So, in my last column ("Stupid, stupid, stupid... ") I defended Madonna on several fronts due to what, I felt, was a very stupid comment by a detractor. As a reminder, the defense came as a reaction to the following quote from The I Hate Madonna Board. Here is the quote once again: "Everything she did after the Like A Virgin album was irrelevant, because it was a media circus that fueled her after that, not any talent on her part or anything like that". My defenses centered mainly around the arguments that her 20+ year career had been built on a "media circus" and the talents of those around her, not her own. But, I didn't get much into the argument that Madonna's post-Like A Virgin work has been irrelevant. Why? Well, it just seemed like such an absurd comment that I didn't think it warranted a defense.

But... well... after I finished the last column, I was still irked (actually, very irked) about the "irrelevant" comment. I guess I still had a little bit of a chip on my shoulder still left, and it's time to get it off so to speak.

I remember during 1992, after the Erotica album and the now-infamous Sex book had been released, that everyone around me was calling Madonna a piece of trash. Now, in 1992 I was 14 years old, and it was my first year of High School (UGH, High School, my therapist has had a lot of fun exploring that issue, ha ha, but I digress). I was already at a very sensitive time in my adolescence, and the fact that my hero had become the woman that everyone threw stones at, made my first year in High School a very tough year. I could've easily just followed the lead and abandoned Madonna, but I knew deep in my heart that she was still the best thing out there, and that was why I continued to remain a fan and adamantly stood by her---despite the fact that all my peers now viewed her as the whore of the century. So, because of my defiance to follow the pack, I in turn was ridiculed for liking her (the names they would call me were not of the nicest kind I can assure you).

But, you see... even when everyone around me felt Madonna was a pile of shit, she still mattered and she was still relevant. Because, if Madonna didn't matter, and no one truly cared, then she would've simply been forgotten, similar to the likes of several other pop stars which had come before her (e.g. Paula Abdul, Culture Club, Duran Duran, Cindy Lauper). Even in the extreme hatred that was being spewed onto Madonna during that time, plenty of people still found the time to discuss just how much she no longer mattered. If she didn't matter anymore, why bother examining how insignificant she was? If she didn't matter anymore, why write countless articles about her lack of importance (e.g. US Magazine, Entertaintment Weekly)? If she didn't matter anymore, why publish a book about what you hate about Madonna (e.g. The I Hate Madonna Book). It seemed to me, doth protest too much.

We all pretty much know the facts about Ray of Light: Madonna's most successful studio album since 1989's Like A Prayer; went on to sell 15 million worldwide by the end of its run; won Madge four major Grammy awards in the U.S.; etc.---but what made Madonna matter was that the public and the pop culture world where recognizing Madonna as a musical force again. She had the sales, and critical acclaim to prove it, but more importantly, she had the sounds to confirm that she can still make a brilliant pop album. Tied into the album, was Madonna's image change to "the spiritual girl" as the press had begun to call her (due to the major spiritual themes going on in the album, as well as her public comments regarding her studying of the Kabbalah). Many of those little girls who had once emulated Madonna in her 80's heyday, but found it hard to relate to her in her hyper-sexuality of the early 90's, found themselves being able to relate to Madonna again. Many of them had grown up, had children, and found themselves asking the same questions Madonna had explored on her Ray of Light album: how am I going to raise my child? What do I believe in now? How does God/spirituality fit into my life? Have I made my peace with my past? Madonna's introspection allowed those who'd grown up with her to recognize that many of us were now adults asking bigger questions in life, and it allowed us to see Madonna as a more accessible human being.

