Madonna Celebrates Being ‘Shocking, Scandalous, Problematic’ at the 2023 Grammys
Madonna has been in the music industry for four decades and cemented her status as a pop music icon. While she’s respected by many artists and fans today, throughout much of her career (and to this day), Madonna has faced criticism for her choices in how she’s expressed herself over the years and what she’s had to say. At the 2023 Grammy Awards, as Madonna prepares to go on tour in celebration of her four-decade career, she looked back on the backlash she’s faced in her career.
Madonna’s 2023 Grammy red carpet look
Madonna showed up to the 2023 Grammy Awards wearing an all-black Mugler Archives look. Her outfit included a black blazer and white button-up shirt and black tie with a floor-length black skirt and lace gloves and stockings. She completed the look with a matching black riding crop.
What Madonna said at the 2023 Grammy Awards
Before Sam Smith and Kim Petras performed their No. 1 hit single “Unholy,” they were introduced by Madonna, who herself has sparked outrage in the past — and poked fun at the fact while introducing them.
“Are you ready for a little controversy? Come on people, let’s make some noise. Y’all are going to sleep over here,” the “Vogue” singer told the crowd.
“So, here’s what I’ve learned after four decades in music: if they call you shocking, scandalous, problematic, provocative or dangerous, you are definitely onto something,” she said.
“I am here to give thanks to all the rebels out here forging a new path and taking the heat for all of it. You guys need to know — all you trouble makers out there — you need to know that your fearlessness does not go unnoticed,” she continued. “You are seen. You are heard. And most of all, you are appreciated.”
Smith and Petras won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Unholy” earlier in the night. Petras’ triumph made her the first trans artist to win in the category. In her acceptance speech, Petras thanked to Madonna for her embrace of the LGBTQ community throughout her career in addition to the transgender trailblazers in the music industry who came before her and made her win possible.
“[Thank you] Madonna for fighting for LGBTQ rights,” she said. “I don’t think I could be here without Madonna.”
Madonna’s scandals over the years
Madonna’s 1989 music video for “Like a Prayer” was filled with controversial imagery, including religious imagery with Catholic undertones. Several religious groups weren’t pleased with the music video, and the backlash was so severe that Pepsi — who Madonna was a spokeswoman for at the time — dropped her from their ads. Madonna has offended the Catholic Church several times over the years, including with her 2006 Confessions tour.
In 1992, she released the infamous photo book Sex, which contained NSFW photographs of the singer and others in sexual situations; at the same time, she released a studio album aptly titled Erotica. Two years later, she did a now-infamous profanity-laden interview with David Letterman.
In 2014, Madonna sparked controversy when she used the N word to refer to her son, Rocco. She later apologized, saying “I am sorry if I offended anyone with my use of the N word,” according to The Guardian. “It was not meant as a racial slur. I am not a racist. There’s no way to defend the use of the word. It was all about intention.”
