It would be impossible to fit all of Madonna's remarkable accomplishments into just one article. The Queen of Pop's career spans over 4 decades. She has delved into different genres, inspired countless artists that came after her, and continued to grow as an artist even after having her legacy secured. Of course, Madonna is not a stranger to controversy. She has always broken the mold in her professional and personal life, and even now she keeps standing out among current artists. Her last new release, Madame X, showed her wearing an eye patch, a statement that lots of fans didn't understand. Here's what we know about it.
Who Is Madame X?
From the beginning of her career, Madonna has never been afraid to make a statement in every one of her albums. It's not only her music that has always been bold, though.
Her fashion choices have made the headlines for decades too. And even in her sixties, she's stayed true to her style. In her 2019 album, Madame X, she once again blindsided her fans with her decision to wear an eye patch.
It is not, by any means, the most controversial thing the Queen of Pop has done, but it did confuse some fans.
The thing is, Madame X is not just the title of her album. No, Madame X is a whole character she created based on a story from when she was a young girl. At 19, she had a dance teacher who was frustrated because she could never "identify" who Madonna was, so she called her Madame X.
This might have been annoying for the singer at the time, but it was a source of inspiration when she was writing the album.
"I felt the same way, in that moment, recording. So once I decided the name of my record was gonna be called 'Madame X', I had to create a story that was sort of the beginning of Madame X's journey," she said about it.
The name is a way for her to express her vulnerability and the many aspects of her personality. "I have my days where I feel like a warrior and invincible. And I have my days where I feel like an open wound. But that's human, isn't it? And also, I think that's the journey of an artist."
What Does Madonna's Eye Patch Mean?
Ever since the album came out, Madonna has been getting questions about the eye patch she chose to be the defining feature of the persona she chose for the record.
For that, she had to give a more detailed explanation of who Madame X was. She created the character to pay homage to women all over the world, that's why she said that Madame X was a "dancer, professor, head of state, a housekeeper, an equestrian, a prisoner, a student, a mother."
"She's a spy. She's a secret agent. She travels the world. She changes her identity. She sleeps with one eye open. And she travels through the day with one eye shut. She's actually been wounded. So she's covering up one of her eyes," Madonna shared.
She also explained that the idea of the eye patch came up when she was writing the backstory for the cha cha instructor she plays in the "Medellin" video.
"She just escaped incarceration, a kind of kidnapping. She’s been living in the Amazon for about eight months. She’s suffered deprivations, physical abuse of all kinds, and in the course of her incarceration, she has her eyeballs taken out. So when she escapes, she designs eye patches that look a little bit chic and elegant."
Fans Are Not So Happy About Madonna's Choice
Although it was an artistic choice and part of a backstory, Madonna's decision to make the eye patch such an important part of the album didn't go well with some of her fans.
The response to the album was positive, but regarding the aesthetic, the audience was divided, especially when she used it during interviews and public appearances in general.
There were lots of people who found the gesture to be offensive to those who have actual injuries that require eye patches. Others thought that it was harmless, but a weird attempt at getting attention.
Of course, there were tons of fans who saw artistic value in the backstory that Madonna crafted, so it wasn't all negative.
The mixed reactions are nothing new to the Queen of Pop either, and she's received way harsher responses to much more controversial things she has done, so she doesn't seem to be very concerned about this.
Madame X has since received rave reviews and has topped the charts. It's safe to say that the Queen is not slowing down anytime soon.