NEWS - FEBRUARY 2006 « February (part I) - News index - March (part I) »

28 February - Americans don't feel Sorry Hi Keith, If Madonna's new single Sorry is dominating the charts overseas then how come I haven't heard about it in the United States? It's not on the charts (except on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play and Hot Dance Radio Airplay lists), and it's not being played on the radio. The only place I find it playing is on MTV. How come U.S. radio stations are not playing it? Thank you! Shant Megerdichian Glendale, Calif. Hello Shant, Sorry, the second single from Madonna's Confessions on a Dance Floor, is indeed a huge hit across Europe. It debuted at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart where it is the diva's 12th titled to top the chart. That's more than any other female. Sorry also dominates the radio airwaves in Europe and is inescapable on music video channels. So why hasn't Sorry exploded in America? Chalk it up to different tastes. Right now, hip-hop and rhythmic songs dominate American radio. A big dance track like Sorry has an uphill battle. Couple that with the fact that some radio programmers may perceive Madonna as too old for their listeners, and you have two strikes against the song. Don't write off Sorry just yet though. It's still gaining at radio, but just not at a very fast pace. Hung Up, the album's first single, was a moderate hit on the radio. But with its healthy digital and physical single sales, it climbed all the way to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Because of growing digital sales and radio play for Sorry, I expect it will debut on the Hot 100 this week. It may also see a spike next week once the Feb. 28 release of the CD maxi and 12" vinyl singles impact the chart. One can take solace in the fact that Sorry recently reached No. 1 on MTV's daily viewer-voted countdown show "TRL." (source: Billboard) 27 February - New avatars Check out our new avatar galleries in the Mad-Goodies section. There are some great avatars from the Sorry video, as well as Madonna's performance with the Gorillaz at the 2006 Grammy Awards. Thx to Tony for yet another fantastic job on graphics for this site! 27 February - Jump still scheduled as next single According to the UK release schedule, Jump is still planned as third single from COADF, although no exact release date has been set yet. 27 February - New posters at Fanfire Check out the three new Madonna posters at Fanfire, that were released in conjunction with the release of the Sorry single. One of them features the beautiful single cover, with the picture of Marcin Kokowski that was discovered by Madonna on this fansite [read here]. The two other posters has a picture from the photo shoot of Elle Magazine. 26 February - Madonna gets her 12th #1 in the UK! Sorry, the second single from the album Confessions On A Dance Floor debuts at #1 in the UK, earning her twelfth number one single in the country! This is the first time that more than one single from the same album tops the chart since 1986's mega-successful True Blue. Now Madonna has 12 #1 singles in both the US and UK, unmatched by any other female artist. Congratulations Madonna! (Meanwhile, Hung Up spends its 16th week in the top 20 at #20, while the album stays still at #11.) 24 February - Sorry in the charts Great news! After four days, the Sorry video already made it to #1 on TRL yesterday! Keep voting so it stays there! Meanwhile, Sorry holds on to #1 in the Billboard Hot Dance Airplay chart for a 3rd week, and it rises to #6 in the Hot Dance / Club Play. In the French charts it debuted at #66. In the Belgian Ultratop it debuted at #30 in Flanders and at #16 in Wallonia (Hung Up is at #10 in Flanders and at #7 in Wallonia). 23 February - Madonna to hit small venues for 'intimate' Confessions Tour Madonna plans to hit the clubs for her upcoming summer tour, because according to her tour director, it wouldn't be the disco queen's kind of dance floor if it weren't a bit confessional too. "A typical Madonna show is quite produced," said Jamie King, who has been the creative director for Madonna's last two tours. "She likes things large, she likes things theatrical, but this time, being that [Confessions on a Dance Floor] is an intimate album, we want to try to make people have an intimate experience as well as a big produced theatrical experience. So look for us doing some small venues, some smaller venues." "Originally, I had the idea that I wanted to do a little bit of everything," Madonna said. "Small places like Roseland [in New York] and the Wiltern [in Los Angeles] and then sports arenas, and then stadiums. Keeps me from getting bored." To achieve the intimacy and stave off that boredom, Madonna will have to be able to get close to everyone, so the tour is also going to be more interactive. "I would like