Madonna

Madonna Louise Ciccone (/tʃɪˈkoʊni/ chih-KOH-nee; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Commonly referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she is known for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting and visual presentation. Madonna's works, which incorporate social, political, sexual, and religious themes, have generated both controversy and critical acclaim. A cultural icon spanning both the 20th and 21st centuries, she has become the subject of various scholarly, literary and artistic works, as well as a mini academic sub-discipline called Madonna studies.

Madonna moved to New York City in 1978 to pursue a career in dance. After performing as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist in the rock bands Breakfast Club and Emmy, she rose to solo stardom with her 1983 eponymous debut album. Madonna has earned a total of 18 multi-platinum albums, including Like a Virgin (1984), True Blue (1986), and The Immaculate Collection (1990)—which became some of the best-selling albums in history—as well as Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005), her 21st-century bestseller. Her albums Like a Prayer (1989), Ray of Light (1998), and Music (2000) were ranked among Rolling Stone's greatest albums of all time. Madonna's catalog of top-charting songs includes "Like a Virgin", "Material Girl", "La Isla Bonita", "Like a Prayer", "Vogue", "Take a Bow", "Frozen", "Music", "Hung Up" and "4 Minutes".

Madonna's popularity was enhanced by roles in films such as Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Dick Tracy (1990), A League of Their Own (1992) and Evita (1996). While she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for the lattermost, many of her other films were not well received. As a businesswoman, Madonna founded the company Maverick in 1992, which included Maverick Records, one of the most successful artist-run labels in history. Her other ventures include fashion brands, written works, health clubs and filmmaking. She contributes to various charities, having founded the Ray of Light Foundation in 1998 and Raising Malawi in 2006, and advocates for gender equality and LGBT rights.

Madonna is the best-selling female recording artist of all time and the first female performer to accumulate US$1 billion from her concerts. She is the most successful solo artist in the history of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and has achieved 44 number-one singles in between major global music markets. Her accolades include seven Grammy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, 20 MTV Video Music Awards, 17 Japan Gold Disc Awards, and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility. On Forbes annual rankings, Madonna became the world's highest-paid female musician a record 11 times across four decades (1980s–2010s). Billboard named her the Artist of the Decade (1980s), the Greatest Dance Artist of All Time, and the Greatest Music Video Artist of All Time. She was also listed among Rolling Stone's greatest artists and greatest songwriters ever.

Madonna Louise Ciccone was born in Bay City, Michigan, on August 16, 1958, to Roman Catholic parents Madonna Louise (née Fortin) and Silvio Anthony "Tony" Ciccone. Her father's parents were Italian emigrants from Pacentro while her mother was of French-Canadian descent. Tony Ciccone worked as an optics engineer for Chrysler Defense and its successor, General Dynamics Land Systems, on military projects. Since Madonna had the same name as her mother, family members called her "Little Nonnie". Her mother died of breast cancer on December 1, 1963, when Madonna was five years old. Madonna grew up in the Detroit suburbs of Pontiac and Avon Township (now Rochester Hills), alongside her two older brothers—Anthony (1956–2023) and Martin (born 1957)—and three younger siblings—Paula (born 1959), Christopher (1960–2024), and Melanie (born 1962). Madonna adopted Veronica as a confirmation name upon receiving the sacrament in the Catholic Church in 1966.

Tony married the family's housekeeper, Joan Gustafson, that same year. They were married for 58 years until Joan's death in 2024, and had three children: Joey (who died shortly after his 1967 birth from a heart defect), Jennifer (born 1968), and Mario (born 1969).

Madonna attended St. Frederick's and St. Andrew's Catholic Elementary Schools, and West Middle School. She was known for her high grade point average (GPA) and achieved notoriety for her unconventional behavior. Madonna would perform cartwheels and handstands in the hallways between classes, dangle by her knees from the monkey bars during recess, and pull up her skirt during class—all so that the boys could see her panties. She later admitted to seeing herself in her youth as a "lonely girl who was searching for something. I wasn't rebellious in a certain way. I cared about being good at something. I didn't shave under my arms and I didn't wear make-up like normal girls do. But I studied and I got good grades... I wanted to be somebody."

Madonna's father put her in classical piano lessons, but she later convinced him to allow her to take ballet lessons. Christopher Flynn, her ballet teacher, persuaded her to pursue a career in dance. Madonna later attended Rochester Adams High School and became a straight-A student as well as a member of its cheerleading squad. After graduating in January 1976, she received a dance scholarship to the University of Michigan and studied over the summer at the American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina.