More than 50 minutes late, Madonna took the stage at Copacabana beach for the biggest show of his career . Even with fans protesting by fanning – making a dignified “fan” – because of the delay, it was only when the sound started to introduce the queen of pop that everyone forgot about the tiredness, the hunger, the heat and the pushing and shoving of the crowd.
After all, Madonna drew more than 1.6 million people to Copacabana, according to RioTur.
The show started with the talent of Bob the Drag Queen As the show's master of ceremonies, the drag queen who won the 8th season of “RuPaul's Drag Race” to introduce Madonna's story, which is told through the acts of the performance.
With a monologue entirely in English, there were no subtitles so that people could read what was being said – since, at this moment, the audio closest to the stage did not allow people to distinguish the words, even those who knew English.
During the opening, Bob the Drag Queen recalls the trajectory that made Madonna an icon. “She taught us how to have sex,” he says. “This isn’t just a show, it’s not just a performance – it’s a celebration.”
Madonna then takes the stage, driving more than 1.6 million people in Copacabana crazy. Screams, fans and tears fill the beach.
With “Nothing Really Matters “, she opens the presentation that lasts about 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Madonna: accessible (as far as possible)
In addition to shouting “Rio” a few times, asking how people are, Madonna shows off her Portuguese by saying: “Caralho”. The queen explains that she will speak English during the performance because her “Portuguese is bad” – after all, “caralho” is one of the words in the language that she is confident enough to speak throughout the show.
Shouting “hot”, Madonna jokes. “I know what 'hot' means,” she says. “I think that’s a compliment.”
“I learned a few words in Portuguese”, he guarantees, remembering that he has dated Brazilian men. “As 'naughty ' It is 'dirty ass '.”
“I will tell personal stories that I wrote in my personal diary”, reveals the diva. “Dreams and stories that no one will know about – only the people who are here in Rio.”
Madonna is inaccessible like every music star who reaches the level she has reached. By opening up her life, reporting intimate episodes (like when she says she had oral sex on a producer and said that “a blowjob doesn't get you to stardom, but it gets you halfway there) and revealing difficulties (she only had 35 dollars and a dream when she arrived in New York), Madonna descends from the pedestal that her fans celebrate her on and approaches them.
During “Bad Girl “, Madonna gets even closer to Brazilian fans by holding the public’s hand. It's the only time she does this during the performance – and it only lasts a few seconds.
What brings the public closer is Madonna's family being on stage. Mercy James enchants on the piano and David Banda on the guitar. However, the most charismatic of Madonna's children who go up with her mother during “The Celebration Tour” is Estere .
FOR EVERYTHING! Mercy James on the pianooooo 😱❤️ #MadonnaNaGlô pic.twitter.com/7saNcdcGAn
— TV Globo 📺 (@tvglobo) May 5, 2024
The little girl gives absolutely everything during her performance as a DJ and, later, as a “Vogue” dancer. She deserved the 10 marks she received from her mother and Anitta during the song.
Strike the pose to @Madonna It is @Anitta 😌 #MadonnaNaGlô pic.twitter.com/AWcDDWWNAy
— TV Globo 📺 (@tvglobo) May 5, 2024
Versatility and setlist from 40 years of music
In addition to going from being a goddess to being human during the show, Madonna made a selection that allows her to show more versatility.
An example of this is how the artist approaches “Burning Up “. The punk track, with the queen playing the guitar, talks about her presence in CBGB (birthplace of punk in New York) and its relationship with Jean-Michel Basquiat .
After all, with more than 40 years of career, it is impossible not to get involved with other rhythms.
Madonna shows that she sustains only in her voice when singing “Express Yourself ” in a slower, acoustic version, just voice and guitar.
Another point is the tribute paid to Michael Jackson . With dancers dressed like her and Michael in the 80s, the entire prelude to “Like A Virgin ” is a tribute to the star who will always share the throne with Madonna.
“Like A Virgin”, in fact, was one of the surprises of the night. The song did not appear in the other shows on “The Celebration Tour”, but it was present for Brazilian fans who wanted to hear the queen of pop's first big hit.
