Shame on you, Madonna "fans"

I've never been so shocked. This goes way beyond The Sun's infamous headline back in 1993, when The Girlie Show kicked off in London. Because this time, it came from the "fans" themselves. A bunch of them. But enough to make this a media blood bath.

Yes, Madonna's communication staff should have made it more clear, only to avoid this. It's the only "should" I can find.

I feel truly disgusted with what happened after the Olympia show. Madonna's labour of love - a heartfelt tribute to France and a special treat to her French fans - has turned against her. She does NOT deserve this. She slept with the enemy.

If I had the money and the time, I would have paid for the ticket. I would have spent the night at the door. I would have left the venue feeling absolutely privileged and deeply grateful for being in the same room where such an amazing, top class, unique performance took place. It's the difference between a true fan and an intruder.

The media is now indulging itself with such an event. People are mean and, once more, Madonna an easy target. But we all now that she've been through a whole lot worse in the past... and she survided.

Now, it's time to put this shameful event behind, keep the amazing performance in our memories and get back to the MDNA Tour. The show must go on. Next stop: Vienna!

I love you, Madonna. Forever and always.

Arriving yesterday at the Imperial Hotel, Vienna.

(Another) Act of Contrition

Yes, I know I'm giving any reader a good reason not to visit this blog anymore. My recent unability to keep Madonna Under My Skin updated may seem a bit disrespectful for those who usually come here - some of them are truly special, you know who you are :)

Of course, I feel obliged to explain why:

1) after finishing my year-long course in early June, I just felt incredibly tired. My body just refused to write a single line;

2) then, things got really serious at work. Thight deadlines, millions of reports to write, even spending some weekends working, otherwise the school would actually close and I'd lose my job;

3) finally, the MDNA Tour across the Iberian Peninsula. Went to the all the shows, two in Barcelona, one in Coimbra. The impact was so strong and unexpected, that I just couldn't articulate any words about it. I spent an entire month immersed in emotions, away from rational thought about Madonna.

But now, the Olympia incident made me react. "Enough. I have to write. I have to stand up for my idol". It's the least I can do.

For all of those who usually come here, my sincere apologies for such a long silence.

Back on track

I can finally breathe now. The last couple months have been insane with so much work, mainly for the course I've been taking, which has now reached the end.

I know there are a few friends that follow Madonna Under My Skin... to them I express my apologies, for leaving the house without notice.

After a 2-month pause, Madonna Under My Skin is back on track. And oh what a big day this is...

MDNA

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The only words I can say right now

I adore her since 1985.
This is one of THE BEST albums she has EVER recorded.

Tomorrow I'll be albe to articulate what I'm feeling.

MDNA. This is it.

10h50: Touching MDNA for the very first time.

11h10: Waiting for the train to take me home.

12h00: Welcome home!

12h30: This is it.

Roller-coaster

Sitting on the train, as I was coming back home, I was preparing myself to exorcise all the stuff I had inside.

It was one hell of a strange day, right from the beginning. All because of that information that MDNA was already being sold in several countries.

After the (shocking) surprise, I was invaded by excitement and hope. Could it be that the sound of Madonna's brand new album (and, according to almost all reviews, one of her all-time best) was going to fill the air in my house, this weekend?

On lunchtime, I ran to Fnac, where I bought the album during last month's presale. Nothing in there. I was short of time and couldn't get to a sales assistant, so I came back to work.

During the afternoon, more photos were coming on Facebook, people so excited with their CDs, I just bought it! Finally it has arrived!

I was getting more and more nervous, so I called Fnac to check if there were any news. The information we have is that it'll only be available on Monday, the 26th.

The excitement and hope turned into worry.

Next photo on Facebook: the Portuguese M fan club with a copy of the CD, picked up at Universal offices. MDNA was definitely on national ground.

Worry turned into anxiety.

