15 July - Madonna films new video in Italy
Fansite MadonnaTribe reports that Madonna started filming her new video last night in Milan, Italy at the Dolce & Gabbana party. She was filmed dancing together with her tour crew. It is expected that filming resumes on Friday and Saturday at D&G's Metropole.


15 July - Madonna's stylish night out with Dolce & Gabbana
Does Madonna ever eat dinner on her own?
A night rarely passes where the Queen of Pop isn't spotted entering or leaving a swanky restaurant, often with celeb pals in tow.
Last week she hit posh London eatery Locanda Locatelli with Sir Paul McCartney and his daughter Stella.
And now she's fine dining in Milan at Dolce & Gabbana's restaurant Gold with the fashion behemoths and toyboy lover Jesus Luz.
Wrapped in an embrace with two of the world's premier designers and a Brazilian model, it's no wonder she's beaming from ear to ear. (source: The Sun)


15 July - Calvin Harris happy with Madonna remix
Calvin Harris has admitted that he feels "privileged" that the likes of Madonna and Pendulum are sampling his music.
Madonna sampled his smash hit I'm Not Alone for a dance version of Frozen on her Sticky & Sweet Tour, while drum and bass rockers Pendulum have performed their take on the song at Glastonbury and MTV's Oxegen festival.
Calvin said at Oxegen: "I never imagined when I made it in my little purple room in Glasgow in my flat that it would reach far and wide as it has - it's always a privilege." (source: Showbiznews.virginmedia.com)


10 July - Title of greatest hits album: Celebration
Fansite MadonnaTribe reveals the long-awaited info about the upcoming greatest hits: the collection, titled Celebration will be a double disc release. 2 new tracks will be included: Celebrate and Revolver. The other Oakenfold-produced song Broken unfortunately did not make the cut.
The first single is going to be Celebrate, released to radio on July 28th already! It is a classic Madonna track, an invitation to the dance, which can be heard during the current Sticky & Sweet Tour, during Holiday, as an instrumental.


09 July - Practical info for Belgian show
For all fans who will attend Madonna's show in Werchter, Belgium next Saturday, here's some practical info.

How to get there?
Werchter is a small village, pretty much in the middle of nowhere. There are trains going there but there are NO more tickets available! Best option is to go to Leuven and take the bus from there. This shuttle service will be indicated at the train&bus station of Leuven. The bus ride will take about 15 minutes and will save you from traffic and parking problems. If you really want to drive there, you have to take exit 21 Holsbeek or exit 22 Aarschot on the highway E314. Werchter is indicated from the highway. There's parking around the festival ground.

What's the program?
According to Live Nation, fFans will be granted access to the field at 4pm. Although it's possible the scheduled soundcheck party will still be happening at that time; in that case, doors will open later. Paul Oakenfold is scheduled to play between 8pm and 9pm. Madonna should start at 9.30pm.

When to go?
I called Live Nation and they said that precautions would be made for fans who want to queue early. There will be security guards who will help you find your way. Golden Circle holders will have to enter through a separate entrance (possibly the press entrance - not sure). Belgian concert organisers are generally better organised than the average organisations, so the chaos that is experienced in some cities should not be the case (fingers crossed).

What to wear?
Belgium has a looooovely climate :-) Eventhough we've just had a full week of heat wave, the regular rain showers are back. The advantage is that we probably won't have to spend a full day in the beating sun. But try to bring some light raincoat. It won't be cold, but it could get wet... A baseball cap could help you both against the sun and against the rain.
Above all: HAVE FUN!!
And... don't forget to send your report of the show to Mad-Eyes afterwards (mail them to madeyesteam@gmail.com)!
Madonna greetz, the Mad-Eyes team


07 July - Belgian radio MNM: Music 'N Madonna
Madonna's concert in Werchter next Saturday will be her first ever in Belgium. She is the artist of the week at radio station MNM, which this week stands for "Music 'N Madonna". There is a competition to win the last tickets: several times a day they tell a Madonna story and listeners have to reply by SMS if the story is true or not. On the MNM website you can take the quiz yourself and you can cast your vote in the Madonna Top 30, which will be broadcast on Saturday. In the morning program, there are several Madonna-related sketches and in the afternoon program they invite Belgian artists to cover a Madonna song on air. Yesterday, the band Andes performed a great acoustic version of Papa Don't Preach. Later today, you can hear Elektra giving her Madonna rendition. And finally, there are two presenters with a special quest: they have to kiss Madonna. If you can give them any advice, contact MNM!
Meanwhile, the Belgian portal site Skynet gives away 10 duo-tickets for Saturday in their online competition. Good luck!


