The best decision

The whole "Lucky Star" thing was set aside and final decisions were made.

An album title, specially when it marks the debut of a pop artist, must be concise enough to define who's behind it and strong enough to get people's attention. And what better word(s) could do that than her first name itself?

An album cover serves the exact same purposes and Australian photographer Gary Heery couldn't have done a better job: he captured Madonna's essence - a mix of innocence, flirtiness, street rawness, glamour and ambition (yes... blond ambition) - in exquisite fashion, giving the world a first look to the woman who would define pop culture for decades to come.

 

 

It could have been... Lucky Star

Legend says, during the recording sessions, Madonna originally planned to name her debut album Lucky Star. There was even a photoshoot inspired by the title, by Swiss photographer Edo Bertoglio.
Fortunately for all of us, things would take a whole new direction...

 

First tests, Lucky Star album photoshoot by Edo Bertoglio

(friend Martin Burgoyne joined M at some point)

 

 

 

 

Lucky Star album photoshoot by Edo Bertoglio

 

 

 

 

 First test for the actual Lucky Star album cover

 

 

Martin, Debi and Maripol joining M for some shots

 

Symbols

Like A Prayer is a tapestry of personal symbols, intertwined throughout 11 songs. Rolling Stone stated that the album "as a whole represents the maturation of Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone (...) [who] emerges as a thoughtful, introspective songwriter".

The record's symbolic richness, however, goes way beyond the lyrics. It is deeply reinforced by the astonishing imagery that was created for promotional purposes.

This is Music translated into Photography - we can hear the songs, just by looking at the photo sets - in a way that no one else but the great Herb Ritts could do. Hair, makeup, wardrobe and accessories, the whole styling is flawless. And Madonna's natural beauty, body language and face expressions are just breathtaking.

Definitely my favorite work of Photography for an album.



Love. Spirituality. Incense. Patchouli. Rings & beads. Ornaments. Psychedelia. The Sixties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roots. Family. Dance. Childhood. Memory.

 

Prayer. Contrition. Divorce. Husband. Father. God.

 

 

Beauty.