Pop icon Madonna celebrates her 60th birthday today, though is unlikely that her age will slow her down or stop her from positively influencing the world around her. In her more than four-decade-long career, Madonna has been a voice for many of those who felt like they did not have one of their own, most iconically the LBGT community.
Not only has Madonna used her public influence for positive change, but she has also been incredibly successful throughout her own career. The Standard wrote how "Aside from the headline-hitting moments, she’s been bolshie and fearless in the face of a male-dominated industry, paving the way for younger female stars to express themselves."
Madonna has certainly had a colourful career that has included; a pointed bra, racy on-stage performances, nudity, charity, swearing in interviews, becoming an actress, two marriages, and divorces, adoptions, reinventing herself, kissing Britney on stage in 2003, falling off a stage in 2015.
Throughout it all fans have loved and adored the Queen of Pop.
Pushing boundaries
In 1984 Madonna released hit single 'Like a Virgin' and started a conversation about female sexuality, the Standard remembers how "Madonna performed at the first-ever MTV VMAs and made sure it would be a gig to remember. She hit the headlines after writhing around on the stage in a white deconstructed bridal gown, leaving people “gasping” after she started gyrating on her veil."
Many Madonna fans have remained loyal to her because of this, Madonna has always been an advocate of expressing exactly who you are. In an article on her 60th year, the BBC wrote "The year 1985 was a landmark one for the young singer. Her Virgin Tour was a sell-out, supported by the Beastie Boys."
Always unafraid to tackle the most controversial of issues Madonna released 'Papa don't preach' in 1986, a song that tackled the issue of teenage pregnancy.
While another one of her iconic hit songs 'Like a Prayer', also started a conversation, the BBC wrote about how "a music video that showed burning crosses and the singer kissing a black saint. Unsurprisingly, it provoked vociferous protests."
It was not only in music that Madonna used her status to promote acceptance and free speech but also in her 1991 documentary 'Madonna: Truth or Dare' which not only gave audiences a behind the scenes look into her racy on-stage performances but was also the first time that two men kissed on the big screen.
Securing her place as an icon for the LBGT community.
Queen and Mother
The Beatles released 'Lady Madonna' in 1968 and although it was written a decade before the pop sensations career began, the opening line "Lady Madonna children at your feet," seem to sum the Mother of six up pretty well. Even during Motherhood controversy has followed Madonna with four of her children having been adopted.
In their own article, The Standard wrote "She later opened up about the ordeal telling People magazine she would “cry [herself] to sleep” over the stories and couldn’t understand why people were “s*******” on her for doing “everything by the book." When writing about her responses to the media coverage of two of her children's adoptions.
After 41 years in the business, that has led to her massive success, controversy and social change Madonna has shown no signs of slowing down. The Standard wrote, "Madonna may be the Queen of Pop, but she’s also the queen of fashion statements from her love of fish nets to racy lingerie and religious accessories."
While the BBC wrote "After seven huge world tours, the artist is looking to develop her performance style to suit smaller audiences. She told Mark Savage from BBC News in 2017: "I like doing intimate shows and being able to talk directly to the audience." Something that many fans of Madonna old and new are sure to love.