to put her as close to her people - her fans, her dancers, her fellow supporters - as possible," King said. While that effect was achieved via the pit and the catwalk on her Reinvention Tour, don't expect Madonna to merely reinvent that tour and trot out all the hits. The set list has been confirmed, King said, and it's definitely Confessions-heavy, with "some familiar faces" popping up from the past two dance-themed videos, Hung Up and Sorry. That said, there will be a few yet-to-be-revealed fan favorites on the set list as well. "Listen, I love old Madonna songs - I don't know one person who doesn't," King said. "But we want to focus mainly on this album. I think people love it and they want to hear it, so expect a lot of the songs from Confessions on a Dance Floor." The tour will start in May in Los Angeles and continue through the summer and most of September, Madonna said, "and then the kids go back to school!" She plans to hit the U.S., Europe and Asia. Tour dates have yet to be announced, but rehearsals begin March 1. (source: VH1) 23 February - Interview with Madonna's Oxygen Facialist Michelle Peck Everyone knows that Madonna has beautiful skin! Lately our favorite fair skinned diva has been letting the public in on one of her beauty secrets! Madonna has become so fond of her Oxygen Treatments that she keeps an oxygen machine in each of her homes, she told Harpar's Bazaar Magazine. Madonna.com sat down with Madonna's personal Oxygen Treatment Facialist to find out more about this fountain of youth! Madonna.com: What is an O2 Intraceutical Oxygen Treatment? Michelle Peck: The 02 Intraceutical Treatment is what I give to Madonna when I give her what is commonly known as an oxygen facial. The treatment reduces the appearance of fine lines, improves skin tone and provides an instant firming and lift by using hyperbaric technology to saturate the skin with oxygen and infuse a rejuvenating hyaluronic acid serum. Madonna.com: How does a Intraceutical Oxygen Treatment work and what does it accomplish. Michelle Peck: I begin each treatment with a product from our line called Atoxlene, it is our natural solution to fine lines, made of hexapeptides and amino acids, I infuse it into Madonna's skin using hyperbaric technology which is simply oxygen applied under pressure. I concentrate the treatment around the eyes, the nasal labial fold and between the eyebrows. Then I move on to our infamous rejuvenating treatment which leaves the skin completely hydrated, plumped, glowing, tightened and lifted ready for the application of make-up. While Madonna takes exceptional care of her porcelain skin, I always recommend this treatment before & after air travel as it can be so dehydrating. Madonna.com: How did you and the oxygen system come to work with Madonna? Gina Brooke is Madonna's make-up artist and is known to use the best and most innovative products on the market. Gina discovered, after intensive research, O2 Intraceuticals is unlike any other oxygen skin treatment existing today. Gina believes taking care of one's skin is the foundation to beautiful make-up. Gina introduced me and the Hyperbaric Oxygen Technology to Madonna, who has been a devoted fan of the treatment ever since! For more information on O2 Intraceuticals Oxygen Treatments go to www.intraceuticals.com (source: Madonna.com) 23 February - Madonna voted as Sexiest Female Madonna has shown that she still has it by beating off rock's young upstarts to the title of Sexiest Female. Voters in the ShockWaves NME Awards 2006 have crowned the Queen Of Pop as the most desirable woman in Rock'N'Roll. The Subways' bassist Charlotte Cooper, The Long Blondes' frontwoman Kate Jackson, Be Your Own Pet's Jemima Pearl and Meg White were also nominated in the hotly contested category. (source: NME) 23 February - Sorry single review Madonna returns with her stunning new single Sorry on Warner Bros Records. The second track to be taken from her critically acclaimed, million-selling album Confessions On A Dance Floor, it follows the international Number 1 smash hit Hung Up and is undoubtedly one of the stand-out tracks from the LP. Written and produced by Madonna and Stuart Price, Sorry purrs addictively with its electric glow and powerful discotheque grip. Released on three formats, it will be available on 2-track CD, Maxi CD and DVD. The 2-track and Maxi CD feature exclusive remixes of the album track Let It Will Be which was recorded at her incredible live show at London's KOKO in November. Confessions On A Dance Floor is one of the best-selling and celebrated LPs of the year. It has sold a stunning 1 million copies since its release in November, reaching Number 1 in twenty-nine countries and is already certified triple platinum. Madonna is officially the most successful international female solo artist in the world, ever. Her global album sales have