Bow down, haters, Madonna has reclaimed her throne as the eternal Queen of Pop (not to imply she ever relinquished it) with her stirring performance of the anthemic “Living for Love” at the 2015 Grammy Awards Sunday evening. After flashing her impeccably-toned ass on the red carpet, the 56-year-old entertainer donned a red matador-themed outfit backed by dancers sporting Maleficent-style horned headpieces to perform the first single, a certain club hit with a sing-along chorus, from her upcoming Rebel Heart album. Madonna and company had the celeb-filled crowd (we see you, Taylor Swift!) on their feet, clapping and dancing along.
Watch her Majesty perform below and check out her official video here.
Don't forget to share:
Lazycrockett
You obviously didn’t stick around to watch Annie Lennox belt it out like the true diva.
not a clone
NO!
Blackceo
Nope!!!!!
Tiggerboi26
@Lazycrockett: ROFLAO speaking of a true hasbeen
Uppity
Madonna couldn’t quite carry it off .. some of her moves looked stiff. But Annie Lennox .. wow, that was an honest, committed performance. No fillers, botox or flesh baring, just the pure truth of a woman who’s 60 and at peace with being older. The complete lack of artifice was inspiring and refreshing. I will say in defence of Madonna though that she sells out stadiums with her style of performance and she put the brand vividly on show at the Grammys. It’s what the diehard fans want, and she’s made it clear that is what they’ll get when she next goes on tour. But if you’re not a diehard fan, well best to just listen to one of her albums.
Bob LaBlah
I some times can’t believe it has been twenty-five years since her last blockbuster hit Vogue. She now looks just as desperate as Jennifer Lopez for attention. That was also lip sung. She needs to go sit her old rich duff down.
jjose712
@Bob LaBlah: You don’t follow the charts my friend, she had her last number one in 2000 with music, and her last top 10 in 2008 with 4 minutes.
Even her biggest hit single Take a bow was after Vogue
demented
Annie Lennox ruled it all. She didn’t need to flop around half naked or rely on props. She just has a beautiful voice and a beautiful face, and she was rocking the stage because she has all the charisma.
buffnightwing
Oldonna is getting tired. She doesn’t know how to tone it down. Why can’t she just try to do something classic and elegant? so sad.
Annie Lennox album is worth buying guys. I’ve been listening to it all month.
jjose712
Anyway, i find weird this site decides to remark Madonna’s performance (i know she has a lot of fans) when the winner of the night is openly gay
jason smeds
Madonna stole the Grammys? LOL. Talk about misguided female worship. It just goes to show that there are still some gay men who worship women no matter how badly they lip-sync. Must be a form of psychological projection from gay men’s tendency to worship miming drag queens.
Oh, and yes, there was an openly gay man called Sam Smith who won 4 Grammys and actually sang live without the need for distracting dancers. He is the person we should be applauding, and not some talent-free bimbo with half her boobs showing.
Ladbrook
The woman is pushing 60 and she can STILL do THAT! Wow. She was great, and I can’t understand why so many hate-posts. I’ll assume most are from under-30 twinks with no real memory of Madonna, or over-50 hags who are jealous of her. Oh well.
jason smeds
Ladbrook,
If you want to worship Madonna’s boobs, go right ahead.
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
Gotta hand it to ole gal she really pulled it outta the colostomy bag…there were moments she made me believe we were back in her glory days. I wish her one last glorious indian summer; then she should hang up her gloves.
southamerican87
A lot of guys my age will either call her old or a has-been. Most of those guys are still checking for Britney so to be a hypocrite is in their nature.
I like the fact that Madonna still has the fire to perform and kick ass when literally no other pop star besides Beyonce tries. Her ambition is admirable. However, my problem with Madonna has been her music, it is truly embarrassing to watch her try to sell something that’s just not suitable for her age.
Her problem is the same as any gay man with a fascination for youth. You are so fixated on staying current that you end up looking like a tired fool. I don’t understand why she doesn’t go towards a more adult contemporary sound album like Ray of Light or Bedtime Stories? This music is just not working, the demographic she’s desperate to get will just not buy it. She’s the Fiona Goode of music and clings on to whatever is popular at the time. working with producers who arent just selling hot beats, go back to William Orbit or Stuart Price but Diplo – really? Hasnt done anything since MIA released Kala.
The Living for Love video is gorgeous in cinematography, but I can’t get behind this song, not when her catalogue includes some of the most powerfully written ballads there js. Miles Away being her last good one.
