THERE'S NO promotion like the circus and media saturation that surrounds the launch of a new Madonna album, and Her Madgesty is firmly on the promo treadmill, teeing up high-profile TV interviews (Graham Norton, an ABC special and more), TV performances (the Super Bowl half-time show next month), magazine covers and print interviews, along with the giant marketing campaign that her team is hoping will push her latest record, the controversially named MDNAinto the stratosphere.
And that’s before we even talk about the mammoth world tour that will follow its release.
One surefire way to guarantee extra coverage is hearing Madonna talk about Lady Gaga, the popstar who takes so much inspiration from the original Material Girl's sound and image. "Look it up," was Madonna's cool response when ABC's Nightlineasked her how she felt about Gaga.
In the upcoming edition of Newsweek, when asked about Lady Gaga's hit single Born This Way, Madonna got the claws out again saying: "I thought 'what a wonderful way to redo my song' [ Express Yourself]. I mean, I recognised the chord changes. I thought it was . . . interesting."
In light of this new dialogue, here are the best bits of Madonna on Lady Gaga and Lady Gaga on Madonna.
"There is really no one who is a more adoring and loving Madonna fan than me. I am the hugest fan, personally and professionally." – Lady Gaga talking to Jay Leno
"As for Lady Gaga, I have no comment to make about her obsessions having to do with me because I don't know whether her behaviour is rooted in something deep and meaningful or superficial." – Madonna speaking to Le Soir
"The only similarities are the chord progression. It's the same one that's been in disco music for the last 50 years. Just because I'm the first f**king artist in 25 years to think of putting it on Top 40 radio, it doesn't mean I'm a plagiarist, it means I'm f**king smart. Sorry." – Lady Gaga to the NME on accusations of borrowing from Madonna.
"No, I'm very flattered." – Madonna to MTV in 2009 after meeting Lady Gaga and being asked if she feels threatened by people comparing the singer to her.
