GP. I actually find that a good thing. Not every record needs to be, especially when an artist is willing to let go of commercial appeal for the sake of a true artistic vision...let alone to do it in a part of their career where unfortunate circumstances outside of their own control basically hinder any possibility of having commercial hits again anyway. To do that nearly 4 decades into a career, as a female artist, in pop music, is nearly sacrilege... and once again, it proves to me why Madonna is fundamentally different than the rest of her peers. I don't see that many of them, past or present, creating such a work at that stage of their career.

MX is not going to be to everyone's taste (no album will be). That's perfectly fine. But using commercial success as the only barometer of the value of a piece of work is an incredibly poor way to measure any artistic work.

 

 

ps. Anything as good as POG or ROL on MX...hmmm, yes - Dark Ballet, God Control, Future, Batuka, Killers Who Are Partying, Come Alive, Extreme Occident, IDSIF, Ciao Bella...to name a few.  ;)

[Andreo 5,303]

Just now, VogueMusic said:

"Good music" has nothing to do with the general public. Especially considering what passes for hits these days.

[Glindathegood 772]

Madame X had some of her catchiest pop songs in years such as Crave and Crazy. 
Some of it was more avant garde but not all of it was.