As the afternoon was ending, a rumour surfaced on Facebook: I've heard that they're already selling it on El Corte Inglés. I couldn't believe what I was reading. The other retalier is already selling it? I picked up the phone - I was ready to buy it again, all I wanted was to go back home with MDNA in my hands.

- We have it here already, but only for pre-listening. It will be avaliable for sale on Monday.
- Only for pre-listening??? WTF???
- Yes.

Then, as I was preparing myself to leave, I felt the world collapse: a Portuguese fan posted a photo, Just bought it, here it is! El Corte Inglés is already selling it.

My head started spinning.

- WHAT??? But I just called them and...
- In Gaia, they're already selling it.

Vila Nova de Gaia is 300 km away from Lisbon.

Anxiety tured into anger.

Got out of work. One last try at Fnac, before my 7pm class.

- Yes, it has arrived, but we can only put it on sale next Monday.
- Even for those who bought it on presale? Shouldn't we have some kind of privilege, for having bought it in advance?
- I'm sorry, I understand your point, but it's the instruction we have.
- Look, half Europe is already selling it... El Corte Inglés is already selling it!!!
- I don't understand how, we were told not to do anything until Monday. I'm terribly sorry....

I left Fnac feeling frustrated, angry, tired and wronged.
It wasn't fair.
We all shoud have the same access to the same thing, at the same time.
It seemed like the world was conspiring against me.

This weekend's countdown to MDNA was no longer a promise of excitement. It would be one hell of a burden, filled with frustration. The whole thing was ruined. But still, I was NOT going to download it. I was going to wait.

Went to the class.

Came back home. I have to write this, get it out of my system.

Turned the computer on.

Quick stop to check my emails, before logging in to Blogger.

There was one email unread, sent at 7:43 pm. From Fnac.

Your order is now available and it can be picked up at Fnac Chiado. 1 item: MDNA (Deluxe edition)

Oh Jesus!

Logged in to Facebook and just found out that MDNA has arrived today (and even last night!) in Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Austria and Belgium.

Will this be another amazing Friday for me as well?

I'M GETTING NERVOUS!!!

It's getting close

So the album has leaked...

... but I won't give in!
6 more days to go.

Madonna World Tour rehearsals: Gift #4

Oh last Friday... Fridays have been SO DAMN special lately! First, the Give Me All Your Luvin' video. Then, the Girl Gone Wild video preview. And now, not one but two pics from the MWT rehearsals (via Facebook, of course).

I don't know about you, but my chin fell when I saw them... Oh Dear Lord, what the hell is she doing? :O

More than any glamorous and sophisticated photo session or music video, these photos truly define what Madonna is. In the past, she challenged the establishment. Now, she's challenging herself, her own physical limits... defying gravity.

This is her essence.
This is what made her strive and endure in the swampy grounds of music industry.
This is what made her become a role model and true paradigm of professionalism, discipline and success.

This is what made her become The Queen.

M official Facebook page, 16 March 2012

Like we've never seen her before! :O

I bet every one of us had the same reaction, last Saturday:

Moment 1: No, this is fake.
Moment 2: Yeah, absolutely fake.
Moment 3: Come on, you gotta be kidding me...
Moment 4: Wait... the gap in the girl's teeth...
Moment 5: Man... this is from her official Facebook page...
Moment 6: Guy Oseary tweeted this as well?
Moment 7: ...
Moment 8: OH-MY-GOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :O :O :O

It's still hard to believe, but it's true. On March 10, M shared her bruises with us, in a way we could never imagine. No make-up & lights, no editing, nothing but an incredible, clinical-type close-up of her body, her discipline, her endurance, her endless energy.

She almost kills herself to deliver on stage what we all know - what the WORLD knows - for almost 3 decades. And for all these years, we've always been so proud of her work, her message.

You are my role model, for ever and always.
Thank you, Madonna.

Yes, you've already seen them, but it would be sinful not to put them here.