06 July - The scoop on Madonna's new couture costumes
Madonna looks fiercer than ever on stage these days, and she has one man to thank for that On the opening night of the Material Girl's Sticky & Sweet tour's second leg July 4 in London, Madonna wowed fans with a new "super couture, sensual, Goth, bondage" costume that Givenchy Haute Couture's Riccardo Tisci designed for her opening act. "What I wanted for the opening was to give a very iconic view of Madonna," Tisci tells PEOPLE exclusively. "She's wearing an outfit that will make history. I wanted to do something even stronger (than what he designed for her in the tour's first leg) because she wants to be stronger." Working with the Queen of Pop was easy, says Tisci. "I just met her six months ago and I'm completely in love with her," he says. "She's an artist but she let me express myself, which is rare. She knew what she liked from my collection and wanted me to translate that for her on stage." He also designed a new dress for another part of her show. "She said she wanted to do colors," he says. "I said why not? So we did fluorescent rosary necklaces (over a black dress.)" Tisci was also very impressed with Madonna's ability to remain calm in the midst of so much activitity, rehearsing and putting her tour together. And yet, he says, "She was very calm and Zen. She is a Leo like me. For Leos to be calm and Zen takes time because we are very energetic. She was amazing."
And while Madonna may be strong, that doesn't mean that she isn't deeply feeling the death of friend Michael Jackson, paying homage to him midway through her Saturday night's show at London's O2 arena — where Jackson was scheduled to kick off his "This Is It" tour on July 13 — when one of her dancers burst onto the stage dressed in Jackson's trademark fedora, sequined jacket, white t-shirt and white glove, boogeying to a medley of his megahits including "Wanna Be Starting Something." "All right people!" Madonna said afterward. "Let's give it up for one of the greatest artists the world has ever known: Michael Jackson! Long live the King!!!" And we say long live her Majesty. (source: People.com)


05 July - Madonna resumes Sticky & Sweet Tour with a bang!
On Saturday, July 4th, Madonna finally kicked off the long awaited 2009 leg of the Sticky & Sweet Tour. You can find the slightly altered setlist on the details page and a quick rundown of the show in the brand new diary. Check out our brand new gallery for high quality pictures!
If you attend any of the shows this summer, do send us your reviews and pictures to madeyesteam@gmail.com!!!
You can also discuss the tour at our Facebook group with other fans!


04 July - Madonna inspired by Jackson, to pay tribute on tour
Madonna has revealed she was "in awe" of Michael Jackson, and is devastated by his sudden death last week.
Madonna is "terrible sad" about the death of Michael Jackson.
The 4 Minutes singer is due to play London's O2 arena tonight (04.07.09) and tomorrow (05.07.09) - the venue where Michael would have staged his comeback shows later this month - and is planning to dedicate her performances to the King of Pop.

She explained: "He was the King who inspired us all. I am so terribly sad about Michael Jackson's death. I don't know what artist wasn't inspired by him. Everybody grew up in awe of him.
"To work with him and become friends and hang out with him, was exciting for me. I used to love picking his brains about musical stuff."
Michael - who died of a suspected cardiac arrest in Los Angeles last week, aged 50 - appeared alongside his brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon in the Jackson 5 from the age of seven.
Madonna insists it was Michael's early induction into the world of fame which made him so unusual.

She told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "To be able to do what he did at such an early age was unearthly.
"Obviously we have very different personalities - he was a lot more shy than I am. That's because I was allowed to have a normal childhood and he wasn't, so there was a vulnerable side to him that made you want to take care of him and protect him.
"He was a real paradox, one of the world's greatest performers and obviously very confident on stage, but in real life he was very shy and you really felt for him."

Madonna also revealed she had offered to sing with Michael - who is survived by three children, Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and seven-year-old Prince Michael II - at the 50 shows he had planned in London.
She joked: "I don't know what we could have done together. I could have carried his bags for him maybe."

Now, the 50-year-old singer has decided to pay tribute to Michael during her upcoming shows.
She will play a medley of Michael's songs - including 'Billie Jean' - and has a dancer who will dress as the late pop icon and perform some of his signature dance moves.
Madonna was distraught after Michael's death was announced, admitting she had been reduced to tears.
She said at the time: "I can't stop crying over the sad news. I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever! My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. God bless." (source: ContactMusic)


03 July - Brand new costume sketch for tour
It turns out Madonna is indeed going to hit the stage in revamped costumes! Check out our spoilers page for a brand new costume sketch!
UPDATE: You can find another surprise on spoilers page!


