Madonna, known as the Queen of Pop, has made a career out of shock value and a continuous reinvention of all aspects of her appearance — even her regional accents.
So it comes as no surprise that her appearance at the 2023 Grammy Awards on Sunday sent tongues wagging.
“I had no idea it was her,” read one tweet — and it was all downhill from there.
The photo breaking the internet shows a woman in her 60s who has obviously taken advantage of modern methods promising the Fountain of Youth.
For Madge, though, the evening was not about her. The legendary performer made a surprise appearance at the show to introduce Sam Smith and Kim Petras's performance of Unholy.
"So here's what I've learnt after four decades in music — if they call you shocking, scandalous, troublesome, problematic, provocative or dangerous, you're definitely on to something,” she said.
“You guys need to know, all you troublemakers out there you need to know that your fearlessness does not go unnoticed.”
“You are seen, you are heard, and most of all, you are appreciated.”
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Beyonce won four Grammys for Renaissance, including Best Dance/Electronic Music Album, Best Dance/Electronic Recording, Best Traditional R&B Performance and Best R&B Song. Reuters -
Adele accepts the award for the Best Pop Solo Performance for Easy on Me. Reuters -
Lizzo accepts the award for Record of the Year for About Damn Time. AP -
Harry Styles with his awards for Best Pop Vocal Album and Album of the Year for Harry's House. Reuters -
Rapper Kendrick Lamar accepts the award for Best Rap Album for Mr Morale & the Big Steppers. AFP -
Samara Joy with her awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best New Artist. Reuters -
Bonnie Raitt, winner of the awards for Song of the Year for Just Like That, Best American Roots Song for Just Like That, and Best Americana Performance for Made Up My Mind. AP -
Kim Petras, left, and Sam Smith, winners of the award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for Unholy. AP -
Brandi Carlile with her awards for Best Americana Album, Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance. Reuters -
Robert Trujillo, left, and Andrew Watt accept the award for Best Rock Album on behalf of Ozzy Osbourne for Patient Number 9. AP -
Rhian Teasdale, left, and Hester Chambers of Wet Leg with the awards for Best Alternative Music Performance for Chaise Lounge and Best Alternative Music Album for Wet Leg. AP -
Steve Lacy, winner of the Best Progressive R&B Album for Gemini Rights. AP -
Robert Glasper with the award for Best R&B Album for Black Radio III. AP -
Ben Stennis accepts the award for Best Country Song for the song Till You Can't by Cody Johnson. AP -
Zakes Bantwini, from left, Nomcebo Zikode and Wouter Kellerman with the award for Best Global Music Performance for Bayethe. AP -
Masa Takumi with the award for Best Global Music Album for Sakura. AP -
Stephanie Economou with her Grammy for Best Score or Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media for Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok. AP
The Bay City, Michigan native started her career as a dancer at the University of Michigan but soon lost interest in school and moved to New York City with $35 in her pocket, “the bravest thing I’d ever done”.
Madonna quickly adopted her own style and her own rules with an almost unprecedented drive to make it in a world dominated by men.
She embraced the music and arts scene and even embarked on a romance with a street artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Both would shock the world and eventually rocket themselves into fame.
Her 1983 debut album Madonna, of which she ultimately took control, yielded several hit singles, including Lucky Star, Borderline, and Holiday.
Her now famous look saw teens scooping up fishnet stockings, black rubber bracelets and boxes of bottle blonde hair colour. It also made her a household name.
Madonna continued to crank out hit after hit, started her own record label, opened a chain of fitness centres, married two of the most famous men in movies, won a Golden Globe and is the highest-grossing female act of all time.
She also created a blueprint for acts to follow in her footsteps, including Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Beyonce. And she will soon embark on yet another multi-city tour.
“Madonna: The Celebration Tour” was first teased in a video featuring friends Jack Black, Lil Wayne, Diplo Meg Stalter, Eric Andre, Judd Apatow and Amy Schumer.
In it, Schumer dares Madonna to go on tour and perform her four decades of mega hits, which Madonna accepts.
The shows are already selling out and will no doubt solidify the Material Girl's status as one of the biggest entertainment trailblazers in modern history.
While the internet trolls make their jokes, Madonna will continue to laugh herself all the way to the bank and back again.
