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Table of Contents
Who wouldn’t recognize the iconic Madonna? The Queen of Pop is labeled one of the most influential artists in the industry. Madonna has made a significant impact on the world with her songs, artistry, and even lifestyle.
See the fact file below for more information on Madonna or alternatively, you can download our 30-page Madonna worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
Early Life
- Madonna Louise Ciccone, popularly known as Madonna, was born in Bay City, Michigan, on August 16, 1958.
- Madonna grew up in Pontiac, Michigan.
- She was raised in a large Italian American family by her Catholic parents, Madonna Louise Fortin and Silvio Anthony “Tony” Ciccone.
- Having the same name as her mother, Madonna was nicknamed “Little Nonnie” by her family members.
- In 1966, she was confirmed in the Catholic Church, where she acquired her confirmation name, Veronica.
- Her father was a son of Italian immigrants, and used to work for Chrysler and General Motors as an engineer designer.
- Her mother, of French-Canadian descent, used to be a dancer and an x-ray technician.
- Madonna had five siblings, Anthony, Martin, Paula, Christopher, and Melanie, and she was the third among them.
- Her mother had breast cancer that led to her death on December 1, 1963.
- Her father decided to get remarried to Joan Gustafson, their family housekeeper, three years after the loss of her mother.
- Their relationship brought them two children named Jennifer and Mario.
- However, Madonna was against the idea of her father getting married again.
- She was only five when her mother passed away.
- Her loss had a significant effect on her growing up.
- She rebelled against her father and stepmother, and this damage her and her father’s relationship for several years.
- Madonna spent her school life at St. Frederick and St. Andrew’s Catholic Elementary Schools and West Middle School.
- Although she got high grades, she was notorious for her unique behavior.
- In between classes, she would do cartwheels and handstands in the hallways and even pull up her skirt, making her underwear visible to her boy classmates.
- She was initially enrolled in classical piano lessons; however, she was more interested in taking ballet lessons, so she persuaded her father to learn ballet instead.
- Her potential impressed her ballet teacher, Christopher Flynn, so he convinced her to find a career in dancing.
- When she reached high school, she became a member of Rochester Adams High School’s cheerleading squad.
- She was also a straight-A student, and the University of Michigan offered her a dance scholarship.
- After her high school graduation, she spent her summer studying at the American Dance Festival held in Durham, North Carolina.
- In 1977, she was granted the opportunity to attend a six-week scholarship study at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York.
- In 1978, she was also given a chance to perform with the renowned dancer Pearl Lang.
- Madonna dropped out of college after two years and moved to New York, where she experienced several firsts in her life, such as riding a plane and taxi.
- She only had $35 when she moved, but she managed to stay there by working different jobs.
- She worked at Dunkin Donuts, accepted nude art modeling, served at the Russian Tea Room, performed at the American Dance Center, and later became a backup dancer for established artists.
Personal Life
- Madonna has been romantically involved with various men.
- Among these were Dan Gilroy, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Stephen Bray, Mark Kamins, Tony Ward, Sean Penn, Lenny Kravitz, Tupac, Dennis Rodman, Carlos Leon, David Blaine, Vanilla Ice, Guy Ritchie, Alex Rodriguez, Brahim Zaibat, and Ahlamalik Williams.
- In 1985, she married actor Sean Penn but they separated after four years.
- She gave birth in October 1996 to a daughter named Lourdes Maria “Lola” Ciccone Leon, with her fitness trainer Carlos Leon.
- Their relationship didn’t last long, and Carlos Leon believed they were better off just as best friends.
- Madonna remarried in 2000 and had a son with Guy Ritchie named Rocco John Ritchie.
- Their relationship ended in 2008.
- Madonna had also adopted four Malawi children: David Banda, Mercy James, and twins Estere and Stelle.
Career
- Madonna began her career as a part of different bands.
- She formed Breakfast Club with her former boyfriend, Dan Gilroy.
- Madonna was a vocalist, guitarist, and drummer.
- She also appeared in the indie film A Certain Sacrifice; it was her acting debut film.
