Madonna Article

The Immortals - The Greatest Artists of All Time: 36) Madonna

I'm sorry, but I'd rather meet Madonna than the president of the United States. Madonna has this thing about her that you can't explain -- the thing that makes somebody a star. When she walks into the room, you just have to take notice. She's so comfortable with herself, and she's not afraid to live life to the fullest and to say whatever she feels, no matter what anyone thinks. There's something kind of childlike about that; it's a beautiful, amazing thing.

Madonna was the first female pop star to take control of every aspect of her career and to take responsibility for creating her image, no matter how much flak she might get. She's proved that she can do so many different things -- music and movies and being a parent, too. Her music has become iconic: Songs like "Holiday" or "Live to Tell" are timeless -- not just disposable hits. They feel like home. She has her spells of being moody and vibey and spiritual, but her words are so easy to relate to. She's a diva and does what she wants, but she's a loving person.

The first time I met her was when I flew to visit her at one of her shows in 2001. I walked into her dressing room, and her daughter, Lola, was there, and I felt really nervous. I said to Madonna, "Can I just hug you?" I was so stupid! But she was so nice about it. I would definitely not be here, doing what I'm doing, if it wasn't for Madonna. I remember being eight or nine years old, running around my living room singing and dancing and wanting so much to be like her. All my girlfriends still listen to her stuff. We're all mesmerized by her. Madonna's stage presence has inspired so many artists -- you can see her influence in some of the younger generation like Kelly Clarkson and Shakira, who have picked up some of her moves.

As part of the generation that's coming up, you look at Madonna and you don't want to let her down. That's such a motivation for me. I love doing what I do, but when Madonna comes around -- like when we were making the video for "Me Against the Music" -- it's like, "Everybody get your act together -- the godmother is here."

Madonna has done so much, and she's been around so long, and the bitch still looks good! She's spent years in the public eye, and that can be really hard for anyone to deal with. But she dug deep and started writing from her heart, and that's therapy to keep you going. Madonna has so much light inside her, and she's so much more noticeable than all of the rest of us. She stuck to what she believed in and did what she felt, and that was part of her art -- to just be herself.

Source: Britney Spears, The Immortals - The greatest artists of all time 36) Madonna, The Rolling Stones Magazine, Issue 946 April 15, 2004 [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5940017/the_immortals__the_greatest_artists_of_all_time_36_madonna] Accessed 09 May 2009