03 July - Marilyn Minter & Madonna, destined to be BFs
Fans attending Madonna's July 4 concert in London will be confronted by the surreal sight of a giant tongue licking and spitting out neon-colored icing. "It's not the most appetizing imagery; it's saliva being spit out with bakery products," says its creator, artist Marilyn Minter. Her film, Green Pink Caviar, serves as a backdrop to Madge's opening number, Candy Shop. Says Minter, "we had to make it as absolutely beautiful as possible so you overlook that."
The artist, who's previously collaborated with Tom Ford, tells us that she's felt solidarity with Madonna since the early Nineties. "She did her Sex book at the same time that I made a hardcore porn series of paintings," she says. "She got excoriated by the press and so did I, as traitors of feminism in a way. We were both pro-sex feminists at the wrong time, in the middle of early political correctness. We tapped into the way feminism was going a little bit ahead of the zeitgeist."
She is now headed off to London now for the concert. The two, she says, have not yet met (although Madonna owns two of Minter's works). Madonna sent her tickets, flowers and a note. (source: W Magazine)


03 July - Turkish dancer Yaman Okur reveals secrets about Madonna
The summer 2009 leg of Madonna's Sticky & Sweet World Tour kicks off in London tomorrow. Among the performers accompanying Madonna onstage will be Yaman Okur, a Turkish dancer who has made headlines as the "brave Turk behind Madonna," as his name means "brave" in Turkish.

The Paris-born Okur, whose dreams came true when he first joined Madonna onstage before an audience of 60,000 in September 2008 as a dancer during her world tour, was busy rehearsing for the upcoming performances of the tour last week, but took some time to answer a few questions on the phone. Okur spoke about Madonna's obvious motherly affection, his secret to approaching her and his own story of becoming one of Madonna's dancers in an interview ahead of the start of the 30-gig tour, which will run through September. "She has enormous positive energy," said Okur about the Material Girl. "Madonna is more of a beautiful mother than an artist."

The Turkish press calls you the "brave Turkish dancer behind Madonna," but where exactly are you from?

I was born in Paris, and I grew up there. My family relocated to Paris two years before I was born. My mother is originally from İzmit, and my father is from Adapazarı [in northwestern Anatolia]. I used to visit Turkey each summer throughout my childhood, and that's how I learned Turkish. There are no other dancers in my family, but I have always been into dance, since my childhood.

What does it feel like being on the same stage with Madonna? Do you remember the very first song of hers to which you performed live onstage?

There were around 50,000 or 60,000 people in Wembley Arena. My first moment live onstage was the moment she was about to sing Beat Goes On. It was so beautiful to be able to perform my own dance numbers besides the set choreography.

What was your story before you auditioned in New York to become one of Madonna's dancers for her European tour? Were you a fan of hers?

I have always watched Madonna's shows with a great appreciation; I loved her shows on the Drowned World Tour and Re-Invention Tour as a dancer myself. I was born in 1977; we all grew up listening to Madonna's songs throughout our childhood, but honestly I was more into rap and hip-hop as I was into break dancing also. I first dreamed about dancing with Madonna while I was watching her Confessions Tour and that was because I saw one of the most famous American break dancers, Cloud, dancing with her there.

Last January, my girlfriend and I got this text message from one of our friends about auditions for dancers for Madonna in New York, and we flew to New York immediately. Throughout the auditions, [we were asked to perform] set choreographies for three and also freestyle performances. Madonna has enormous positive energy, and dancing right in front of her was like a dream.

How is Madonna's behavior towards her dancers?

In my opinion, Madonna is more of a beautiful mother than an artist. ... She approaches all of us just like a mother. She cares about our comfort, and she approaches with love and protection just like a mother does.

In a documentary, I watched Madonna gather her dancers and pray together with them before her stage shows. Did you also pray with her?

Yes, of course we did. Among her dancers there is also another Muslim dancer named Norman, who normally lives in Malaysia. Madonna knew we're Muslims. She heard us read al-Fatiha [ahead of a performance] in one corner, and she listened to us. Just two days later, while we were about to pray all together before the show, she said to us, "You read 'al-Fatiha,' too." She is so unique and so special.

Which Madonna song gives you the greatest inspiration for dancing?

My favorite song from her Sticky & Sweet Tour is Beat Goes On. Actually I was chosen as a choreographer, and I prepared the choreography for the song Heartbeat. You will see it when the tour's DVD comes out. I love the song Heartbeat, as well.

Who else have you danced with onstage, or who would you like to dance for?

My dream was to dance with Madonna, and it came true. I can't even dream about dancing for someone else after dancing with Madonna. Previously, I performed with Lionel Richie for a show in France. Now we are going on with our rehearsals in London for Madonna's summer tour ... which starts off in London on July 4. It makes me so happy that I will be dancing on the same stage with Madonna once more.

Any hints for approaching Madonna or any guidelines for getting a chance to become a dancer for her?

