I've just listened to Sia's version of Oh Father and loved it! What a beautiful version.
This is the closing track from Sia's fourth studio album, We Are Born. She talked to Spin Magazine about the tribute:
I grew up wearing fingerless gloves because of her. Then one day about three years ago she put one of my songs, a remix of “Breathe Me,” on her iTunes playlist. She said it was a great song to work out to. Then I got excited, because someone who was staying at my house was working for this jeans company and Madonna had asked for a bunch of their jeans. This girl was packaging the jeans at my house, so I slipped a note in one of the boxes for Madonna and said, “Hi, this is Sia. You put my song on your iTunes playlist and I wanted to say thanks. I love you.” And that’s the extent of our relationship.
- Did she find the note?
I doubt it. But if she tried on the jeans I’ve come pretty close to her bum! [Laughs]
Wednesday 30 June 2010
Tuesday 22 June 2010
Fever
To celebrate yesterday's Summer solstice, here’s one of my favourite M videos.
With Fever, Madonna explored new grounds in her art and, along with French photographer / director Stéphane Sednaoui, delivered us a futuristic ode to sensuality.
Dita was gone, but a new - and equally - mysterious character came into life. Like a deity from a distant galaxy, she appeared in many different forms, from a silver sphinx to a pink-haired seductress, from a Hindu goddess to a flower-woman.
Sednaoui’s special effects - a first in M’s video repertoire, at the time - created the perfect atmosphere to the sizzling aesthetic.
Like everything else from the Erotica period, this was avant-garde at the highest level - and this is why the majority couldn’t get it. Amazingly, this was considered the one of M’s least favourite videos, even by the fans...
I was 15 when I watched it for the first time and was totally blown away. Even today, I watch it with the same sense of wonderment and intrigue. The red-tongue scene is one of the best video openers ever.
What a lovely way to burn…
Fever
Director: Stéphane Sednaoui
Producer: Line Postmyr
Director of Photography: Darius Khondji
Editor: Olivier Gajan
Production Company: Propaganda Films
Wardrobe design: Jean-Paul Gaultier
Shot on April 10–11, 1993 at Greenwich Studios in Miami, Florida.
Premiere: May 11, 1993 on MTV.
With Fever, Madonna explored new grounds in her art and, along with French photographer / director Stéphane Sednaoui, delivered us a futuristic ode to sensuality.
Dita was gone, but a new - and equally - mysterious character came into life. Like a deity from a distant galaxy, she appeared in many different forms, from a silver sphinx to a pink-haired seductress, from a Hindu goddess to a flower-woman.
Sednaoui’s special effects - a first in M’s video repertoire, at the time - created the perfect atmosphere to the sizzling aesthetic.
Like everything else from the Erotica period, this was avant-garde at the highest level - and this is why the majority couldn’t get it. Amazingly, this was considered the one of M’s least favourite videos, even by the fans...
I was 15 when I watched it for the first time and was totally blown away. Even today, I watch it with the same sense of wonderment and intrigue. The red-tongue scene is one of the best video openers ever.
What a lovely way to burn…
Fever
Director: Stéphane Sednaoui
Producer: Line Postmyr
Director of Photography: Darius Khondji
Editor: Olivier Gajan
Production Company: Propaganda Films
Wardrobe design: Jean-Paul Gaultier
Shot on April 10–11, 1993 at Greenwich Studios in Miami, Florida.
Premiere: May 11, 1993 on MTV.
Friday 18 June 2010
NY Daily News: Top 10 Pop Culture Icons of the Past 50 years
1. Elvis
2. Madonna
3. Frank Sinatra
4. Marilyn Monroe
5. Michael Jackson
6. Muhammad Ali
7. Oprah Winfrey
8. The Beatles
9. Princess Diana
10. Paul Newman
No. 2: Madonna, the Material Girl who ruled the world
During an appearance on “American Bandstand” in 1983, Dick Clark asked an up-and-coming young singer what her career aspirations were. With a smile, she matter-of-factly said, “I want to rule the world.” All hail Queen Madonna!
Twenty-five years, 12 Billboard No. 1 songs, worldwide album sales totaling hundreds of millions and a Golden Globe later, she has ruled with a velvet fist. Besides her numerous accolades, Madonna has influenced fashion, dance and pop culture for an entire generation.
Not bad for a girl from Bay City, Michigan.
