THEthe first video of Madonna of the era Ray of light. The one of a new popstar mother and spiritual saint. Naturally, Leon would choose it as a tribute to his mother Lourdes Frozen (released in 1998 when she was one year and four months old). If you are in fact responsible for a change of look that was a renunciation of the material girl past, you remain attached to that document for a while which is significant proof of your arrival. Now that Lourdes – stage name Lolahol – he is 26 years old (27 on October 14) and seems to have chosen the definitive path of being a performer, to that video of Chris Cunningham paid tribute with the video for Spelling (directed Actual Objects and second job after debuting in 2022 with Lock&Key).
Lourdes Leon, the video Spelling tribute to Frozen of mother Madonna
From the livid light of a twilight night to Dobermansfrom the levitation to the body that dematerializes in a flock of crows, the beginning and a good part of the entire video is a counterpoint to Madonna, dark queen of that mystical-electronic song.
But the set changes, moved from the Mojave Desert to a forestand the conclusion with Lola’s ballet accompanied by two other female figures (although this trio could very well be a reference to Ciccone’s trinity which at a certain point can be seen in Frozen). And she obviously changes her look, going from a witch with jewels around her neck to a sexy mistress of the darkness.
However, this is not an empty exploitation of ideasthe solutions taken adapt very well to the ambient fabric of Spelling. To be fussy then, in this tribute to the song which, says Lourdes, «it brought her and mother together countless times in life», there would also be a reflection of I’m so stupid2003 song included in American life.
You have to be a die-hard fan to recognize the fragment, that is «Everybody’s lookin’ for something», present in both song lyrics. But, if Lourdes learned everything from her mother (“I worship her,” he wrote on Instagram), certainly did not neglect the maternal characteristic of self-citation, this time from the family catalogue, let’s say.
The release of Spelling was accompanied by her mother’s support, who posted on Instagram stories with the single’s artwork. God forbid, the two are very close and have collaborated on several occasions (for the song Superstarfor the fashion line Material Girl and for snippets of videos of Butdlove X tours).
Two minutes to advertise to the daughter are found, even if Madonna is in the midst of the final rehearsals of Celebration Tourthe mammoth series of concerts postponed due to health problems and now finally making its debut in London, scheduled for Saturday 14 October (Lourdes’ birthday, and who knows she might not appear on stage).
Madonna in “Frozen” and Lourdes Leone in “Spelling”. (YouTube)
Madonna and the Celebration Tour45 songs in the setlist
The tour is a 4 decade career retrospective – 1983/2023. But it promises not to be a static karaoke of great hits, rather a spectacular party where nostalgia is masked with a fresh show idea. After being hospitalized for a bacterial infection that left her fearing for her life, and which postponed her due date by 5 months, Madonna seems more than determined to give her best. Almost more than before.
Meanwhile, just today some details emerged from an interview with Stuart Price (musical director of CT and the singer’s last two tours) a BBC News. First of all, that «a great success does not necessarily mean a song. It also means a piece of wardrobe, a video, an important statement.”
What does it mean? That languages are mixed, making the tour a sort of live documentary on Madonna’s career. In short, a biopic show to replace the film on Ciccone’s life archived months ago, because even megastars conscientiously recycle
The number of songs now seems definitive: 45 (like the setlist of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour). Twenty-five performed in their entire length, twenty in other forms. More, nothing bad on stage. There will be musicians who will participate in some segments of the show, but no permanent presence (expected a solo by a guitarist who has passed away: Prince?). Another confirmation – which will make fans happy – is that the songs will be performed as from the original recordings,
Finally no confirmation on the lineup. But the web is full of astonishing hypotheses, including those that exclude minor things like Like a Prayer, Material Girl And La Isla Bonita. Sure why not.
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