- When she left Breakfast Club in 1980, she formed another band called Emmy and the Emmys with her then-boyfriend, Stephen Bray.
- After some time, Madonna went on to pursue her solo career.
- Camille Barbone from Gotham Records signed Madonna on a contract in March 1981, and managed her until February 1982.
- Madonna often went to clubs and gave her demos to be played.
- DJ Mark Kamins was interested in Madonna’s music and introduced her to Seymour Stein.
- Seymour Stein, the president of Sire Records, signed Madonna in October 1982 and soon released her debut single Everybody, produced by DJ Mark Kamins.
- Months later, she released her second single entitled Burning Up.
- The success of her singles led her to produce her first-ever self-titled album, Madonna, released in July 1983.
- The album was a huge success, topping charts and earning platinum awards.
- Holiday, Lucky Star, and Borderline are among the hit songs that were popularly known internationally.
- Madonna gained exposure by performing in different shows, films, and on stage.
- She was an icon for young people and adult women.
- In the 1980s, her fashion was considered a trend.
- She became more popularly known with her second album, Like A Virgin, released in November 1984.
- Like A Virgin was her first album to top the charts in different countries and the first album by a female to sell over five million copies in the US.
- She began her first concert tour in April 1985.
- True Blue, Madonna’s third album, was released in June 1986 and is said to have been dedicated to her former husband, Sean Penn.
- The Guinness World Records in 1992 included True Blue as an all-time best-selling female album.
- Her Blond Ambition Tour in 1990 was described as the best tour of the year by Rolling Stone.
- The Immaculate Collection, her compilation album, became the best-selling compilation by a soloist, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
- Madonna’s album releases also included Like a Prayer (1989), Erotica (1992), Bedtime Stories (1994), Ray of Light (1998), Music (2000), American Life (2003), Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005), Hard Candy (2008), MDNA (2012), Rebel Heart (2015), and Madame X (2019).
- Like other artists, Madonna’s success was accompanied by various criticisms, especially from the conservative group.
- Over the years, Madonna’s talent and hard work brought her several projects such as theater and movie roles, soundtrack recordings, tours and concerts, documentaries, guest appearances, and endorsements.
- Madonna established her label, Maverick Records, and entered different industries such as fashion, writing children’s books, health clubs, and film producing.
- She also supported several charities and founded the Ray of Light Foundation (1998) and Raising Malawi (2006).
Legacy and Achievements
- The Queen of Pop has achieved many accomplishments in the industry.
- Madonna raised the bar for many female artists in the entertainment industry and influenced several people, especially women.
- For Professor Sut Jhally, Madonna was an almost sacred feminist icon.
- Her status as a businesswoman was also exemplary, and she was considered a role model in this field.
- She was the first artist to be honored in the Wembley Square of Fame, in London.
- Some other achievements she gained were:
- Nominations on various music platforms for different categories and various awards from music shows, like the Grammy Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, and Billboard Awards.
- Various Guinness World Records: one of these is the largest TV audience for the Super Bowl in history.
- She was named one of Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists and 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.
- She is highly acknowledged as a female musician, as proven by some of these achievements:
- She was the first female given the Video Vanguard Award.
- RIAA named her the best-selling female rock artist in the 20th century and the US artist with the third highest-certified album by a female.
- She was also the only female artist in history who sold 100,000 tickets for two concerts.
- She holds the record for the most number-one singles by a female artist in various countries.
- In 2012, she was labeled the greatest woman in music by VH1, and Acclaimed Music classified her as the most acclaimed female musician of all time.
- Madonna has proven herself in her career, but her achievements are not limited to this list, and continuously grow.
Madonna Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Madonna across 30 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching about Madonna who has made a significant impact on the world with her songs, artistry, and even lifestyle.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Madonna Facts
- Who’s That Girl?
- Lucky Star
- I Know It
- Material Girl
- Where’s the Party?
- Music
- I Deserve It
- Think of Me
- Express Yourself
- Hollywood
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Link will appear as Madonna Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, March 7, 2022
Use With Any Curriculum
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