Who has not heard about Madonna? She is the ultimate “Pop Icon” that everybody is inspired by and one of the most recognized global artists of all time. Madonna has successfully established that she is the best performer of the current times as she constantly reinvents herself into something bolder, more beautiful, and iconic.

Madonna rose to an unmatched level of fame in the 80s and 90s. It was a time when women were not welcomed so much in the entertainment industry. She has more than ten Grammy nominations and five spectacular wins under her belt.

Madonna is a legacy in entertainment that will continue for a long time as her fans pass on their love and interest to the next generation.

1. Madonna’s Dance Moves Are Courtesy of Her Cheerleading Days at Her High School 

It is a fact that Madonna was a cheerleader at her high school, Rochester Adams High School. It is speculated that she has invented all her patented dance moves from her high school cheerleading experience and learning. [5]

2. Madonna is French-Canadian 

Madonna Louise Ciccone was born in Bay City, Michigan, on 16^th August 1958. Her parents, Madonna Louise and Silvio Anthony Ciccone, were Catholic. From her father’s side, Madonna was Italian, belonging to Pacentro, while her mother was of French-Canadian descent. [6]

3. Madonna Worked at Dunkin Donuts Before She Got Famous 

When Madonna was struggling to support herself in a city like New York, she had to do everything to make ends meet. She started working as a dancer, and because that did not pay well enough to support her living expenses, she also worked shifts at Dunkin Donuts. After some time, she got fired for squirting jelly at a customer. [7]

4. Madonna Took Dance Classes at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 

Struggling to establish her career while supporting herself as much as possible, Madonna took dance classes at the famous Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Soon after this, she landed her first dance gig at the Pearl Lang Dance Theater. [8]

5. Madonna Has Also Channeled Her Creativity Into Writing Books 

If you know Madonna only as a singer, songwriter, and dancer, you need to know that this evergreen American entertainer has also written different books for various age groups. Madonna has penned down eleven coffee table books, a biographic piece, several articles in various publications, and seven children’s picture books.

Of all her writings, three of her books have also topped The New York Times Best Seller list. [9]

6. Madonna’s Nickname was Little Noni

Madonna shared her name with her mother, who passed away from breast cancer. So, to differentiate Madonna from her mother, she was nicknamed Little Noni during her childhood. [9]

7. Madonna Turned Down The Opportunity To Have Her Mark on the Hollywood Walk of Fame 

Madonna has never openly stated any reason as to why she turned down the opportunity to have her mark as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame back in the 1990s. Reports say that she declined this opportunity because she did not believe in such things. However, this is all speculation as Madonna has never publicly spoken about this matter. [10]

8. Madonna is Phobic of Thunder and Lightning 

According to E! News, Madonna is severely phobic of thunder and lightning, termed brontophobia. It is one of the most common types of phobias that people suffer. [11]

9. Speculations Behold That Madonna’s Strict and Intense Diet is the Secret to Her Ageless Figure 

According to reports, Madonna has been on an intense and strict diet since fifteen. Since then, she has been a vegetarian and follows a strict macrobiotic diet involving no consumption of wheat, meats, dairy, and eggs. [1]

10. Madonna’s album True Blue is for her then-husband Sean Penn 

It is no speculation, as Madonna’s album notes dedicate the entire album to her then-husband, Sean Penn. Her album True Blue has all the songs inspired and dedicated to her husband, who she has repeatedly referred to as the coolest guy in the universe. [12]

11. Celine Dion and Gwen Stefani are Madonna’s Distant Relatives 

A recent ancestry study of Madonna and her family has revealed that some big entertainment industry icons are distantly related to her. These celebrities include Celine Dion, Mark Wahlberg, and Gwen Stefani. [2]

12. Madonna and Sean Penn were Married For Only Four Years 

Madonna and Sean Penn’s marriage lasted for four years, from 1985 to 1989. She later remarried in 2000 to Guy Richie, which lasted till 2008. Madonna has also dated several notable personalities and celebrities, including John F. Kennedy Jr., Jean-Michel Basquiat, Esai Morales, Warren Beatty, Michael Jackson, etc. [13]

13. Maripol is the Designer behind Madonna’s iconic 80s Look 

Madonna’s exemplary 1980s look that changed the way women survived in the entertainment industry is credited to a French fashion designer Maripol. She gave Madonna a look that became her identity as a music icon. [3]

14. Madonna had Several Mental Issues, Which She Openly Talked About In An Interview 

Madonna Louise Ciccone talked openly about several of her underlying mental illnesses, including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and insomnia. It was in an interview with Rolling Stone in 2015. Madonna’s tour crew also reported that she frequently showed OCD tendencies during her tour. [14]

15. Madonna Has Adopted Four Children 

Madonna has a special association with the African country of Malawi as she has adopted four children from there whose names are David Banda, Mercy James, Estere, and Stelle. Madonna has also founded several charity institutions throughout Malawi to help children and families. [15]

16. Madonna Has Designed a Womenswear Range in Association with H&M

In 2006, the iconic Queen of Pop, Madonna, announced that she was collaborating with the famous high street fashion chain H&M to design a womenswear range. She worked with the top Europe retailer and designer to finalize the clothing line in collaboration with H&M, named M by Madonna range. [16]

17. Madonna has Lived In Some Strange Places Such As Synagogues 

While Madonna was struggling to make her ends meet in New York, she had some bizarre living arrangements over time. Once, when she found herself in dire need of a place to reside, she started living in an abandoned synagogue in Corona, Queens.