And, when you think about it, Madonna's relevance in pop culture has been consistent since 1998, without really waning all that much. In 2000, Madonna released her Music album which marked Madonna's first #1 album in the U.S. since Like A Prayer back in 1989, and also want on to mark Madonna's 12th #1 single in the U.S. and her 10th #1 single in the U.K. The video for the 3rd single from this album, What It Feels Like For A Girl, caused such controversy, that it was banned from certain video music channels (including MTV in the U.S.). Apparently, those video channels felt that viewers would be incredibly uncomfortable and bothered by watching Madonna driving a car around and being hedonistic, disturbingly violent, and exploring the images and messages that society associates with women. A year later, Madonna launched the the Drowned World Tour which sold out in every single city it hit. Sound irrelevant? Hmmm... not to me, but maybe I'm just one of those crazy people who equates an artist that still can land successful albums, singles, tours, and make people talk about societal issues as being relevant.

I could skip the fiasco of American Life (circa 2003), and go on to the incredible success of Madonna's Confessions On A Dance Floor album and tour in 2005/2006---but the truth of the matter is that American Life actually further proved that Madonna remained a relevant force. How? Well, although it wasn't a successful album, the album had everyone talking. I recall seeing several different political critics commenting how Madonna was being thought of as anti-American because of the video, the images/messages of the album, and her interview statements. It's rather ironic when you think about it. Even though hardly anyone bought the album, everyone knew the album was coming out, and everyone had something to say about it. This, my friends, is not irrelevance, but quite the opposite. In fact, it further confirms just how important of a figure Madonna still is. When a pop artist has something to say, maybe you'll hear about it in certain publications, certain entertainment programs, or on the radio. But, when Madonna talks, it even reaches the social circles of U.S. politics. Madonna apparently pissed so many people off when she released the album, that the entire project was marked as doomsday by many. Buy Madonna=Buy Anti-American merchandise. Seems to that Madonna could still cause a strong reaction, although this time, the reaction didn't exactly help out her then-project.

This leads us to the current Madonna era. The numbers don't lie regarding the success of her last studio album (10 million sold worldwide thus far; winning both a Grammy and 2 Brit Awards in the U.K.; the kick-off single reaching #1 in 44 countries), and her latest world tour (setting both attendance and gross records worldwide)---but numbers aren't everything (Mariah Carey anyone?). It is the fact that Madonna had people dancing all over the world again with "Hung Up", and established another iconic Madonna image: super-fit, super-sexy, pink leotard/retro Madonna. Does the image have as deep of a meaning as prior images? Not really, but it doesn't matter. Madonna yet again confirmed that she can still influence the pop culture pendulum (even if it's by borrowing images from the past, although this is nothing new). More importantly, Madonna proved that even in her late 40's, she can still dance her ass off, as well as making you want to do the same. Madonna's athleticism and body discipline is a wonder of our times, and has inspired countless numbers of women across the world to recognize that they don't have to settle for the negative body mentality that tends to be associated with them (by society) in their 40's. Madonna, once again, is showing the way by example and is speaking loud and clear: "Come with me... " she says, and they continue to come.

So, here we are, in early 2007, with the Malawi adoption controversy of late 2006 still fresh in the public's mind. Remember the brouhaha over that one? Sheesh! And yet, some people, still try and convince me that Madonna is no longer relevant. Well, if she's so irrelevant, then why are you talking about her??? Why not just ignore her, and let her be? Because, the truth is, the best way to show someone they no longer make an impact, is to simply ignore them. But, yet, here we are in 2007... 23 years after the release of the Like A Virgin album and she's still on the television, still in magazines, still on the radio, still on the music charts, still on the tour circuit, and still on the tongues of the press, public, and critics. Irrelevant? What do you think?

---Cristian Gonzales

"cristian_nyc" on MadonnaTribe.

The Madonna Tribe Team welcomes longtime contributor and Community member Cristian Gonzales aka cristian_nyc as the brand new columnist and writer who will be sharing his thoughts, his emotions and his views about the lady we all love in his brand new space - "'Cause I Got Something To Say About It... "
Check out his first entry - "I had to let it happen / I had to change" - by clicking here, the second one - "Why didn't American Life work?" here, and his third one - "Supid, stupid, stupid... " - by clicking here.