1. MadonnaStar Image -Development

2. Beginning of her career – 1982-85 She signed a singles deal with Sire (belonging to Warner Bros) Debut album – “Madonna” Her look is modern – uses upbeat synthetic disco, new technology One of the hit singles in the album are: “Holiday”, “Lucky Star” Star image in “Holiday”– creative, but innocent; there are no close-ups, concentrating on her body or revealing clothes, her dressing, make-up, hair- style is innovative, but represents a young woman, a performer, a dancer instead of using good looks or sexuality as an advantage in order to attract the audience; The video is simple, dancing routine dominates with many wide shots; The context of the songs is not controversial, but girlie and likeable to a wider audience She becomes a influence of many girls and women!

3. Like a Virgin – 1984 – Second Album Achieves global recognition Challenges family values and promotes premarital sex; (moralists wanted the video and song to be banned) She takes risk; in the video she uses close-ups (contrasting with “Holiday”) of her body, lips; the outfits and the setting are more individualised and different -> she is confident enough after her first album to take risks (Keith Negus Ideology theories, her as example of development); develops her own style, but also sustains the craziness that people liked, her clothing style still popularises her as a star, people recognize her; Video is developed now, use of different locations, the dancing is mainly done by her – sexualised, she uses it to attract the audience Contrasting with the “Holiday”, she uses specific locations, she is the main focus; Bold with costumes- wears a wedding dress, specific address – women should be free to behave like men did; scandalized performance on MTV Awards – she wears a wedding dress - BOLD

4. Like a Prayer- Fourth Album By the end of the 1980s Madonna – “Artist of the Decade” The video of “Like a Prayer” features many Catholic symbols and burning crosses She challenges even further religious values by kissing a black Jesus (the video was condemned by Vatican); deeper meaning of her song – Who says that Jesus is white? + challenges stereotypes of how black people were threated; Back lit – epiphany – innocence of her Considered as “as close to art as pop music gets” (Rolling Stone) Changes her style completely – hair – from blond to black, mature and womanly – wears a tight fitted dress and a cross – subverts values – wears the cross which makes he innocent, but at the same time many close-ups of her low cleavage, lips, neck, straps falling down – sexualised; looking down shots, vulnerable and at the same time strong => male gaze Even bolder than before, makes her a legend Dyer’s theory– constructed image consistent to some extent but keeps changing, although she keeps taking risks and experimenting with her style + she is ordinary and extraordinary

5. Ray of Light 1997-2002 Becomes involved in Eastern mysticism and Kabbalah after her daughter’s birth “The record covers all the areas of life”, “incredibly thoughtful, retrospective and intrigued by the mystical aspects of life” (Madonna) One of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” Madonna changes her style completely; in the video of “Frozen” she uses abstract images and setting, the lyrics are not provoking, but concentrating on life, relationships; Her style is modern and Eastern culture influences are evident in her art: the dancing, costumes, location, images; It is not sexualised, but rather mystical and moody, with lots of medium shots Her development/change as a star is clearly to be seen

6. Confessions on a Dance Floor - 2005 Composed like a club set by a DJ “Hung up” – reached number one in record-breaking 45 countries Grammy – “Best electronic/dance album” – she transforms her style into a more club like style in order to attract younger audience Back to sexuality, contrast with “Frozen”, shows her body in a revealing dance outfit, many close-ups concentrating on the male gaze Back to dance, but modern – street => Dyer theory again applied, star image – ordinary (street dance, tube shots, close to the audience), club shots, everybody likes her and dances to her music (kitchen staff), extraordinary (lifestyle of a star, everybody around her in the club)

7. Almost Three Decades a Star Madonna is one of the best examples in the history of music of a star transforming according to the time period and the audience She always challenges her audience Her latest work concentrates on “Save the World” messages, such as “4 Minutes”; She is famous for changing styles not only in her looks, but also in her music, she is very versatile artist and known as the “Queen of Pop”