Source: NY Daily News
2. Madonna
3. Frank Sinatra
4. Marilyn Monroe
5. Michael Jackson
6. Muhammad Ali
7. Oprah Winfrey
8. The Beatles
9. Princess Diana
10. Paul Newman
No. 2: Madonna, the Material Girl who ruled the world
During an appearance on “American Bandstand” in 1983, Dick Clark asked an up-and-coming young singer what her career aspirations were. With a smile, she matter-of-factly said, “I want to rule the world.” All hail Queen Madonna!
Twenty-five years, 12 Billboard No. 1 songs, worldwide album sales totaling hundreds of millions and a Golden Globe later, she has ruled with a velvet fist. Besides her numerous accolades, Madonna has influenced fashion, dance and pop culture for an entire generation.
Not bad for a girl from Bay City, Michigan.
Source: NY Daily News
Behind The American Dream
Videos: one of my all-time favourite items in my M collection. And it’s such a thrill, everytime an mpeg or vob file comes out, with some vintage TV report or interview that I used to watch, over and over again, on my VCR.
Yesterday, and after so many years, I went through the classic Madonna - Behind The American Dream, a BBC documentary produced in November, 1990.
For the first time, Madonna herself agreed to participate and recorded an interview. Shot in black and white at her request, she looked stunningly beautiful, wearing a Sixties hairstyle and full lips (yes, it was during the collagen experience).
Rather than easy sensationalism, BBC chose to make an essay on Madonna - the cultural phenomenon, the artist and the person - with seriousness and accuracy. She was analyzed by thinkers, like a critic from Art Forum magazine or an academic from Harvard, and close people such as her brother and Christopher Flynn.
Madonna herself exposed her inner world in a way she never did before - as if she was anticipating Truth or Dare.
Yesterday, and after so many years, I went through the classic Madonna - Behind The American Dream, a BBC documentary produced in November, 1990.
For the first time, Madonna herself agreed to participate and recorded an interview. Shot in black and white at her request, she looked stunningly beautiful, wearing a Sixties hairstyle and full lips (yes, it was during the collagen experience).
Rather than easy sensationalism, BBC chose to make an essay on Madonna - the cultural phenomenon, the artist and the person - with seriousness and accuracy. She was analyzed by thinkers, like a critic from Art Forum magazine or an academic from Harvard, and close people such as her brother and Christopher Flynn.
Madonna herself exposed her inner world in a way she never did before - as if she was anticipating Truth or Dare.
I remember watching it back then and thinking that, finally, M was being taken seriously by a media channel - other than MTV.
Behind The American Dream is a must-see for any 20 year-old who's interested in understanding Madonna’s unique impact on pop culture and, more than that, on Western society. And Justify My Love or Sex weren’t released yet…
Watching it is realizing, once more, that she was a true revolutionary, paving the way for a whole new way of expression in the mainstream. Her role was to question the establishment, to promote - and provoke - critical thinking.
Still today, this is probably the best documentary ever made by a TV channel.
Thursday 17 June 2010
Ray Of Light Madonna for MTV Asia: the outtakes
M at her best youthful mode. One of my favourite clips I've seen lately...
Tuesday 1 June 2010
«Love wins»
Sunday, May 30, 2010
«I have always believed love conquers all - yesterday I got to see it in action.
In the last week over 30,000 of you added your name to mine calling for the release of Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga - the Malawi couple sentenced to 14 years hard labor for the "crime" of homosexuality.
With incredible joy, I am writing to share with you that Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika has ordered their release. Steven and Tiwonge were freed on Saturday night. They have won their freedom and you have been a part of it. (...)
We celebrate this astounding turn of events with Steven, Tiwonge, and the countless Malawians fighting for their release. It is a historic day for Malawi. (...)
Thank you for joining me in Raising Malawi.
With great love,
Madonna»
«I have always believed love conquers all - yesterday I got to see it in action.
In the last week over 30,000 of you added your name to mine calling for the release of Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga - the Malawi couple sentenced to 14 years hard labor for the "crime" of homosexuality.
With incredible joy, I am writing to share with you that Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika has ordered their release. Steven and Tiwonge were freed on Saturday night. They have won their freedom and you have been a part of it. (...)
We celebrate this astounding turn of events with Steven, Tiwonge, and the countless Malawians fighting for their release. It is a historic day for Malawi. (...)
Thank you for joining me in Raising Malawi.
With great love,
Madonna»
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