GALLERY

L O N D O N

Madonna is all set to play her second show on the 02 in London tonight.

 

You can buy the NEW Tour Book of the Sticky and Sweet Tour.Click here to buy.

 

Madonna insists she still considers London her home.

She says the regular visits to the city are good for her youngest child, Mercy, because many of her London-based friends have children of similar ages to Mercy.

"A lot of my girlfriends here have kids so she (Mercy) has playdates every day."

"I still think of this as my home. I really miss my house here when I'm away. I love being here. I've missed my friends and it's nice to drive on the wrong side of the road again."

Madonna also says that Mercy has fitted right in with the rest of her brood - Lourdes, Rocco and David. She adds, "She fits right in with her brothers and sister."

 

Madonna has paid tribute to Michael Jackson as she described him as one of the greatest performers the world has ever known. A huge picture of Jackson as a child was beamed above the stage during a short dance melody dedicated to the star as the Queen of Pop performed at the O2 Arena in east London moments ago.

One of her dancers dressed in Jackson's trademark black hat moonwalked across the stage to the delight of the huge crowd packed into the arena and short versions of two of Jackson's greatest hits, Billie Jean and Wanna Be Startin' Somethin', were also performed.Madonna then turned to the crowd and said: "To one of the greatest performers the world has ever known - Michael Jackson."Jackson had been due to perform at the O2 Arena starting later this month.The star died of drug overdose on June 25.

 

Madonna is all set to pay tribute to late King of Pop Michael Jackson, and that too at the same arena where he was to stage his great comeback.The Queen of Pop has prepared a special part of her concert at O2 arena today (July 4), .Madonna publicist Liz Rosenberg has revealed that the Material Girl is going to unveil a special song, along with a choreographed dance in honour of Jackson.

 

Enjoying a family outing,Madonna and her three youngest kiddies were spotted out at the Kabbalah Centre in London this morning Saturday (July 4).

Getting a helping hand from her boy-nanny, Jesus Luz, and a few nannies, the Material Girl escorted Mercy, Rocco and David Banda in and out for the day's spiritual session.

 

Madonna finally talks about it on her interview with The Sun.

"When I heard he was going to be performing at the O2 I offered to do something with him."

"I don't know what we could have done together, I could have carried his bags for him maybe."

Madonna will interrupt her own set of songs to play a medley of Jackson classics at her O2 concert on Saturday night. In the show's finale the superstar is set to take to the stage with her dancers wearing Jackson-style white gloves. She will also tell the crowd: "Give it up for one of the greatest artists the world has ever known - long live the King!"

 

Madonna credits her "normal childhood" for not falling victim to superstardom like Michael Jackson -- insisting having such a credible career so young was "unearthly."

The Material Girl told the world of her grief after hearing of the "Thriller" hitmaker's death last week, confessing to fans that she couldn't stop crying in the hours following his passing.

The tragic demise of her most famous contemporary came as an extra shock as she was putting plans in motion to make a special appearance at Jackson's London comeback gigs.

But the star will never have the chance to perform with Jackson -- admitting it is a devastating blow as she has always looked up to him.

She tells Britain's The Sun newspaper, "I am so terribly sad about Michael Jackson's death. I don't know what artist wasn't inspired by him.

"To be able to do what he did at such an early age was unearthly; everybody grew up in awe of him."

Madonna looks back on her short-lived friendship with Jackson in the early 90s with fondness -- insisting she loved to "pick his brains" about his musical talents.

She explains, "To work with him and become friends and hang out with him was exciting for me. I used to love picking his brains about musical stuff."

And Madonna recognizes that she became a completely different person to Jackson despite similarities in their phenomenal success -- blaming his tireless entertaining schedule when he was just a child.

She adds, "Obviously, we have very different personalities -- he was a lot more shy than I am. That's because I was allowed to have a normal childhood and he wasn't, so there was a vulnerable side to him that made you want to take care of him and protect him."

However, Madonna insists she will always remember both sides of Jackson -- admitting that the star completely changed when he stepped off stage.

She says, "He was a real paradox, one of the world's greatest performers and obviously very confident on stage, but in real life he was shy and you really felt for him."

Madonna will pay tribute to Jackson by involving a Jackson lookalike in her Sticky & Sweet tour when it returns to London's O2 Arena tonight.

