Madonna, orig. Madonna Louise Ciccone, (born Aug. 16, 1958, Bay City, Mich., U.S.), U.S. pop singer, songwriter, and actress. She studied dance at the University of Michigan and later with Martha Graham and Alvin Ailey. Her first hit single, “Holiday” (1983), forged an upbeat dance club sound that sold 70 million albums by 1991, including Like a Virgin (1984). In music videos and in concert, she captivated fans and scandalized critics with provocatively sexual showmanship. Ever atop the latest trend, she incorporated techno in Ray of Light (1998) and Music (2000) and hip-hop in Hard Candy (2008), Rebel Heart (2015), and Madame X (2019). Her films included Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Dick Tracy (1990), and Evita (1996). Few female entertainers attained her levels of power and control in the pop music industry. In 2008 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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