Madonna
Legendary Madonna, born Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone, for decades hasn't left the magazines' pages and TV screens and she is reputed by right to be a real idol of the world pop-scene. Brilliant, bold and scandalous Madonna became for many a symbol of the sexual revolution, having spread throughout the world, as she popularized very bold views in a very outright form. However, the singer became famous all over the world not only because of the usage of bright erotic images but also owing to her staggering charisma, impressive energy and obvious talent acknowledged worldwide.
Music became an integral part of Madonna's life when she was a child. Her father, Silvio Ciccone, tried to introduce his daughter to playing the piano but such occupation aroused in a girl nothing but hatred and aversion. So, having decided not to torment his child, Silvio allowed a future singer to choose by herself what kind of activity connected with music would be to her liking. The choice fell upon ballet, practicing which Madonna learnt to perfection to be master of her body, feel the rhythm and harmoniously dance to the music. At the age of 18, having kept practicing ballet, she made the acquaintance of a ballet teacher, Christopher Flynn, who formed in many respects a girl's views on homosexual relations and almost completely changed her world-view.
At the same age Madonna, relocated to New York City, began to receive her first significant profits from performing in modern dance groups as well as working in the services sector and making some money on the side as an artist's model. In 1979 she became a member of the rock-group «Breakfast Club» as a singer and guitarist. However, a year later, after the group breakup, she and a drummer, Stephen Bray, formed their own band entitled «Emmy» which was orientated mainly to the club public.
Soon some labels took an interest in the singer and in 1982 Madonna signed a contract with one of them, namely Sire Records. The same year the singer released her debut album entitled «Madonna» which, as a result, reached a number-four on the America's charts. While the album made its way to the peaks, the singer herself started her acting career, having been featured in "Desperately Seeking Susan".
Madonna's triumph was her second album «Like a Virgin» that not only took the first place on the USA charts but also sold more than 8 million copies worldwide! And starting from this moment, releasing album after album, featuring in films and videos, Madonna Ciccone began in leaps and bounds to win the hearts of music lovers of Europe, America, and Japan, Australia as well as other countries and continents.
Several years later all possible awards and prizes poured down the singer like out of a horn of plenty. On results of 1985 she received six Billboard Music Awards, including awards for the best-selling single, best-selling album and best-selling singer of the USA.
In 1987 during annual American Music Awards ceremony she received the award from the nomination «Favourite Pop/Rock Female Video Artist» and again was awarded by Billboard magazine. According to Billboard, in 1989 a video to the song «Express Yourself» from the fourth album of the singer «Like a Prayer» became the best video of the year. Within the framework of the Japan Gold Disc Awards, starting from 1987, Madonna was five times awarded as «Best Artist» and more than once her albums were voted the best.
Within the MTV Video Music Awards in 1986 Madonna received the Video Vanguard Award, in 1987 the video to «Papa Don’t Preach» became «Best Female Video» and the video to «Express Yourself» won three nominations at once – Best Overall Performance, Best Art Direction and Best Female Video.
A triumphal procession on the planet of the singer and actress lasted for decades. Her songs topped the charts of all countries, she was awarded with all prestigious prizes, her videos received awards from different nominations, from "Best Special Effects" («Frozen», 1998) to «Video of a Year» («Vogue», 1990; «Hung Up», 2006).
Besides music and acting, Madonna also actively administers charity, helping children from the Third World countries. She also is a founder of her own charitable institution that deals with fund raising for orphans. She also acts as a producer, director and script writer, her profits are priced at tens of millions dollars and her energies are still so impressive that Madonna remains one of the most famous and odious personalities all over the world.
