After years of speculation, it was confirmed that Madonna will touch Filipino audiences… for the very first time for the Rebel Heart Tour. But the Queen of Pop’s Philippine concert has become the subject of controversy: tickets to her show range from P3,150 to P57,750, holding the record for the most expensive concert tickets in the country. Filipinos were outraged because of the price, saying that Madonna is past her prime, and that there are younger pop divas to watch. So why should you watch Madonna?
Here are 10 good reasons why:
10. Her tours are the highest-grossing for a female artist
Madonna holds the record for the highest-grossing tour by a female artist. In fact, the two highest-grossing tours by a female artist are both by Madonna, for the Sticky & Sweet Tour in 2008 (which earned $448.5 million) and the MDNA Tour in 2012 (which earned $313 million). She has been on the list for the highest-grossing tours every decade since ’90s. It’s hard to tell whether the Rebel Heart Tour will earn as much, but the addition of new cities, Manila included, will surely increase in sales.
9. She fought for rights
Since the beginning of her career in 1979, she has fought for human rights, feminism, and LGBT rights, many of which appear in her concert tours. For her Confessions Tour in 2005, she fought for religious freedom and politics, while the MDNA Tour fought for freedom and gun control. As a 56 year old woman, she’s fighting a new fight: ageism. She once said, “Not only do we suffer from racism and sexism, but we also suffer from ageism. And that is that once you reach a certain age, you’re not allowed to be adventurous, you’re not allowed to be sexual and I think that’s rather hideous. I mean, is there a rule? Are you just supposed to die when you’re 40?” We wonder if she’ll address that in the Rebel Heart Tour, and if so, how.
8. She is the Queen of Reinvention
Even before her career took off, Madonna knew that to survive in the music industry, one must need to evolve. So even before social media has made all our attention spans shorter, she has transformed from a blushing bride to a Glamazon, an exotic dancer, a Flamenco dancer, a dominatrix, a desert witch, and a geisha. And those are just for her music videos!
To keep her sound fresh, she collaborates with the best people in music such as Babyface, William Orbit, Diplo, Pharell, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Justin Timberlake, Nicki Minaj, MIA, Bjork, Britney Spears, Timbaland, LMFAO, Cee Lo Green, and many more.
7. She is a 56 year old woman who can dance
People mock her for her age, but these people are those who have not seen Madonna dance. Madonna actually started in the ’70s as a dancer, and she has used the medium during her live performances, even up to now. Of course, she can’t dance as well as her younger self, but she can still rock moves that women half her age can’t pull off and that’s always a sight to see.
6. She has covered a wide variety of genres
She’s called the Queen of Pop for a reason. She has ruled the pop scene for decades, and in her 36 year career, has covered a wide range of genres, from pop to gospel, ambient, R&B, electronica, country, folk, dance, hip-hop, and EDM. She’s also known for making remixes of her songs during her tours, like a rock version of “Borderline” and a ballad version of “Like a Virgin,” so it’s exciting to see her revive old songs and give it a fresh twist.
Need 5 more reasons why you should see Madonna in Manila? Check out the next page!
