Who is the next Madonna?
It seems the era of quirky pint-size pop stars has ended. Britney Spears was one of the last princesses of pop to be catapulted to stardom in the late 90s. However, one of the most iconic images we remember of her washer passionate attempt to break the windshield of a paparazzi’s car.
With an umbrella for a weapon, her face contorted in rage and head shaven, she seemed light years away from her fabricated sexy Lolita image of yore. Gone were the long blonde extensions and extravagantly sexy outfits that made her famous: this jarring image of tank-girl Brittany marked the end of an era in pop, a goodbye to the branded prefab stars. A moment began in popular culture which esteemed a desire to be regarded as challenging and groundbreaking. So the question is, who will be the next pop icon?
The search for that provocative new look makes starlets turn to the altar of the queen mother of pop, and the most iconoclastic of them all: Madonna. Fresh starlets like Lady Gaga, or in the case of Christina Aguilera, not so fresh, turn to her pop cultural legacy for inspiration, as the American singer Madonna has become more legend than person. Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera are both fully aware of this, and have their sights firmly fixed on the throne of the “Empress of Shock”.
Consequently, in their latest videos and public appearances, the two singers bust out the big guns: dramatic blond tresses and red lips which recall the iconic Madonna of the 80s and 90s. What follows is a stream of images that relate to the legendary video clips of the Queen Mother. Just watch the videoclip “Not Myself Tonight” by Christina Aguilera. You will see the Madonna of “Human Nature”, dressed in flirty dominatrix mode. Also, the new music video by Gaga “Alexander”, directed by none other than the photographer Steven Klein, (who in the 90´s was one of the great promoters of the distinctive image of Madonna), which has moments like the mythical clips Vogue and “Like a Prayer.” Look also at the “cone” bra designed by Galliano and used as part of one of Madonna’s best-known outfits, and its adaptation by Gaga as part of her “militaristic” aesthetic.
And surely their is no sleight of hand involved. What tricks will draw new starlets into the race to be the next Madonna? Pay attention to their upcoming appearances, and you will surely find more and more references. Decide for yourself, are they paying homage or just trying to capitalize on her fame? If you want to honour the queen of pop, rent apartments in Venice, where the legendary video “Like a Virgin” was shot