The end product is this performance. Tired, stiff and awkward.
Realitycheck
Great show, like her or not you have to give her that, everything was
simply spectacular, and she has a better body then most kids in their 20s and that
takes lots of work.
Everybody in the grammy theater stood up and danced with her, with smiling faces.
Madonna knows how to entertain and that is what this is all about.
Also kudos for singing live, it is very hard to dance and sing at the same time,
but she did it.
southamerican87
Disagree reality check, i thought this was a terrible performance. I love watching Madonna perform. MDNA was the last concert of hers I went to and I still get chills thinking about it (Girl Gone Wild performance have me life!!!)
This on the other hand was really stiff, not her best at all, something was off. She rehearsed a lot too but the dancing was mediocre for Madonna. or I really just hate this basic song.
jason smeds
Madonna sang live? LOL. To me, it looked as if she had pre-recorded her vocal the day before. Talent-free bimbos often do this because it’s too tiring to gyrate and vocalize at the same time.
Oh, and why was she performing at the Grammys? She wasn’t nominated. I thought the Grammys were supposed to be about nominated artists. You have to wonder if she or her record label paid the organizers to allow her to perform on the show.
And as for the idea that Madonna is gay-friendly, puh-lease. Only deluded gay guys on crystal meth still believe this. The fact is this bitch has been doing business in some of the most homophobic countries on Earth, such as Mali in Africa.
southamerican87
@Jason smeds – she’s releasing an album and was there promoting it. You don’t always have to be a nominee to perform at awards shows.
And define doing business in Mali? Do you mean Malawi?
BJ McFrisky
“Don’t forget meeeeeeeeeeeeee!”
lykeitiz
As a long-term Madonna devotee, I watch her every move these days with trepidation.
@southamerican87: Saying that something isn’t suitable for someone’s age is just ageism, plain & simple. However, I very much agree with you that her catalog has some great ballads in it, yet all she’s been promoting with her last few albums are these club tracks. She has the creative range to make a “show” out of many different genre’s of music, yet she keeps cranking out these generic dance songs. I love seeing her over-the-top dance productions, but you are right, a little bit of “less is more” would go a long way with her right now.
erikwm
She should have sang “Ghosttown.” That’s the song she should be promoting.
Desert Boy
Madge “Stole” the Grammys? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Try, Annie Lennox, Beyonce, and even Katie Perry, for incredible Grammy performances.
They stood out as highlights. Watching the bacchanal dancers toss Madonna around, well I don’t mean to throw shade but, it looked like they were throwing around somebody’s grandmother.
dhmonarch89
every live feed I saw said Annie Lennox killed it- wasn’t much about Madonna beyond her costume that was mentioned.
Aries3dc
Madonna will always be judged by her previous work, and not in comparison to her peers. That’s the price for her level of stardom. When you consider she is almost 60 and promoting her 13th studio album, that performance is worthy of the Hall of Fame. But given how great some of her previous performances have been — it’s just too high a level of expectation to match time and again.
Annie Lennox was great. And Sam Smith had a great night winning Grammys. But it would be unfair to both of them to compare them to Madge. Love her or hate her, Madonna has no equal when it comes to stagecraft and performance art. Annie has a much better voice than Madonna, and nobody ever suggested otherwise.
NoCagada
@jason smeds: ” It just goes to show that there are still some gay men who worship women no matter how badly they lip-sync. Must be a form of psychological projection from gay men’s tendency to worship miming drag queens”
You really love to generalize. don’t you, son? Because, we all know, “I’M NOT ONE OF THOSE HOMOSEXUALS!”
bottom72
I love her performance I cheered and cried when she was on. Sweethearts to me the woman can do no wrong.
man5996853
Madonna is a talented self-promoter. She is a genius when it comes to surrounding herself with the best of producers and music makers. She couldn’t sing herself out of a paper bag…the background singers drowned out her wafer-thin, off-tune voice. She’s the queen of pop as much as Sarah Palin is the Queen of the intellectuals.
Caine
@Aries3dc: Thank you – you pretty much hit the nail on the head.
Annie Lennox killed it.
Making comparisons between her and Madonna is like comparing apples and oranges.
I really like LIVING FOR LOVE. I was thrilled by the video. The video is awesome.
I agree with the person above who said something was off.
I actually think it was under-rehearsed or maybe Madge just got nervous behind all her bravado.
There were also – in my opinion – a couple of missteps. She looks great and all but I don’t get the pop stars in their panties outfits much less on a 56 year old. Also if the red stage riser she was on was a little lower she would have had coverage from the 20+ hunks that were dancing around her.
