stunning

Madonna surprised fans with something really beautiful at her Boston show last night

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Madonna
Madonna (Getty Images)

When Madonna launched her Celebration tour in London last year, her musical director, Stuart Price, told the BBC there would be little room for improvisation in the high-tech show. 

“Well, Madonna’s reputation is for being highly precise and highly rehearsed across all departments. When you look at a tour of this scale, it has so many moving parts, so many elements, that everything has to be highly fixed,” he said.

In short, she’ll be sticking close to the same setlist, matching up with the video elements of the show. 

However, she has surprised fans with a couple of curveballs. She included “I Love New York” in the opening segment of her New York show. Then, last night in Boston, she wowed the audience with an acoustic version of one of her best-loved hits. 

In one part of the show, Madonna performs an acoustic version of the Gloria Gaynor hit, “I Will Survive”. Last night at the first of two shows at TD Garden in Boston, she ditched that. Instead, she performed a beautiful, stripped-back version of “Express Yourself”. 

She began by talking about how happy she was to have four of her children accompanying her on the tour, and how much she had to be grateful for. She then spoke of the importance of chosen family, and how much she needed her fans. Madonna then asked them to turn on their camera torches, before she launched into the track. 

Watch below. 

Clips also popped up on X (formerly Twitter).

“Live To Tell”

With so many hits to her name, squeezing as many as possible into the Celebration tour has been a challenge. It features 25 full-length songs, with snatches of around a further 15 worked into it.

The show has received widespread praise. One particular part, where Madonna highlights friends she lost to AIDS while performing “Live To Tell”, moves many who see it. Even Elton John, who had a long-running feud with Madonna, complimented her on it, with a posting to his Instagram.

“​We’re deeply moved by the heartfelt tribute from @madonna during her Celebration Tour performance of “Live to Tell”, honoring the 40.4 million people we’ve lost to AIDS,” he said.

“Thank you, Madonna, for your advocacy and compassion, and for raising important awareness of the ongoing mission to end AIDS.”

Related:

Madonna recalls holding the hand of her best friend as he died from AIDS in the 80s

“I watched his spirit leave his body.”

Dusting off this haunting, long-forgotten ballad by Madonna 36 years after its release

On November 25, 1987–36 years ago today!–Madonna released “The Look of Love” as the third and final single from the “Who’s That Girl” soundtrack album.

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