Madonna hits back at comments about her Grammy appearance.
The 64-year-old pop icon and longtime LGBTQ advocate featured Kim Petras and Sam Smith’s “Unholy” performance on Sunday’s show. It was a groundbreaking night as Petras became the first transgender woman to win Best Pop Duo/Group Performance with non-binary Smith. However, social media was abuzz over Madonna’s fuller face and speculation about the plastic surgery she had undergone.
On Tuesday, the seven-time Grammy-winning “Vogue” singer responded to the gossip saying that once again she was “caught up in the glare of ageism and misogyny that pervades the world. in which we live”.
Madonna wrote in an Instagram post that while she originally wanted to award the final award of the night, Album of the Year, she felt it was “more important” to feature Petras and Smith’s performance. , a “historic moment”. She added, “Plus, she won a Grammy!!”
“Instead of focusing on what I said in my speech, which was to say thank you for the fearlessness of artists like Sam and Kim, a lot of people chose to just talk about close-up photos of me taken with a long lens camera by a press photographer. it would distort anyone’s face!!” she wrote.
“Once again, I’m caught up in the sliver of ageism and misogyny that pervades the world we live in,” she continued. “A world that refuses to celebrate women over 45 and feels the need to punish her if she continues to be willful, hardworking and adventurous.”
The singer said she “never apologized for any of the creative choices I made” or “for how I looked or dressed” and “I’m not going to start” now.
“I have been degraded by the media since the beginning of my career but I understand that it is all a test and I am happy to pioneer so that all the women behind me can have an easier time in the years to come, ” she wrote.
She borrowed a line from Beyoncé, who also broke records at Sunday’s ceremony, writing, “You won’t break my soul.” Adding: “I look forward to many more years of subversive behavior – pushing boundaries – standing up to the patriarchy – and above all enjoying my life.” Then she finished with another line from Bey: “Kow down you bitches!”
On stage on Sunday, Madonna began her introduction by saying, “Here’s what I’ve learned after four decades in music. If they call you shocking, outrageous, embarrassing, problematic, provocative or dangerous, you’re definitely onto something. thing.”
She continued, “I’m here to thank all the rebels, who are charting a new course and taking the heat for it all. All of you troublemakers should know that your fearlessness does not go unnoticed. You are seen, you are heard and, above all, you are appreciated.”
She ended with, “So now, speaking of controversy, it is with great pleasure that I present two incredibly talented artists who have risen above the noise, the doubt, the criticism into something beautifully ungodly. Here is two Grammy winners: Sam Smith and Kim Petras.”
For the music’s big night, Madonna was dressed in a long black slit skirt, black jacket, white shirt and tie – and she was carrying a riding crop. Her hair was styled in braids, accentuating her face. Social media was lit up with people making comments speculating about plastic surgery, pointing out exaggerated features and a wrinkle-free forehead. There were jokes about it being a Madonna impersonator, not the star, etc.
Madonna’s looks have been a talking point for years, as she’s been a superstar since the 80s and has been lauded for continually reinventing herself. she sparked a public dialogue in 2019 about whether she had implants behind it. Despite the gossip about her body, Madonna remains one of the best-selling artists of all time. Last month, she announced her retrospective Madonna: The Celebration Tour, which covers 40 years of his career. Tickets for the shows in New York, London and Paris sold out within minutes, with fans buying up to 600,000 tickets in a day.