She was singing live to pre-recorded tracks of her singing.
That is EXACTLY what Katy Perry did at the Super Bowl. It’s not that uncommon for performers who are dancing their asses off.
I’m excited for the new album.
odawg
Madonna’s performance was many things, but it WAS NOT riveting. That honor is reserved for Annie Lennox. That woman sang her face off and also gave a performance.
Sweet Boy
I saw Madonna and was left with the impression she has arthritis…maybe she does..other than that, having a choir singing for you and dancers is costumes is not stealing the show…Maybe Ms. Ciccone can take a few lessons from Annie Lennox…the real Diva
odawg
@jason smeds: You really need to find something else to occupy your time. You make a habit of posting generalizations or misinformation to try to make your points. It just makes you look ignorant. I know you may not know much about the continent of Africa, but Mali is a completely different country than MALAWI.
bottom250
Leave Maddona Alone,
Please,
Leave Maddona Alone,
Leave Maddona Alone,
Doughosier
Nobody would be criticizing Madonna is she weren’t still trying to sell sex. I’m sure nobody complained when Ella Fitzgerald was in her late 50’s but she was gyrating around in her underwear.
Doughosier
I mean she wasn’t…
McShane
@jason smeds:
Jesus F-ing Christ, Jason. Doing business in mali? Its called Raising Malawi, they help orphans. She is literally building a hospital to help save the lives of an estimated 2.4 million children in need of immediate medical attention.
How you have not been banned from this site is beyond me. I want you to look up Raising Malawi, read about what Madonna has done for that country, and come back in here and fucking apologize for being an uneducated, know it all, ass faced, lying scumbag. How are you so dumb?
lykeitiz
It’s funny how many people here are criticizing Madonna while praising Annie Lennox. Yes, Lennox’s voice and stage presence were strong, as she sang that COVER SONG. Lennox’s last disc of original material was in 2007! This new disc is remakes & the one before that was a Christmas album. Not to mention she’s the pop equivalent of Sting, walking away from a once-great band.
Madonna on the other hand continues to make new music and tour, quite successfully.
Get a grip folks.
Bob LaBlah
@jjose712: Go on. Go on. Please explain why I hear Vogue more often than whatever the name of that song and album you mentioned? Walk up to anyone who has heard of her, ask them the name of the song they most remember that she made, and I bet Vogue will come up the winner.
I like her because she is the type who will do whatever it takes to keep her name out there, regardless of the fact she does not need the money. As I said, she needs to go sit down and be happy with how her career went instead of trying to figure out some anti-climatic way to ruin it. Sex does sell as long as the public is turned on to what they are seeing. Her days are GONE. I mean really, it was so OBVIOUS she lip sang that song. When a costume gets more attention that the song itself it sounds like the song ain’t nothing to write home to momma about.
robho3
@jjose712: Totally agree jjose!!
BrandonB
WOW! Once again the queen does it. Blew me away. She had everyone on their feet there, and the crowd never looked like they were having more fun. Glad to see it burning up the charts today! Long live the Queen!
jar
Post a clip when she actually sings live. That would be interesting to see. Of course, I won’t hold my breath because I don’t think she’s sung live since that horrible thing on MTV where she was singing, I believe, in the old Virgin store in Times Square. That was a hoot.
MarionPaige
LAVISH is the word to describe Madonna’s Grammy performance. Madonna’s performance highlighted the Privileges of being a seasoned, rich Performer in that, ( a ) she showed no nervousness whatsoever; ( b ) she probably spent 50 times more on the production than what she was paid by Grammy (if anything) to perform. It’s like Madonna’s Superbowl show. Madonna had to have spent more to produce the performance than she was paid to perform. How many “new” performers can afford to out lavish Madonna? Not many. And as far as “recorded music goes”. When a performer dances as much as Madonna, if she was singing live, you’d probably only hear static and the mike rubbing against her face and clothing. THIS SAID
I can only wonder what “THE KIDS” thought of Madonna’s performance. Her performance seemed to hit on “notes” that an older audience would appreciate.