THE KING AND QUEEN OF POP 🥹💖 #MadonnaNaGlô pic.twitter.com/H7XRYiL25J
— TV Globo 📺 (@tvglobo) May 5, 2024
By flirting with other rhythms, Madonna was naturally introduced and has played with genres such as reggaeton and Brazilian funk. When answering a call in the middle of the stage, the queen of pop broadcasts a recording of the Colombian singer on the screen Tokischa with whom he has the track “Hung Up on Tokischa “.
Although this moment was intimate for Latin fans, it is impossible not to think that there was a lack of funk in the performance. After all, Madonna has “Makes it delicious ” with Anita . With the funk singer even present in Copacabana, it is not possible to understand the choice of leaving this moment out of the setlist.
With four decades of music, there is no shortage of eras for the queen of pop. And all these incredible moments and looks were reproduced by the dancers during the performance of “Bitch I'm Madonna “. It is the great moment that celebrates the years of the queen of pop's career before ending the performance, almost at 1 am.
Sex, sex symbol and sensuality
Sexual freedom, in addition to human rights and the LGBQTIA+ community, has always been one of the central themes in the image that Madonna wanted to convey beyond her artistic side during her career.
As Bob the Drag Queen recalled, Madonna is the one who taught us sex and how to have sex.
With representations of her phases throughout her career with dancers dressed like her wearing pantyhose on their heads (which, in a way, is slightly disturbing), Madonna stars in a sex scene with herself.
🔥 EITAAAAAAAAA 🔥 #MadonnaNaGlô pic.twitter.com/KHnT7oqAlQ
— TV Globo 📺 (@tvglobo) May 5, 2024
“Live To Tell” was marked by tributes to Brazilians
Madonna was and still is one of the biggest voices in the fight against AIDS/HIV and to end prejudice against the LGBTQIAP+ community. During her show, she addresses and remembers this.
During “Live to Tell “, the queen of pop remembers icons and close friends she lost to the disease. At the Copacabana show, Brazilians who died as a result of AIDS were also shown: Cazuza , Renato Russo , Caio Fernando de Abreu , Claudia Magno , Sandra Brea , Wagner Bello , Zechariah , Thales Pan Chacon It is Betinho .
Madonna then thanked the queer nation that has “always been here” for her. “All the people who fight for the right to be free and to love whoever they want. Do not be afraid! I will fight for you until I die”, reinforces the queen of pop.
Pure juice from Brazil
We Brazilians are an easy audience. At shows, it is always the most excited audience, who sing the loudest and get most emotional during the show. During Madonna's performance, this was no different. At the other shows on the tour, several Brazilians were present and even took the Brazilian flag for a walk.
Madonna thanked Brazilian fans and said she sees the green and yellow flag “everywhere”. “You are always there for me,” she said. “I feel it in my heart and I feel it in my pussy.”
The diva talks about what an incredible moment this is, mentioning the mountains, the beach and Christ the Redeemer. “I'm in paradise,” she says.
One of the most iconic moments was when Anita took the stage. Everyone was expecting the funk singer to sing “Faz Gostoso” with Madonna, but she was only present during the celebrity moment (as Ricky Martin participated, for example) by helping the queen of funk give notes at the vogue ball that takes place during “Vogue “.
But the real moment full of emotion and which is pure Brazilian juice was during “Music “. He had Pabllo Vittar holding Madonna on his lap parading around the stage, simulating sex with the queen of pop and even the two waving the Brazilian flag.
The version of the song presented is still in a new arrangement, of samba, and with the presence of samba school rhythmists to set the mood.
During the moment, the screens displayed some icons of the country, such as Marielle Franco , Skin , Daniela Mercury , Mano Brown , Chief Raoni , Elza Soares , Maria Bethânia , Caetano Veloso , Erika Hilton , Paulo Freire It is Fernanda Montenegro .
For those who watched the rehearsals, the performance was practically the same. The only difference is that, now, both Pabllo and Madonna wore stylized Brazilian clothes.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m Robert Neff, a professional writer and editor. I specialize in the entertainment section, providing up-to-date coverage on the latest developments in film, television and music. My work has been featured on World Stock Market and other prominent publications.
