Madonna is critical of celebrities who focus on fame rather than “doing the work” to be a revolutionary artist.
Madonna appears in a 10-page magazine photoshoot alongside her son Rocco Ritchie shot hours after the pair were reunited in London, England, in the midst of the transatlantic custody battle between the singer and ex-husband Guy Ritchie.
Madonna and her 16-year-old son were photographed for a secret project between LOVE magazine and photographer Mert Alas titled LOVE 16.5, with Rocco making his debut as a model.
In the accompanying interview the Holiday singer, who appears make-up free, and sucking her thumb on the cover, shares her views on fame in the age of social media, declaring an artist’s “acceptance by the establishment equals death.”
“I don’t consider myself a pop act, I consider myself an artist,” she added. “And it’s an artist’s responsibility to be revolutionary in our work. It’s our responsibility, our duty and our privilege.”
Madonna was shot in the early hours at the photographer’s Hampstead home the morning after her reconciliation with Rocco for a special edition collectors issue which launches on 19th September during London Fashion Week.
Speaking about the so-called burden of fame, the singer who has enjoyed global success since the release of her debut album in 1983, clarifies that’s not the case for her. Having been famous for years before the advent of social media, she just sees it as a by-product of her success.
“Now to me the burden is people are more focused on fame than actually doing the work or being an artist,” she explained. “Now it’s easy to become famous. What isn’t easy is to develop and grow as an artist without being distracted or consumed with fame.”
While she is critical of those preferring to use social media in the absence of talent, she does enjoy using Instagram “to be the curator of my life.”
“I like Instagram because it’s like keeping a diary and every day I get to share different aspects of my personality, my life, and what inspires me, what infuriates me, or what causes I want to fight for,” she shared. “It allows me to be mysterious, ironic, provocative or proud. I get to use it as a platform to bring attention to people or issues that I think are important.”
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