For the most part, “MDNA” was more of the same in Madonna’s career. While it marked a shift to a new record label, allowing her to exploit her brand in new and innovative ways, it was also evident that more than the music itself she was now producing The Cult of Madonna. This isn’t to say that she released bad music, but now in her third decade of pop-defining artistry, she had less than ever to prove. All she had to do was produce memorable live shows and endless controversy and it would be considered a good year. Madonna was going to be fine even if “MDNA” marked the beginning of a slump in her career.
Following the middling reviews of “Hard Candy,” it was clear that Madonna was struggling to find her purpose as an aging artist, approaching 57 and a time when most of her contemporaries had long been retired. How was it possible that she could continue? The answer was simple. She was going to play the cards as she had in the 1990s: hiring big named artists who would help her to tap into a style that would make her music feel vital. This time she gathered one of the strangest, most eclectic collections of her past few albums, featuring: Nicki Minaj, Chance the Rapper, Kanye West, Avicii, Diplo, and boxer Mike Tyson. Her line-up was nothing if not bold and exciting, showing that she was capable of working with the latest big shots.
Though the question ultimately becomes: what does Madonna have to say in 2015? Regardless if she’s still making good music, one has to know what authenticity there is in her chameleonic approach to music. She sent her children to dance clubs to find out what audiences were dancing to. As a result, “Rebel Heart” is a fascinating mishmash of ideas that range from pop to trap and dubstep and even the return of electronic folk music that began on “American Life.” The sound was richer, pushing boundaries in ways she hadn’t since “Confessions on a Dance Floor.” If nothing else, it was her most acclaimed record in a decade, proving that she was still capable of being a pop legend.
But what does she really have to say anymore? One of the greatest issues with pop music is the inability to allow artists to grow old. They must always be chasing the modern sound, never developing something authentic. Madonna has made a career out of it and has been growing more and more noticeable as she gets older. It isn’t that older women can’t write songs about debauchery and wild behavior, but when put through the prism of a pop song, it’s a bit lacking. Even if this is the best representation that Madonna has shown of this in years, it’s still tough to look at something like “Bitch I’m Madonna” and not think about how desperate she is to be loved by people that are quite literally half her age. While she’s proven her ability to do adult contemporary, it’s difficult to figure out why she refuses to tap into aging talents that might give her maturity and insight.
With that said, the album lives up to her recent trend of packing dual symbolism in the title. “Rebel Heart” stems from the idea that this is a record for Madonna to both be very passionate as well as a bit wild. It would be a record sold on contemporary provocation, where songwriters like Kanye West would make songs like “Illuminati” comment on pop stars who made have nefarious connections. Others like “Devil Pray” explore the negative impact that drugs could have on a person’s life, once again mixing salacious imagery with religion. The only difference is that this one eventually comes around to something more positive.
Other songs like “Holy Water” proved that she still sought to titillate. Not since the “Erotica” songs “Where Life Begins” and “Secret Garden” had she created a song dedicated to female pleasure so explicit. In this case, she compares masturbatory behavior to religion, even at one point suggesting “Yeezus loves my pussy best.” During interviews, she would claim that she was a big fan of West, believing that they were partners in pushing the envelope. Because of its comparison to Catholicism, live performances were limited in some of the more conservative countries that she toured through. This song would also feature the incorporation of her biggest hit “Vogue.”
One of the biggest issues with “Rebel Heart” came when it was discovered that the album had been hacked. For a brief window, the entire album was leaked online. This lead to an investigation and the start of Madonna’s more notorious comments. She called the act “artistic rape” and compared it to terrorism. Due to recent tragedies in late-2014, it was seen in bad taste. It was eventually decided that this would be combatted with a prerelease on December 20 that would be sold as an “early Christmas present” that included the release of six songs including the lead single “Living for Love.” Because of this song, she broke the record for most number one singles, breaking a record held by George Strait with 45 total. Other places, like in The U.K., extended her hold on the industry.
The same couldn’t be said for her album’s charting success. While it still premiered in the Top 10 of most country charts, it fell short of expectations. In The United States, it debuted on the Billboard 200 with 121,000 copies sold behind the Empire TV soundtrack. While it would be her 21st top-ten album, it was her first since “Ray of Light” in 1998 to not debut at number one. It was also her fourth album to feature a parental advisory sticker following “Erotica,” “American Life,” and “MDNA” due to language and explicit content. As of 2021, the album has only sold a million copies internationally, making it one of the lowest-selling albums in her entire career.
It didn’t help that there weren’t any major achievements for the album. In every case before, Madonna always had some hook to get audiences’ attention. “Rebel Heart” didn’t have her play a Super Bowl or release a provocative book simultaneously. It’s true that she played at The Grammy Awards in 2015 with positive feedback, but it wasn’t enough. The best that can be said is that her album cover became a meme. Featuring Madonna draped in a black string, many imitated the style by placing it over their faces, or may celebrities ranging from Marlon Brando and Jim Carrey. When people began using Martin Luther King Jr. or Nelson Mandela, it received backlash and was considered racist. Madonna’s response was that she was flattered by their inclusion because they saw them as a “freedom fighter.” She would also remain active on Instagram, sharing updates on the album’s release with cryptic images and videos.
What followed on The Rebel Heart Tour was something special as well. This was going to be the end of her 10-year contract with Live Nation, and it would come with a whole host of controversies ranging from professionalism to a few minor mishaps. The most notorious and consistent of them was the reality that many of the stops would start late (sometimes up to 2.5 hours). Despite all of this, the tour was considered to be a general success even if it didn’t receive the accolades that her previous few tours had in terms of major financial success. Still, it partnered at different stops with Grindr to attract audiences that lead to some sold-out shows. Pollstar listed it as the 11th highest-grossing tour of the year.
Among the few other controversies that had very little to do with geopolitical comments or any other salacious imagery is her decision to invite Josephine Georgiou onto the stage. Madonna fondled her until suddenly one of her breasts was exposed. Given how “MDNA” also received controversy for nudity, it was seen as deliberate. She was 17 years old and Madonna infamously said “Oh sorry, sexual harassment” before suggesting that Georgiou could do it to her too. The teenager took it in jest, though this leads to backlash online with many suggesting that Madonna had committed sexual assault. Given that the show would also feature back-up dancers dressed up as nuns in bikinis, it was easier to see both sides of this argument.
For the most part, “Rebel Heart” was a minor victory lap for Madonna. At this point, it felt less about enjoying her for new music and more about buying into whatever crazy idea she wants to bestow on the listener. More than she had been the decade previously, she was eager to shock, to make audiences believe she was hip and cool. While this is an album reflective of a more cohesive voice, it’s still one that has to ask what keeps Madonna from growing into a more interesting artist. She’s still chasing Top 40, now sicking her children on dance clubs for ideas. There’s clearly an audience for it, but is it any more interesting than when she went personal on records such as “Like a Prayer” and “Ray of Light” that was elevated by that intimacy?
That’s the issue more than if she’s making good music anymore. It’s more that it has to still hide behind novelty and something that doesn’t feel organic. These are songs written by young songwriters, rarely reflecting any older age and wisdom. I’m sure that Madonna doesn’t care about that, but it would probably make her music more compelling. After all, Taylor Swift is only 31 and has evolved into a more compelling artist with “Folklore” and “Evermore.” Madonna used to do that, but it feels like she’s hiding it now for the sake of sales, of thinking she’s cool for saying “Bitch I’m Madonna.” Will her most recent album, 2019’s “Madame X,” make a difference and be the turning point towards a more fulfilling artist? It isn’t likely, but at least she’ll always have a great catalog to fall back on for the rest of her career.
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