Madonna: Contemporary Performer

What makes good music is a combination of sounds from musical instruments, rhythm, pitch and most of the time if not all, singing. The later requires talents to produce a hit song. Making it to the top and becoming the best in the industry requires exceptionalism which not most of the performers have. One of the few with the exceptional talent I believe is Madonna Louise Ciccone know by her stage name as just Madonna.

Madonna is one of the best dance artists in history with her prowess overshadowing that of the late Michael Jackson. Most of her choreography has been emulated by most of her fans and those who look up to her for mentorship making her an influential part and parcel of the industry. Madonna has also won numerous awards like the International music awards which she has won eleven of them within a span of 10 years (White, 2014). She has also been nominated for other awards. The won and nominated awards only show the immense talent she has which is not easy to miss.

She is a Rock n’ Roll Hall of Famer (Farber, 2008). One of the requirements for one to be nominated for this honorable mentions is to have been in the music business for more than twenty-five years. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication towards music for one to stay relevant for just a decade. One to be of interest for two and a half decades producing some of the most amazing singles deserves the award. The experience that Madonna has had in the industry has made her become one of the influential people in the world while most upcoming artists especially ladies, looking up to her. The fact that she became one of the hall of famers only makes it for her to be known not only by the current generation but the ones to come in future.

Madonna has managed to produce a huge number of chart-topping singles throughout her career. The success in the music industry can be attributed to her unique and amazing vocals. The singles she has produced have made her go to the Guinness World Record where she was recorded as producing the most number one singles in the United Kingdom. Madonna also managed to produce 12 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. There are very few people who manage to get to this list and the fact that she has topped not only once but twelve times only proves how talented she is (White, 2014).

Madonna will remain a legend in future for other reasons other than just her good performance on stage. To understand this, we look at the life of Bob Marley. Bob Marley was an influential artist of his time as he used his music to identify oppression and help people cope with the environment. Madonna has been an eloquent activist for the LBGT community and the women. Being openly bisexual herself, Madonna has on several occasions used her concerts as a platform to advocate for acceptance and equality (White, 2014). An instance where she talked about impartiality mid performance is before voting for the 2011 Marriage Act in New York. She urged the fans to vote for the bill as it would be a move to promoting equality. In future when equality will not be an issue, Madonna will be remembered as one of the people who used their stage an influence to advocate for it, a name not to be forgotten.

Madonna is also a diverse artist (Farber, 2008). It can be noted that she not only sings and dances but also makes appearances in various movies. Her presences in different fields, make her a house hold name and hence a role model to many who are looking for independences as their own women in life. The attitude can also be seen in her music like the lyrics of the song “Express Yourself.” In the song, it says that “Long stem roses are the way to your heart, but he needs to start with your head.” It is an empowerment song to the women. The persona she has created for herself among women will continue growing in the future when she is no longer around just like Michael Jackson or Bob Marley.

Madonna will continue being a legend due to her contribution to the music industry as a woman. During the Billboard Women in Music event, when accepting the woman of the year award for the event, Madonna was quick to speak out about the struggles she had during her 34-year-old career. She had to deal with things like Misogyny, sexism, and abuse. Madonna also explained that she looked up to David Bowie as he did not conform to the traditional standards (O'Connor, 2016). However, she could not do the same as she was a woman and women received different treatments at the time. Madonna gave an example of how the world would tolerate prince walking in high heels and wearing lipstick yet he was a man, but if it came to women, they would not have the same freedom (O'Connor, 2016). The struggles she talked about in this event only shows how persistent she was which paved the way for musicians like Lady Gaga and Rihanna. Her dramatic stage and red carpet costumes made it possible for other women like the ones mentioned above to be able to walk freely without fear of the inequality the dominated the industry during the 1980s and early 1990s.

Madonna has certainly been in the industry for long, and she keeps evolving with time which makes her stand the test of time. She will continue being a legend not only because of her stage performance but also through the use of her influence to change the society which is why it is appropriate to involve her within the larger context of the humanities.