Everyone knows who the Queen of Pop is: Madonna – style icon, headline-grabber, entrepreneur and mother. For her 60th birthday, we look back on the career of the most successful woman in music history.

–

The urchin

Madonna Luise Ciccone has presented many versions of herself over her almost 40-year career. The hit “Like a Virgin” catapulted her to superstardom in 1984 (above). At the MTV Music Awards, she stepped out of a wedding cake to that song, dressed in a bridal gown, dancing lasciviously and then rolling on the floor in a suggestive pose.

–

The Gaultier muse

Madonna doesn’t care for convention, especially not when it comes to fashion. With her sexy and provocative reputation, it’s no wonder that she was drawn to another “enfant terrible:” French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier. He designed some of her stage outfits, including the legendary cone-shaped bustier.

–

The actress

Madonna’s acting career hasn’t always been spectacular. She won several “Golden Raspberry” awards for particularly bad acting. In 1990, she starred alongside Warren Beatty in the film Dick Tracy and earned acclaim playing the role of Breathless Mahoney. Inspired by the movie, she produced the album Breathless with the mega hit single “Vogue.”

–

Sex bomb

In no time at all, Madonna had become a superstar, and she continued to work on her career energetically, also with a tendency towards erotic self-portrayal and exhibitionism. The 1991 documentary Madonna: Truth or Dare chronicled her tours and private life. A few years later, Sex, a collection of erotic photos of Madonna, sold millions of copies.

–

The esoteric

Madonna reinvented herself over and over again. In 1998, “Frozen” from the Grammy-winning album Ray of Light was released. Madonna dropped the Gaultier outfits, lascivious dancing and erotic allusions. Having just given birth to her first child, she presented herself as more pensive than ever before.

–

The public kisser

Madonna never completely lost her erotic bent. At the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, she kissed her colleague Christina Aguilera and fellow pop star Britney Spears (above) onstage. In 2015, a short video clip showed her publicly kissing Canadian rapper Drake. He didn’t seem too excited.

–

The wife

Madonna called her first husband, actor Sean Penn, the “coolest man in the universe” and dedicated her album “True Blue” to him. The marriage lasted four years. In 1996, she had her daughter Lourdes with her personal trainer and boyfriend Carlos Leon. In 2000, she married British filmmaker Guy Ritchie (above); the couple had a son, Rocco. The marriage lasted eight years.

–

The mom

Madonna didn’t stop at two biological children: In 2006, she visited the African state of Malawi, met 13-month-old David at an orphanage, and adopted the boy. Critics say she bought the right to adopt him. Back in Malawi in 2009, she adopted Mercy, and the twins Estere and Stella followed in 2017, completing the family.

–

The charity lady

Madonna founded the Raising Malawi organization in 2006 to support people in one of the world’s poorest countries. Having invested millions in education and health projects, she’s recently been enthusiastic about the work of a pediatric surgery unit she supports.

–

The pop star

Madonna’s career has always been accompanied by gossip, scandals, ups and downs. Written off by critics more than once, she always returned to the stage with a new hit. The 2015 Rebel Heart Tour (above) was her last tour to date. Fans can expect a new album by the end of this year. It’ll be the pop icon’s 14th studio album.

Author: Silke Wünsch