reached 200 million, while she has had 58 Top Ten UK hit singles including 11 Number 1s, 9 Number 1 albums and spent 2000 combined weeks on the UK charts. In America she holds the record for 27 consecutive Top 20 entries by a female artist and 16 successive Top 5s, plus a dozen Number 1s - ten of which she wrote. (source: UK-flava) 23 February - Madonna shocked by attack on illustrator Madonna says she is devastated by an attack on the illustrator who drew pictures for her book. The Hung Up singer employed Jeffrey Fulvimari to illustrate her book The English Roses. He was attacked outside a nightclub on Sunday, and suffered multiple skull fractures, including a broken eye socket. Madonna's spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg told the New York Daily News: "She was very devastated at the news. It was shocking news. She's very fond of Jeffrey … and she will be reaching out to be him." (source: Digital Spy) 23 February - BBC blasted for Madonna's Live 8 profanity The BBC has been chastised by the UK media regulator for broadcasting profanity and offensive language from artists including Madonna, Green Day and Snoop Dogg during last summer's Live 8 concert. Ofcom criticised the BBC's failure to use a standard delay to filter out offensive language during the event, which gathered more than a billion people in cities across the world to pressure rich nations to do more for the poor. It said the broadcaster "should have anticipated an audience for this event which would include a significant number of children." Madonna opened her performance with an expletive and a user of the BBC Web site later wrote in the Live 8 comments section: "I would have liked my 7-year-old to see a piece of history in the making, however I do not want her to think that swearing is the way to ending poverty." The BBC told the regulator it regretted any offence caused to viewers, "particularly the stream of expletives and racist terms used by the act Snoop Dogg," one of the world's most famous rappers. The broadcaster noted that the event was billed as a live concert, and that any delay was forbidden under its contract with organisers. (source: Yahoo!) 23 February - Madonna shirts during D&G fashion show Seems Madonna's fashion friends are helping her promote her new single. During a fashion show in Milan this past monday, where the Dolce&Gabbana's youth line fashion collection for the Autumn/Winter 2006/2007 were presented, a model wore a T-shirt with an image of Madonna (from the Sorry video). 20 February - Rumoured tour dates *rumour* The Madonna blog of madonnattitude (thx to MIR for the link) has assembled the following RUMOURED tour dates: JUNE: 2-3: Los Angeles - "Dodger’s Stadium" 9-10: Chicago - "Soldier’s Field" 16-17: Boston - "Fenway Park" 22-23-25-27-29: New York - "Shea Stadium" JULY: 3-4-7: Detroit - "Ford Field" AUGUST: Aug.: Europe 22 Aug.: France: Paris - "Stade de France" SEPTEMBER: 26 Sept.: Brazil: Rio De Janeiro - "Stade Maracana" End Sept. (or early Oct.): Austalia These dates are far ffrom being confirmed. Meanwhile, online ticket broker are Krystals Box Office mentions the following "pre-book" dates (= unconfirmed) for the Madonna tour (which conflict with the dates mentioned above - so don't book anything yet before we get an official confirmation!): 28th June 2006 (Provisional Date): Murrayfield 3rd July 2006 (Provisional Date): City of Manchester Stadium 6th July 2006 (Provisional Date): Wembley Stadium 19th July 2006 (Provisional Date): Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 20 February - Arthur to premiere at Cannes Exciting news are coming from France regarding a Madonna related project. According to several sources, Luc Besson's film Arthur and the Minimoys featuring Madonna as the speaking voice of Selena will have its world premiere at this year's Cannes film festival. Luc is apparently working hard ont he film to have it ready for the 59th Festival de Cannes that will be held from May 17 to May 28. In other "Arthur news", the first theatrical teaser will premiere before the end of this month in France. The special effects are done by the French wizards at BUF Compagnie (who did the Love Profusion video). (source: MadonnaTribe) 20 February - 'White van man' disco for Madonna It is not often you can claim that Madonna, queen of pop, has sat in the back of your van but for one south Wales businessman it has come true. Shaun Woodford, who runs a customised car firm near Pontypridd, was asked to build a luxury van interior for the singer's latest video. For £21,000, he transformed the back of "battered white van" into a "70s nightclub on wheels". It is featured in Madonna's video for her new single Sorry. Mr Woodford said that when the request first came through for the van to be transformed complete with pink neon lights, lilac shag pile carpets and mirror