Note: LOVE the descriptions. Feels like she's talking to me!

bruises on my leg from rehearsal

 

 

cut my lip from rehearsing Girl Gone Wild

heart shaped bruise on my ass

Butterflies in my stomach

The first reviews for MDNA are in!

First it was Attitude and Matt's Boy Culture (he attended a listening party at Liz's office, so cool!).

Today it's The Daily Telegraph, Pop Justice and Madonnarama.

19 days to go.
Refusing all leaks, snippets & previews.
Loads of butterflies in my stomach...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Vogue (The Re-Invention Tour)
Beat Goes On (Sticky & Sweet Tour)
Express Yourself (The Girlie Show)
Deeper and Deeper (The Girlie Show)
Open Your Heart (Who's That Girl Tour)
Music Inferno (The Confessions Tour)
Erotica/You Thrill Me (The Confessions Tour)
Lucky Star (The Confessions Tour)
Hung Up (The Confessions Tour)

Spending the first minutes of 2012 with you

Rain

Spending the last minutes of 2011 with you

Oh Father
This Used To Be My Playground
Live To Tell

Confession #2

I have this strong suspicion that Girls Gone Wild (allegedly produced by Benny Benassi) will be one of my favorite tracks from the upcoming BOMB...

November 8, 2011: Give Me All Your Love!!!

The same way I will never forget the very first time I heard Like a Virgin, Like a Prayer, Vogue, Justify My Love, Erotica, Secret, Frozen, Music or Hung Up, this is DEFINITELY one night to remember.

I just had dinner and logged into Blogger, to find a message from my dear dear reader Cait. When I opened it, I just couldn't believe what my eyes were reading: «Full GMAYL demo here...»

Oh my God... oh my God... OH MY GOOOOD!!!

Although this is a demo and even though it may not end up in the final tracklist, one thing is certain: this is A NEW MADONNA SONG!!!

And WHAT AN AMAZING TRACK!!!!
Burning Up meets Gambler meets Over and Over meets 2011!!!
I JUST CAN´T STOP LISTENING TO IT!!!

This SO leads me to yesterday's "message from Universal" that surfaced in the internet:

The response from the listening party at Universal Music was overwhelming positive and the production is apparently "very new an fresh". Keep calm. We have a major Madonna album coming our way. Buzz from Universal is that she has a masterful dance pop album on her hands. They are going to promote like nobody's business. I'm expecting two #1 singles off this album. It's very modern and VERY dance from what my guy at UMG said - but done only as Madonna can do.

YES! YES! YES!!!!

It's only a demo yet, but...

... WE ARE SO FUCKING HAPPY, MADONNA!!!
THANK YOOOOU!!!

... and once again, thank you Cait! ;)

The W.E. Tour: Episode 5

Ten days after the last appearance in Venice, M was back on track and cleverly following the film festivals circuit to promote W.E.. Next target: the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

On September 12, M attended a press conference with cast members Abbie Cornish, Andrea Riseborough and Abel Korzeniowski and presented another one of her appropriatley sober, hyper-elegant outfits. She's the Director here, period.

And at 5 pm (Lisbon time), during the last hour of my workday, I entered the TIFF website and my heart jumped as soon as I read the words "coming up: W.E. press conference". A few minutes later, the image was on, blue background, large table with microphones, journalists going to their seats, heart started racing and BAM... THERE SHE WAS! Madonna in real time! The damn computer had no soundboard but I watched the whole thing, completely entrallhed with that gorgeous face and oh-so-familiar expressions. Needless to say, I couldn't work AT ALL. Shhhh... don't tell anything to my boss.

The W.E. Tour: Episode 2

On the night of September 1st, it was IT! We even got the chance to watch those amazing 9 minutes LIVE on the internet, which added so much emotion to all this. It reminded me of those unforgettable Evita premieres, now with a classic Italian touch.

The absolute Diva. And that "Erotica" playing in the background... WOW!!!

We've already seen tons of photos from the W.E. world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, but there you go: some of my favorites.