The Material Girl cannot lose. Yesterday marked the end of Madonna’s year-long, 85-city ‘Sticky and Sweet’ tour.
This tour alone has brought more than 3.5 million fans from 32 countries and has set the record as the most successful tour performed by a solo artist, cashing in $408 million.’
‘With ‘Sticky & Sweet,’ Madonna has proven yet again that there is virtually no limit to what she can accomplish both creatively and commercially,’ Live Nation’s Chairman of Global Music Arthur Fogel said.
Blogs and online gossip columns have been buzzing with excitement over the leaked teaser trailers of Madonna’s upcoming video ‘Celebration,’ which was directed by Jonas Akerlund who also shot ‘Ray of Light.’
Her third greatest hits album Celebration is scheduled for release on Sept. 29.
The video premiered Tuesday morning on iTunes as a free download for 48 hours.
Making a cameo appearance is Madonna’s 12-year-old daughter Lourdes and the singer’s reported Brazilian model boyfriend, Jesus Luz.
Luz spins on the turntables, and Madge proceeds to whisper sweet nothings in his ear as she removes his clothes.
According to Rolling Stone magazine, Madonna can boast her fortieth No. 1 song if her single lands the top spot on the Billboard Dance/Club singles chart, more than any other artist in history.
Celebration will also end her career-spanning contract with Warner Bros. Music. The album is an impressive collection of 36 greatest hits including two new tracks, ‘Celebration’ and ‘Revolver’ featuring Lil Wayne, plus the previously unreleased track ‘It’s So Cool.’
A separate Definitive Premium Collection is also being released for download and will feature 38 songs and 47 music videos.
Diva’s reign resumes
‘I never left,’ Whitney Houston told the Good Morning America crowd as she belted out four songs for Tuesday morning’s live performance.’ It was her first public performance since the debut of her last album Just Whitney.
‘You’ll say I’ll never do better/Yeah, right, whatever,’ is a testament to Houston’s true diva streak in her latest album, I Look to You.
She is not apologetic, but shakes off and rises above the rumors that she no longer has the goods.
The title ballad, written by R. Kelly, draws listeners into the last seven years of her life. They involved her tumultuous relationship and divorce, drug use and less than glamorous TV appearances in Being Bobby Brown and the infamous ‘crack is whack’ interview with Diane Sawyer, to name a few.
Houston is a survivor and she is triumphant in her comeback. So sure that this year would be the ‘Year of Whitney,’ her record label Arista pushed up the release of the album up to Aug. 31 ‘- the cut-off date for Grammy eligibility.
‘Salute,’ another track written by R. Kelly, tells of a lover who has caused her pain but she brushes him aside. She returns to her roots as a gospel singer with husky ballads and a few pop/dance tracks written by fellow R&B greats like’ Alicia Keys, R. Kelly and Diane Warren.
Jon Pareles of The New York Times puts it best:’hellip;without adversity, a diva is just a singer.’ Houston has shone through that adversity. She is back, louder and bigger than ever.’ Houston will appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show on Sept. 14.
