Madonna (Madonna Louise Ciccone, born 16 August 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and businesswoman known as the "Queen of Pop". She is widely described as the best-selling female music artist of all time, and she has had twelve number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, and in July 2026 she released her fifteenth studio album, Confessions II. This biography follows her life and career up to November 2026.
Madonna at a Glance
| Full name | Madonna Louise Ciccone |
| Born | 16 August 1958, Bay City, Michigan, United States |
| Age | 68 (as of November 2026) |
| Profession | Singer, songwriter, actress and businesswoman |
| Debut album | Madonna (27 July 1983) |
| Latest album | Confessions II (July 2026) |
| Billboard records | 12 number-one singles on the Hot 100; 10 number-one albums on the Billboard 200 |
| Awards | Seven Grammy Awards; two Golden Globe Awards; Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2008) |
| Children | Six, including Lourdes Leon and Rocco |
Early Life and Move to New York
Madonna was born in Bay City, Michigan. Her mother died of breast cancer on 1 December 1963, when Madonna was five years old. She moved to New York City in 1978 to pursue a career in dance and music.
Rise to Stardom
Her debut album, Madonna, was released on 27 July 1983 and peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200. Like a Virgin (12 November 1984) sold more than 21 million copies worldwide, and Like a Prayer (21 March 1989) sold 15 million. The Blond Ambition World Tour in 1990 was among the most talked-about concert tours of the decade. She won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for her role in the film Evita (1996).
Records and Honours
Madonna has seven Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes and 27 MTV Video Music Awards, and Forbes named her the highest-paid female musician for a record eleven years across four decades. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, in her first year of eligibility.
The Celebration Tour
In June 2023 Madonna was hospitalised with a serious bacterial infection and spent several days in intensive care, which forced her to postpone her tour. The Celebration Tour, which looked back over her four-decade career, opened in London on 14 October 2023. Billboard reported a gross of about $225.4 million, and Pollstar reported $227.2 million, with 81 shows and about 1.1 million fans.
Confessions II
Madonna released Confessions II, her fifteenth studio album and her first in seven years, in July 2026. It is the sequel to Confessions on a Dance Floor, and it features guests including Sabrina Carpenter and Stromae and a collaboration with the producer Martin Garrix. Critics described it as her strongest album since the original Confessions, and it was announced with singles including "Bring Your Love" and "Love Sensation".
Personal Life
Madonna was married to the actor Sean Penn from 1985 to 1989 and to the film director Guy Ritchie from 2000 to 2008. She has six children, including her daughter Lourdes, born on 14 October 1996, and her son Rocco, born on 11 August 2000. In 2006 she founded the charity Raising Malawi.
Legacy
Madonna's career has been defined by reinvention, by her control over her image and business, and by her use of music videos and live shows as part of her art. Her influence on generations of pop artists is widely acknowledged, and her return in 2026 showed that her audience had not gone away.
