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MUSIC has never seen anyone like Madonna, or ever will again. A bold pronouncement, perhaps, but it is that simple. The woman who has gone through so many transformations, she virtually sets the standard for it, is back with a new album. Music is an apt title for it as that is what she does. And the balance of attention is finally tipped in favour of her musical creativity, though that was not often the case previously.
Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone was born 42 years ago in Bay City, Michigan. One of six children, she always held on to her ambition to rule the world. She took those first steps to world domination in the dance world, studying it at the University of Michigan.
But soon, New York beckoned, and there, she got her first intrepid start in music, singing with a band called The Breakfast Club. But the world will probably recognise the future goddess of pop for her back-up vocals on Patrick Hernandez's Born To Be Alive.
Madonna started writing songs with Steven Bray after leaving the band, and the songs gained enough attention at a dance club for the DJ to take her tapes to Sire Records. She recorded her self-titled debut in 1983. Summer anthem Holiday hit radio like a ton of bricks, and the world's fascination with Ms Ciccone began. Provocative videos for Borderline and Lucky Star (the former featuring interracial love and the later, titillating glimpses of her navel!) also served notice for things yet to come.
Sophomore effort Like A Virgin gave music a saucy shot in the arm two years later.
The music was not exactly groundbreaking, but her girl power stance with songs like Material Girl, as well as her good-girl-gone- really-bad dress sense (inner wear as outer...