Sweet Boy
@lykeitiz: You forget one detail…Annie Lennox has written and composed most of her music as a solo artist and with Eurythmics…Madonna, I doubt it..not to mention that Madonna has had her flops along her career, not only as a singer but also as a actress and movie director
martymart
@jar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGgQJf4GrhY
at the oscar
martymart
@jar: MDNA tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtHBwZykkOE
odowd4sure
To quote the reviewer, “After flashing her impeccably-toned ass on the red carpet”, REALLY? I don’t know what you consider IMPECCABLY-TONED but if her ass is, then I am extremely toned, and I am NOT! Her ass was flabby as all get out, I have it on dvr and I played it back and paused it over and over just to verify after reading your review and sadly you are mistaken. Her ass is just as firm as her lyrics ans just as firm as her talent, which is not firm since she does not write her own music or songs! All the concepts for her videos are stolen ideas from other artists, she took the idea of minotaurs from two other artists who were on tour last year and their dancers wore the same costumes, get a clue and an original idea! Boring, been there, stole that! Time to let it go, and time for you to go!
odowd4sure
Also, since nobody is talking about the hooker in the room (Madge), I will… what is up with her top lip these days? Ala Pete Burns???? Too mush silicone in the lip? It is obvious that all that plastic surgery on her jacked up face is also in her lips, which is sad because these bitchy queens keep crying and screaming “ageism” but Vadge is perpetuating it by not aging gracefully and trying to look younger than her 76 years. In reality, all she has done by getting the back alley bootleg discount plastic surgery is manage to make herself look older, look at her hands when she is not hiding them with gloves, they show her true age of 76 years. She is not fooling anyone. Only the tree surgeon knows for sure so why don’t we cut into her and count the rings?
ChgoReason
Madonna was just embarrassing. How much longer could she keep up with the skank schtick? Dude, just give it up.
lykeitiz
@Sweet Boy: Madonna is credited as co-writer on almost all of her biggest hits. How much she actually contributed is just speculation, unless you have inside knowledge. As for you pointing out her failures as an actress and director, I might agree, but as they say: “At least she tried”. I don’t seem to remember any movies starring or being directed by Annie Lennox.
Sweet Boy
@lykeitiz: Well, Annie Lennox appeared in a couple of movies, in one she had a short participation and in the other she appears singing, the difference is that La Lennox knows what her talents are, she knows she`s a singer, and a composer and she sticks to it, she doesn’t have to be trying things to stay relevant or to prove herself, she knows what she’s good at and that’s where she focus her efforts and her work, no need for Annie Lennox trying to be a movie director or an actress and sucking at it…like a certain “singer” I know, whose name begins with a M and hails from Michigan
BitterOldQueen
Seriously? Stole the show? Rousing? How about irrelevant, outdated, recycled, and a little sad–those are far more appropriate words to describe the performance, the song, and the performer. Not hating; just done.
lykeitiz
@Sweet Boy: I guess you can either admire the tenacity of a singer like Madonna who continuously tries new things and gets back up even when she fails, consistently puts out new material, tours to support her new material, OR…you can admire someone like Annie Lennox, who as you put it, doesn’t need to try new things to prove herself or stay relevant. Since she hasn’t put out a CD/Album of new material since 2007 and her Grammy performance was of an old classic, I guess that couldn’t be more true. If she knows what she’s good at, then she should “focus her efforts” like you said.
jar
@martymart: Thanks. That was a hoot. Look at how nervous she is. That’s because she’s afraid she won’t remain on key, which of course she fails to do. And that song has an incredibly small range. She’s a mess.
Caine
The Huffington Post has done a great article on Madonna’s performance and how much people have done exactly what many did here – compare Annie Lennox to Madonna at The Grammy’s. I don’t know if this site will let me include a link to it but I will try. Whether you are pro or anti Madonna or had the need to compare her to Annie. It’s a great thought provoking read.
Madonna, Annie Lennox and ‘Acting Your Age’
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/keo-nozari/madonna-annie-lennox-acti_b_6652674.html
nolaboy
Girl, she served up some Lili Von Shtupp realness and pulled it off flawlessly! Gotta love her!
ibernard
Who’s Madonna?
Pulled it off at the Grammys?
Without even trying: Annie Lennox.
And, plus or minus a few, she and Madonna have been around for the same length of time.
When Madonna hits the stage, she’s choreographed.
When Annie hits the stage, I wait for the moment when she is overcome by whatever emotion matches the song she is singing.
Madonna can be counted on to give the same performance or show repetitively all over the world.
With Annie? There’s just this wonderful, benevolent spirit…but to be honest, she’s thinking of retiring because she’s happy now? ANNIE. ANNIE. ANNIE. I understand the depression and creativity relationship, but think your legion of fans who will be happy you’re happy, but miserable because you have a wealth of talent and we’re willing to wait 10 years between discs. Don’t forget us, Annie.