Madonna's recent decision to share her emotional turmoil regarding her custody battle with ex-husband Guy Ritchie over her 15-year old son Rocco on stage during a concert in Melbourne, Australia may be very questionable; I'm not sure if the judge presiding over the case will necessarily look favorably upon her attempt to showcase her 'motherly love' to the world-at-large.
But her choice of song - "Intervention", from her ninth studio album American Life (2003) - couldn't have been a more apt. Madonna may be more well-known for her provocative and show-stealing dance-inducing hits, but she also has recorded her fair share of emotionally intelligent, soulful and heartfelt pop ballads: "Take a Bow", "Don't Cry for Me Argentina", "Miles Away" and "Bad Girl" stand out as noteworthy examples. The song features simple but poignant lyrics, with Madonna's lyrical persona addressing a complex emotional relationship with 'her baby' (possible her child) and an elegant ambivalence towards life.
Madonna might have lacked the sheer vocal prowess that her contemporary competitors like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion were often credited for, but she has made up for this relative disadvantage by crafting visually arresting music videos and live performances and adopting a relentless work ethic that saw countless self-reinventions over the decades.
But even the brightest stars must fade out and die - Forbes and Consequence of Sound both noted that Madonna's thirteenth studio album Rebel Heart (2015) was a commercial flop, failing to land a top-40 hit or make it to No. 1 spot during the first week of its release. It's very likely that Madonna's best music has already been recorded. Her musical career may have outlasted her contemporaries, but it doesn't seem as if it will outlast and outshine the rising stars of Rihanna, Taylor Swift and Adele.
As Nick BondNews.com.au's notes, it seems very possible that Madonna's family troubles, her dwindling influence on contemporary pop culture and the death of David Bowie has led her to take on a more introspective and personal view of her long, illustrious musical career:
"Madonna said she was devastated by the death of music icon David Bowie in January. Could his passing — and the subsequent rush to eulogise his incredible career - have something to do with her sudden urge to re-evaluate her musical output? Does Madonna have a new understanding that, at this point in her career, many have forgotten she’s still first and foremost a pop cultural innovator with a musical back catalogue of fantastic, boundary-pushing songs?
Some of the songs she performed at last week’s show — Paradise (Not For Me), Mer Girl — could stand alongside Bowie’s most interesting and experimental work. Unlike, ahem, Bitch I’m Madonna, this was Madonna doing pop at its most daring. At 57, is Madonna finally starting to ‘look back’, to consider her legacy? Is she ready to remind people of her very best and most personal works?
On Sunday, Madonna finishes her 82-date Rebel Heart World Tour in Sydney. From there, she’s at a crossroads: She can stay on the pop diva merry-go-round if she likes — hell, by now it’s second nature. Or perhaps Tears Of A Clown could become the new normal: Maybe Madonna letting the imperious ‘Queen of Pop’ mantle slip could be the best thing to happen to her career right now. Whatever happens, it’s an exciting time to be a fan."
I don't think it's ageist of me to conclude that Madonna's getting too old for the 'pop diva merry-go-round'. At this point in her career, trying to out-compete the theatrics of stars like Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande seem futile and foolish - I'm hoping Madonna embraces a more mature, introspective and profound musical approach that will not only re-ignite the passion that her older fans have harbored for her all these years, but also win the admiration and respect of many younger fans who aren't aware of her legacy and influence on pop music.
