Inside Madonna's Ambitious 'Madame X' Album Campaign

[steel 715]

A really interesting article from Billboard has just been published that provides a lot more detailed and concrete information about the album campaign, singles, and the concept behind it.

It confirms a lot of the rumours previously shared and discussed among members here, particularly around the journey-like, multi-continent global futuristic nature of the album - as stated by Mirwais before - and the dual market campaign: Medellin for the Latin market first, followed by Crave targeting the Anglophone market.  In the meantime, the plan is to release other promo songs, such as this Friday's I Rise.

I have highlighted some of the most relevant parts below.

 

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Inside Madonna's Ambitious 'Madame X' Album Campaign: Augmented Reality, Multiple Tracks, Tour Prep and TikTok

The Maluma collaboration has already been followed by “I Rise,” the theatrical solo song that closes out the Madame X track list and was unveiled on Friday (May 3). [...]

Next up is “Crave,” the combustible team-up with Swae Lee, on May 10; [...] after “Crave” comes “Future,” a Quavo collaboration that was also produced by Diplo, on May 17, and finally June 7 will bring “Dark Ballet,” one of the more multi-dimensional songs on the new album, according to President of Maverick Music Greg Thompson.

“[The album] is a journey, and there are a lot of chapters,”  [...] “In a world where we’re more song-driven than we’ve been in a long time as an industry, it became a real question and a challenge: How do we make sure that people really understand this album by the time it comes out, but still have songs that can be hit singles in certain areas?”

To that end, “Crave” with Swae Lee will become the de facto pop radio single upon its release, with an official music video to soon follow. Meanwhile, “Medellín” -- which received a global television launch across Viacom networks in April -- will continue being pushed in Latin markets. The decision to lead with “Medellín” instead of “Crave” came down to the belief that it was “the signature track to the body of work, and the right place to start telling the story” [...]

Above all, the rollout is designed to capture the multi-continent creation of Madame X, after Madonna relocated to Lisbon in 2017. “Crave” was one of the songs that was conceived in Portugal as the pop superstar started to focus on the follow-up to Rebel Heart, while other tracks -- which range in language, from English to Spanish to Portuguese -- were birthed in Colombia, Brazil and the States, among other locations.

So out of that 13-song track list, what do those five pre-release tracks represent to Madonna? “A little smorgasbord of delights,” she says with a wide smile. “Appetizers from around the world.”

Source:

Spoiler

https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8509948/madonna-madame-x-album-campaign-rollout

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A really strong and well thought out roll out plan, and I love the dual market release plan. So excited to what's to come and to hear Crave and Dark Ballet.  

[Yxcvbnm 839]

Can't wait, Lady Casino should release something too! 

[Stef 61,598]

Quite excited for this album tbh. I like both songs more than I thought I would, and that’s already a step up from Rebel Heart

[PunkTheFunk 124,469]

12 minutes ago, steel said:

Augmented Reality, Multiple Tracks, Tour Prep and TikTok

I can't wait to hear these tracks. Tour Prep sounds like a slow ballad.

[Maleficent 6]

really excited to hear Crave, and the “proper” mirwais tracks 

[BOMSHELL 2,708]

8 minutes ago, PunkTheFunk said:

I can't wait to hear these tracks. Tour Prep sounds like a slow ballad.

Papa don’t preach

I’m on PrEP

[steel 715]

8 minutes ago, PunkTheFunk said:

I can't wait to hear these tracks. Tour Prep sounds like a slow ballad.

And TikTok seems a great title for  a song that introduces my new fave - Madame X, the accordion player! 

 

[illySpencer 1,434]

Her first live of Medellin is very insane ! Use the augmented reality is a very good idea ! She used is with perfection, no matter what the others said, it's clearly genius. She proves that she still can have good ideas. 

 

PS : Why GaGa never used it ? 

[RoverLoader 1,254]

Really interested to hear this crave. 

[Xoxo Adriana 15,040]

2 hours ago, ropi said:

Can't wait, Lady Casino should release something too! 

thats madonnanation language

[Xoxo Adriana 15,040]

2 hours ago, illySpencer said:

Her first live of Medellin is very insane ! Use the augmented reality is a very good idea ! She used is with perfection, no matter what the others said, it's clearly genius. She proves that she still can have good ideas. 

 

PS : Why GaGa never used it ? 

there was a rumour going back in 2016 before her Grammy performance that she was gonna collaborate with intel on holograms of David bowie, in my opinion the Medellin performance was the Bowie performance Gaga should've done but never did...

[MessyTop 14,389]

Interesting , wished we had Crave as the first single. 

Medellin still seems so out of wack even for Madonna. 

[shoful 13,304]

GOD I CANNOT TELL U HOW EXCITED I AM FOR THIS ALBUM. THE PROMO, PERFORMANCES, LOOKS AND MUSIC HAVE BEEN OUT OF THIS WORLD. 

This truly is a futuristic global pop masterpiece 

[RoverLoader 1,254]

8 minutes ago, GagainsiderNYC said:

Interesting , wished we had Crave as the first single. 

Medellin still seems so out of wack even for Madonna. 

What makes you say that? I mean It wouldn't be my fav but I think it's a much better lead single than the last 2 albums.

[MessyTop 14,389]

4 minutes ago, RoverLoader said:

What makes you say that? I mean It wouldn't be my fav but I think it's a much better lead single than the last 2 albums.

Cause most of her fans here in the US gave up on Medellin the day it came out. It sold 5000 copies the first week. Let’s say we didn’t embrace it.