disco balls, he thought it was a joke. "We weren't sure what to think at first!" he said. "And it was only when we got the go ahead, that we knew it was for Madonna's video." Mr Woodford and staff at AB Styling Ltd had just a week to kit out the back of a "beat up old van with dents and bumps and with 200,000 miles on the clock" into a 70s nightclub. "Everything we needed had to be ordered in and there was a couple of moments where I thought it was going to be touch and go, but we did manage it." Mr Woodford delivered the van to the location of the video and spent the week on set. "I saw Madonna passing loads of times but I didn't get to speak to her because she was surrounded by make up girls and body guards," said Mr Woodford. And although he doesn't star in the video, Mr Woodford did drive the van in some of the shots. "It was a brilliant experience and by far the biggest job we've ever done - you can't get bigger than Madonna," he added. MTV are screening the makeover of the van in a programme on Sunday called Pimp My Ride, ahead of the single's release on Monday. What the van features: Lilac leather couches Shag pile carpet Fake dark purple snakeskin wallpaper Mirror disco ball Pink neon lights (source: BBC) Check fansite madonna-tv to download yesterday's Pimp My Ride episode. You can also still download videos from the Brit Awards and the Grammies. 20 February - Madonna fine after hernia operation Madonna has revealed she is fine after her recent hernia operation. The sexy singer, who was named Best International Female at Wednesday night's (15.02.06) Brit awards, had the ailment corrected at a Los Angeles hospital last week. The 47-year-old is believed to have injured herself after contorting her body into a variety of unusual positions while practicing dance routines. Madonna insists the surgery was a complete success and says she is now fit and ready to get on the road for her forthcoming world tour. She said: "It hasn't hurt me at all I just decided to take care of it, because I'm about to go on tour again and, you know, I don't like having holes in stomach." However, despite insisting she is fine, the pop diva's friends are reportedly worried she is taking her punishing exercise regime too far - and are convinced she is jeopardizing her health. One pal told America's New York Post newspaper: "She looks way too thin. It's scary. Everyone around her is buzzing that she's working herself right into exhaustion." (source: Muzi) 20 February - Elton John offered Madonna marriage advice Sir Elton John has reportedly offered Madonna and Guy Ritchie marriage advice - amid claims their relationship is on the rocks. The pop legend fears the pair may split if they don't start to accept each other's busy careers. Elton's partner, David Furnish, is quoted in Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper as saying: "Elton and I have spoken to Madonna plenty of times lately. She and Guy are close friends of ours. "They both need to concentrate on their careers if they want their relationship to work. Elton and I completely understand. But if they neglect that, their relationship will inevitably disintegrate." Film producer David added: "We're there for Madonna as friends. I absolutely admire her. We both do." Madonna and Guy have been plagued by rumors they are on the verge of splitting, amid rumors the singer's "close working relationship" with music producer Stuart Price was putting a strain on her marriage to the "Snatch" director. Speculation intensified after Madonna apparently snubbed Guy during her acceptance speech at the Brit Awards this week. The pop queen scooped the accolade for Best International Female and thanked everyone but her husband while on stage. (source: Muzi) 20 February - Madonna addicted to oxygen machine Madonna has purchased oxygen machines for each one of her homes, to help her boost her energy levels and combat jet-lag. The singer originally bought the machines to give herself oxygen facials, which help her maintain a porcelain doll-like complexion. After indulging in the facials for over a year, she discovered other uses for the machine. She explains, "You can also take the oxygen machine and inhale if you're feeling really tired or jet-lagged, which is one of the reasons I have them at home. "You just lie down for 10 minutes and put it in your nose. They are really great." (source: Launch) 20 February - Madonna blasts London congestion charge Superstar Madonna has blasted London Mayor Ken Livingston for his plans to extend the vehicle congestion charge into her local area. Drivers currently pay GBP8 a day to drive into central London, and from February 2007, the zone will extend west - covering Madonna and husband Guy Ritchie's residence in the capital. Backstage at the Brit Awards following her win for International Female Solo Artist last week, a tipsy