She had lived there for about five years (1979-1982) with her then-boyfriend, Dan Gilroy. It is also depicted in the 2019 documentary named Madonna and the Breakfast Club. [17]

18. The 2012 Super Bowl Halftime Performance By Madonna Gathered More Viewers Than The Actual Game Viewers 

Madonna performed during the halftime of the Super Bowl XLVI on 5^th February 2012, held in the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The headlines that captured everyone’s attention were related to Madonna’s one-of-the-lifetime performance.

Madonna’s halftime performance gathered about 3 million viewers, much more than the actual game viewers. Madonna was the second solo female artist to perform at the Super Bowl halftime after Diana Ross in 1996. [18]

19. MTV banned Madonna’s Videos Due To Extreme Display of Sexuality 

In 1990, the MTV network banned Madonna’s song video Justify My Love for having various extreme displays of sexuality. According to the MTV network, Madonna’s works were great, but some videos were unsuitable for the channel’s viewership. [4]

20. Madonna is the Most Successful Female Entertainer of All Time

She has won several Grammys and has shot over 20 music videos. Madonna’s fame and fan-following are unmatched. She has been included in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame three times and remains an icon for every female entertainer. [19]

Madonna is the Definition of Pop Music 

Madonna’s whole music career has been a testament to hard work and sheer talent to produce the most iconic figure in the music and entertainment industry. Knowing about several different facts regarding Madonna’s life always sparks the fans’ interest.

References

1. Mellardo, A. (2022, October 31). Madonna Looks Fit at 64 and These Are Her Secrets. Eat This Not That. https://www.eatthis.com/madonna-fitness-diet-habits/
2. Top 10 Amazing Facts about singer Madonna. (2021, July 12). Discover Walks Blog. https://www.discoverwalks.com/blog/united-states/top-10-amazing-facts-about-singer-madonna/
3. Dress you up: Meet Maripol, the woman behind Madonna’s early, iconic look. (n.d.). Www.yahoo.com. https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/dress-meet-maripol-woman-behind-madonnas-early-iconic-look-015528814.html
4. Banned. (n.d.). Today in Madonna History. Retrieved December 19, 2022, from https://todayinmadonnahistory.com/tag/banned
5. Take a Bow: Madonna’s Extraordinary Career. (2012, February 4). Time. https://entertainment.time.com/2012/02/04/take-a-bow-madonnas-extraordinary-music-career/
6. Madonna’s French-Canadian Ancestry. (n.d.). The French-Canadian Genealogist. Retrieved December 19, 2022, from https://www.tfcg.ca/madonna-french-canadian-ancestry
7. The Queen Of Pop Madonna Was Fired From Her Dunkin Donuts Job For Playing With The Jelly. (n.d.). Trinikid.com. Retrieved December 19, 2022, from https://trinikid.com/the-queen-of-pop-madonna-was-fired-from-her-dunkin-donuts-job-for-playing-with-the-jelly
8. Malone, C. (2021, October 18). Madonna’s Strong Work Ethic Comes From Her Dance Training; “We Punish Ourselves and We Push Through the Pain.” Showbiz Cheat Sheet. https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/madonnas-strong-work-ethic-comes-from-her-dance-training-we-punish-ourselves-and-we-push-through-the-pain.html/
9. Flynn, L. (2018, January 8). 20 Amazing Facts About Madonna. Hardcore Italians. https://hardcoreitalians.blog/2018/01/08/20-amazing-facts-about-madonna/
10. Leung, Y. (2022, September 23). Celebs who rejected a Hollywood Walk Of Fame star – From George Clooney to Madonna. HITC. https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/09/23/10-celebrities-who-rejected-a-walk-of-fame-star-from-george-clooney-to-madonna/
11. Malone, C. (2021, November 14). Madonna’s Biggest Phobia Is 1 of the World’s Most Common Fears. Showbiz Cheat Sheet. https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/madonnas-biggest-phobia-is-1-of-the-worlds-most-common-fears.html/
12. “True Blue”, Madonna’s tribute to Sean Penn climbs to No.1 in 1986. (2022, October 10). Pop Expresso. https://www.popexpresso.com/2022/10/11/true-blue-madonnas-tribute-to-sean-penn-climbs-to-no-1-in-1986/
13. Sean Penn’s Relationship History Timeline: From Madonna to Leila George. (n.d.). Peoplemag. Retrieved December 19, 2022, from https://people.com/movies/sean-penns-relationship-history-timeline/
14. Digital, G. L. P. (2016, February 19). Madonna may suffer from “DNA paranoia.” Genetic Literacy Project. https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2016/02/19/madonna-may-suffer-dna-paranoia/
15. Wylie, R. (n.d.). Madonna’s six kids are growing up fast, it’s time to get to know them a little better. Now to Love. Retrieved December 19, 2022, from https://www.nowtolove.com.au/parenting/celebrity-families/madonna-children-54541
16. Madonna designs H&M clothing range. (2006, December 7). The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2006/dec/07/highstreetretailers.musicnews
17. Malone, C. (2021, November 13). Madonna Once Lived In an Abandoned Synagogue. Showbiz Cheat Sheet. https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/madonna-once-lived-in-an-abandoned-synagogue.html/
18. Gallo, P., & Gallo, P. (2012, February 6). Madonna’s Super Bowl Performance Watched By 114 Million. Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/madonnas-super-bowl-performance-watched-by-114-million-506406/
19. Sandford, M. (2022, October 8). 20 Best-Selling Female Artists Of All Time. Pink Wafer. https://pinkwafer.club/2022/10/08/best-selling-female-artists/