Throughout “The Celebration Tour”, which ended with the historic show on Copacabana beach this weekend, Madonna paid tribute to Michael Jackson with a medley of “Like a Virgin” It is “Billie Jean” at which point the silhouettes of the king and queen of pop appear on the screen.
The tribute moved fans around the world, and it was no different for those on the beach in Rio de Janeiro.
THE KING AND QUEEN OF POP 🥹💖 #MadonnaNaGlô pic.twitter.com/H7XRYiL25J
— TV Globo 📺 (@tvglobo) May 5, 2024
Madonna and Michael Jackson share the crown of pop to this day, and their history has been intertwined since the 1980s, when both began to have huge success around the world with hits that remain current.
In the tribute, Madonna not only recalls the importance of the singer who died in 2009, but also references herself, by resuming the mix between “Like a Virgin” and “Billie Jean” that she performed on her “The Virgin Tour”, by 1985.
A few years later, the two even went out together, amid rumors of a possible relationship that soon went wrong.
What was the relationship like between Madonna and Michael Jackson?
Born in the same year and in the same month – August 1958 -, just two weeks apart, the stories of Madonna and Michael Jackson almost inevitably intersect when the two go on to have massive success with their pop music hits between the years. 1980 and 1990.
Although Michael and Madonna had very different careers, focusing on different themes and shocking the world for different reasons, comparisons between the two were constant — after all, two very different and talented people would later be crowned king and queen of pop.
In the early 1990s, when both were already famous around the world, rumors of a possible relationship began to circulate. At the time, they shared the same manager, Freddy DeMann, who was responsible for introducing them both.
They attended the 1991 Oscar ceremony together, both dressed in white, and caused a stir in the media, which began reporting on the alleged couple.
At the time, in an interview with VH1, Madonna said that the two decided to go together after saying that they had plans to go alone.
The couple was spotted together a few more times at the time, but soon distanced themselves. According to some of the singer's statements to the media, they had plans to work together on the single “In The Closet”, released that same year by Michael, but the two disagreed on the way the song and the video should be made.
Madonna even said in interviews that Michael wanted a controversial title for the track (which means “inside the closet” in Portuguese), but refused to debate the content of the song and the video.
Known for causing controversy and defending those who have been marginalized throughout her career, Madonna reportedly made too many demands on the king of pop, who ended up giving up on the musical collaboration.
With very different personalities and careers, the two soon grew apart and lost contact. In the documentary “Michael Jackson Tapes”, which shows recordings of the singer's voice, he went so far as to say that Madonna “was not a good person” and recalled some discussions between them when they were together.
At the 2009 VMAs, shortly after Michael Jackson's death, Madonna gave an emotional speech about the king of pop and his importance: “He seemed otherworldly, but he was only human. I can't say we were friends, but in 1991, when I decided to get to know him better, I asked him to dinner and said: “Leave it to me, I'll drive, just you and me.”
“During dinner I was committed to getting him to eat chips, drink wine and say bad words. Things he didn’t seem to allow himself to do,” she added. “It seemed to me that he was looking more for a friend than for romance.”
The singer said it was important to make this speech, as she had not been able to say goodbye to Michael the way she would have liked. Since then, she has honored her partner on several occasions.
During an interview with James Corden in 2016, on the board Carpool Karaoke, she revealed previously unseen details about their relationship. When asked if they kissed, she replied: “Of course, of course. Honey, I’m alive.”
“I took [a iniciativa], if you want to know the truth, because he was a little shy. However, he was a willing accomplice. I made him loosen up a little with a glass of wine, and that did wonders,” recalled the queen of pop.
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.