Madonna said, "I won an award and I'm a bit drunk on champagne. "I'm p**sed off about the congestion charge. It's ridiculous. I live there and I gotta pay." Madonna admits she is repeatedly fined for driving in the congestion charges, because she refuses to give her address and phone details when attempting to pay. She fumes, "I can't pay cos they want my phone number. Why would I give my phone number? I may get a pay-as-you-go phone so they can't know where I live, especially for that purpose" (source: Yahoo! UK) 20 February - 'We are united' Madonna has laughed off speculation her marriage to Guy Ritchie is in trouble, but she insists she deserves a "pat on the back" for putting up with the director. The Hung Up superstar set tongues wagging by refusing to wear her wedding ring at the Brit Awards in London this week. And at last she has conceded their partnership is often less than blissful due to the strain of their busy careers and family life. She says, "I must admit, I have to pat myself on the back. "It's not easy to be married, to have a successful career, to have children, to be with someone who is as strong-willed and ambitious as I am. "Guy's not a househusband and I'm not a typical wife. So you can imagine, we have our clashes. "But I think we always keep our eye on the ball - that is our marriage - the union of us, the things that we create together, are bigger than the petty fights we have." (source: Yahoo! UK) 20 February - Madonna sets up Semtex girls Pop queen Madonna has set up a limited company in the UK called Semtex Girls - but refuses to tell anyone what the nature of its business is. The singer uses the name to describe her three assistants. She recently explained, "The Semtex Girl is a girl who is dynamic, a girl who explodes, who doesn't know the meaning of nine to five, a girl who is unstoppable and who doesn't take no for an answer. And has excellent taste. "Guys can be Semtex Girls too." (source: ContactMusic) 20 February - Abba: "Hung Up was too good to refuse" Belgian newspaper De Morgen interviewed Abba's Bjorn Ulvaeus and published it in their Magazine Deluxe on Feb. 18th. Here's a part where Bjorn talks about Madonna's Hung Up (translation by Mad-Eyes): "DM: At this moment, Madonna still has a hit with Hung Up, a song that's build on a Abba sample. I know this earns you a small fortune, but are you also satisfied with the result? Bjorn: I think it's a great record, yes. Even though we weren't informed from the beginning. It was only when the song was finished that she contacted us and that one of her assistents flew to Stockholm to let us hear the result. Madonna knew very well that we could have refused to give permission, but the result just was too good to get in the way. Besides we have a huge respect for Madonna. As for as I'm concerned, Hung Up was the best single of the past year." 20 February - Sorry single out now Several countries already received the single on friday; fans in other territories [UK] can go out today and buy the new single Sorry. US fans can get their copy on the 28th. As reported last month, the single cover features a picture by Madonnafan Marcin Kokowski, which premiered on this site in November. Let's make this single as successful as Hung Up. Don't forget to vote for the video on TRL and to request the song on your local radio station. 18 February - Tour secrets from Victoria Newton "Madonna has let me into a secret" - Victoria Newton reports today on her "Bizarre" column on The Sun - "her world tour will kick off in L.A. on May 21st. She'll also play in Russia, for the first time, Czech Republic as well as Europe and the US." (thanx to Madonnatribe) 18 February - Vote for Sorry on TRL! Madonna's video for Sorry premiered on MTV's TRL today. Your mission now is to drive the video to the top of the countdown! To do so, visit the following url and cast your vote: http://www.mtv.com/onair/trl You can also call 1-800-342-5688. You can call and vote as many times as you want. The Hung Up video spent several weeks and retired at number one. Go ahead and support Madonna by giving her new video the same treatment! Don't just stand there, click or pick up the phone and VOTE! (source: Madonna.com) 18 February - William Orbit mentions unreleased Madonna songs "Madonna did actually sing on the original backing track of 'Bubble Universe'. It was intended for the Music album and was to be called 'Liquid Love' but was not usd on the album. It's Laurie Mayer and Rico Conning singing on the (slowed down) track now." "I recorded a cover version of 'Like An Angel Passing Through My Room' with her in 2000. It was originally on the last Abba album 'The Visitors'. Our version has never been released." ~ You can preview William Orbit's new album (that contains 'Bubble Universe') on his official site.

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