 

The first show of the Sticky and Sweet tour (although tecnically considered as a dress rehearsal) has been played on Friday night before a private audience of executives and customers of the Net Jets firm.

People who have attended the show confirmed reports of the new songs replacements (Holiday with MJ tribute, Rock version of Dress You Up and Dance version of Frozen).

 

The Sticky and Sweet Tour 2009 is just a day away and to build up excitement MADONNAMEXICO.COM would like to share some more exclusive news we have heard buzzing around.

New costume for the intro section

The new Givenchy Haute Couture design will be unveiled when Madonna opens up her Sticky & Sweet Tour, which will be in London tomorrow. Givenchy describes the look as a "cropped jacket in black double silk satin and tulle embroidered with black jet stone fringes, pleated silk organza, guipure lace and black hand cut cellophane discs. Worn with a matching open backed waistcoat set with jet encrusted straps."

During these weeks apparently nothing has changed in the new rock version of Dress You Up that replaces Heartbeat. The My Sharona inspired arrangement is still there and it's really good.

On the Holiday front instead there are some changes. As previously reported exclusively here the song already contained vocal lines and music samples of Everybody (Dance and Sing Get Up And Do Your Thing) and the new track Celebrate but now as a homage to the late Michael Jackson...

MADONNAMEXICO.COM reported exclusively on June 26th:

S&S + Jackson?

: Madonna is planning to add a special tribute song on her "Sticky & Sweet Tour" that starts in a week in London, she wants to pay homage to the King of Pop, is not clear what song will be but we are sure that will be amazing!!!.

Madonna has been rehearsing the song with a whole middle part of MJ music in it. There's the famous "Billie Jean" drum beat and the "Wanna Be Starting Something" hook (the "Mama-se, mama-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa" stuff). Totally a dance number perfect for the 80's part of the show!! Fans will love it!

Speaking about the latest new entry, Frozen, that replaces Hung Up, we are told is a upbeat number with the hook of the Calvin Harris' song "I'm Not Alone" in the middle.

But the great surprise is that the new Frozen also contains parts of another great Madonna classic from the 80's, "Open Your Heart", a song that was rehearsed for the first part of this tour but that didn't make the final setlist replaced by Doli Doli.
The song now gets its revenge! As for the video backdrop for Frozen they are using video outtakes from the original video by Chris Cunningham from 1998, re edited in a great new way! The show will also have some other great surprises, we wish everyone who attends the first show in London tomorrow night a great fun!!

 

Cameron Diaz will be gracing the cover of the latest issue of "V" magazine, paying homage to what she says "The Ultimate Queen Of Pop And Women History," Madonna!!!, and she will be showing more Madonna inspired images inside!

V Magazine  hits newsstands July 7th with cover star Cameron Diaz.

 

Madonna's publicist, Liz Rozenberg, announced yesterday that Madonna will not be attending Michael Jackson's funeral, which may or may not be happening today in California. As everyone knows, Mo is in London preparing for her return to the stage this Saturday, July 4th at the O2 stadium.

 

She’s no stranger to being in the public eye, and on Wednesday (July 1) Madonna’s daughter Lourdes Leon was spotted showing off a new kind of smile.The almost-teenager (she’ll be 13 in October) flashed her pearly whites to reveal that she recently had braces put on.

 

The Paris-born Yaman Okur, whose dreams came true when he first joined Madonna onstage before an audience of 60,000 in September 2008 as a dancer during her world tour, was busy rehearsing for the upcoming performances of the tour last week, but took some time to answer a few questions on the phone.

How is Madonna’s behavior towards her dancers?In my opinion, Madonna is more of a beautiful mother than an artist. … She approaches all of us just like a mother. She cares about our comfort, and she approaches with love and protection just like a mother does.

In a documentary, I watched Madonna gather her dancers and pray together with them before her stage shows. Did you also pray with her?Yes, of course we did. Among her dancers there is also another Muslim dancer named Norman, who normally lives in Malaysia. Madonna knew we’re Muslims. She heard us read al-Fatiha [ahead of a performance] in one corner, and she listened to us. Just two days later, while we were about to pray all together before the show, she said to us, “You read ‘al-Fatiha,’ too.” She is so unique and so special.