Actually, there is a hint. Madonna likes things she has never seen before, things that are very unique. A brand new dance undiscovered, brand new music undiscovered. She liked my slow-motion numbers when she chose me. ... Madonna likes original and very different things, and she is not afraid of giving it a try. She is open to novelty. If you want to approach her, you have to come up with new things. (source: Today's Zaman)


03 July - Madonna.com previews tour DVD
Head over to Madonna.com to watch an amazing 3-minute long montage of the Sticky & Sweet Tour DVD filmed in Buenos Aires, Argentina! The DVD show is going to be broadcast on Sky 1 tomorrow night, at the same time when Madonna is kicking off the 2009 leg of the tour in London.


02 July - Christian Audigier to helm The Material Girl Project
Madonna's new clothing collection is for "seven-year-olds to 77-year-olds".
The 50-year-old popstar is teaming up with French fashion designer Christian Audigier - who has an eponymous label and is also behind the Von Dutch and Ed Hardy labels - on a new range, and is determined to make it suitable for all age groups.
Christian told BANG Showbiz: "Madonna and I are working on a new project called The Material Girl Project and I'm going to be a partner with her on it.
"It's going to come out, in September, when it's back to school time. So we are working on different designs and samples right now, so we're going to have most of that done at the end of the summer.
It's going to be for everyone, all ages. We're going for everyone, from seven-year-olds to 77-year-olds. We're not excluding anybody."
Christian - who is currently in London to launch his new range of champagne and wines - has been thrilled with the way the 4 Minutes singer has thrown herself into the collaboration, claiming she is full of ideas and has a clear vision for the line.
He explained: "Madonna is a good choice because she comes into it a total pro. If I need to listen to music, then I go and see Madonna because she is the best, so this is the same thing.
"Does she have loads of ideas? Oh, of course. I had a meeting a month ago with her and she is really all about the detail. She knows exactly what she likes and is always proposing ideas to us. After that she decides whether she wants to add shoes or other things. She's like me, when it's a, 'Yes,' it's a big, 'Yes.' When it's a, 'No,' it's a definite, 'No!' I like people like that, a lot of people are really critical but never give a solution. She is not like that." (source: Monsters and Critics)


01 July - Europe to turn Sticky & Sweet in 3 days
We're now just 3 days away from the opening night of Madonna's 2009 Sticky & Sweet Tour! The Material Girl and her whole band are busy rehearsing for the show, which will be played 29 times in 25 different cities all over Europe from July 4th to September 2nd. The 2009 leg of the tour is to feature some changes, including a couple of songs that were not performed last year, so get ready for what promises to be another amazing experience! If you're still looking for tickets, please visit the Tours page now. (source: Madonna.com)


01 July - Madonna reinvents tour opening screens with Green Pink Caviar
Madonna fans heading to the latest leg of her Sticky & Sweet tour, which kicks back off in London on Saturday, are in for a surprise. The opening song, Candy Shop, will be performed under a pair of giant luscious, pink lips licking and sucking on sparkly gold, orange, silver and green goo. The nine-minute video, titled "Green Pink Caviar," is a new addition to the tour courtesy of artist Marilyn Minter, whose photographic work is in Madonna's personal collection. "When I heard Madonna might be interested [in the video], I said, 'Wow, how much does she want me to pay her?'" laughs Minter, who was initially told it was too late to insert anything into the tour. Apparently it was too good to resist and became part of the show.
"Then [Madonna] actually paid me a bunch of money and sent tickets," said Minter, who is on her way to the U.K. for her first-ever Madonna concert to see her video in action. (source: WWD.com)
~ Watch the trailer of Green Pink Caviar here!


01 July - Madonna in new Vuitton ads
Marc Jacobs was so pleased with this spring's Louis Vuitton campaign featuring Madonna that he was eager to do an encore. "But very quickly Marc said, 'I want something completely different,'" related Antoine Arnault, Vuitton's communication director. The new ingredients included a dash of Tamara de Lempicka and a soupçon of Man Ray for color-drenched images by Steven Meisel with a surreal edge, thanks to generous use of solarization, a technique of overexposure first perfected by Ray. "It gives something very graphic, more edgy" than the first Madonna campaign, also by Meisel, which depicted her as a French coquette in a Parisian bistro setting, Arnault said. The new spots, which break in a range of August titles, feature a variety of runway looks and leather goods, many in the house's signature monogram.
Asked about the impact of the first Madonna campaign, Arnault said, snapping his fingers for emphasis, "Everything she was wearing in the first campaign was sold within a few months. People came into the store saying, 'I want the Madonna bag, the Madonna shoes." (source: WWD.com)