Which Madonna song gives you the greatest inspiration for dancing?My favorite song from her Sticky & Sweet Tour is “Beat Goes On.” Actually I was chosen as a choreographer, and I prepared the choreography for the song “Heartbeat.” You will see it when the tour’s DVD comes out. I love the song “Heartbeat,” as well.

Any hints for approaching Madonna or any guidelines for getting a chance to become a dancer for her?Actually, there is a hint. Madonna likes things she has never seen before, things that are very unique. A brand new dance undiscovered, brand new music undiscovered. She liked my slow-motion numbers when she chose me. … Madonna likes original and very different things, and she is not afraid of giving it a try. She is open to novelty. If you want to approach her, you have to come up with new things.

 

"Yes!!!", take a look at the new image of Madonna.com. thank you Madonna.

 

From a chic Parisian cafe to a dimly lit New York studio, fashion’s dream team has produced the latest Louis Vuitton ads featuring Madonna. The star, along with designer Marc Jacobs and legendary photographer Steven Meisel, joined forces a second time to create Louis Vuitton’s Fall/Winter 2009 ad campaign. From the collection’s rich, dark fall colors to the portrait-like feel of each picture, the new ads take a different direction than the previous season. “While the two campaigns look very different, there is also a unity about them,” explains Marc Jacobs in the press release. “So it now feels like we have completed both parts of the story.” Meant to evoke the golden age of Hollywood, the moody ads even have Madonna showing off the infamous bunny ears she first wore to the Met Gala back in May.

Here is a look if the full Louis Vuitton Promotional Campaing for the fall 2009 collection.

 

Madonna's new clothing collection is for "seven-year-olds to 77-year-olds". The 50-year-old popstar is teaming up with French fashion designer Christian Audigier - who has an eponymous label and is also behind the Von Dutch and Ed Hardy labels - on a new range, and is determined to make it suitable for all age groups. Christian told BANG Showbiz: "Madonna and I are working on a new project called The Material Girl Project and I'm going to be a partner with her on it.

"It's going to come out, in September, when it's back to school time. So we are working on different designs and samples right now, so we're going to have most of that done at the end of the summer.It's going to be for everyone, all ages. We're going for everyone, from seven-year-olds to 77-year-olds. We're not excluding anybody."Christian - who is currently in London to launch his new range of champagne and wines - has been thrilled with the way the '4 Minutes' singer has thrown herself into the collaboration, claiming she is full of ideas and has a clear vision for the line.He explained: "Madonna is a good choice because she comes into it a total pro. If I need to listen to music, then I go and see Madonna because she is the best, so this is the same thing."Does she have loads of ideas? Oh, of course. I had a meeting a month ago with her and she is really all about the detail. She knows exactly what she likes and is always proposing ideas to us. After that she decides whether she wants to add shoes or other things. She's like me, when it's a, 'Yes,' it's a big, 'Yes.' When it's a, 'No,' it's a definite, 'No!' I like people like that, a lot of people are really critical but never give a solution. She is not like that."

“Yo soy porque somos” (“I am because we are”), will premiere today July 2 at 19:00 hrs at the Muestra T 09, at Festival LESGAICINEMAD.

Marc Jacobs was so pleased with this spring’s Louis Vuitton campaign featuring Madonna that he was eager to do an encore. “But very quickly Marc said, ‘I want something completely different,’” related Antoine Arnault, Vuitton’s communication director. The new ingredients included a dash of Tamara de Lempicka and a soupçon of Man Ray for color-drenched images by Steven Meisel with a surreal edge, thanks to generous use of solarization, a technique of overexposure first perfected by Ray.

“It gives something very graphic, more edgy” than the first Madonna campaign, also by Meisel, which depicted her as a French coquette in a Parisian bistro setting, Arnault said. The new spots, which break in a range of August titles, feature a variety of runway looks and leather goods, many in the house’s signature monogram.Asked about the impact of the first Madonna campaign, Arnault said, snapping his fingers for emphasis, “Everything she was wearing in the first campaign was sold within a few months.

People came into the store saying, ‘I want the Madonna bag, the Madonna shoes.”Arnault declined to specify budgets for the fall ads, but said investments would be “flattish” versus last year. “We’re one of the rare brands to have not reduced investments,” he said.Also slated for the second half is a new campaign devoted to the Tambour watch.