All right, we're going to take a quick break from our Grammy watch to talk about Madonna's Superbowl half-time performance.
Now, keep in mind the main idea of the performance is to showcase Madonna's new single Give Me All Your Luvin', which was released last Friday February 3rd. However, this performance was, quite simply, a means by which she could reestablish herself as the Queen of Pop music.
The performance begins with Madonna being carried by an impressive entourage Egyptian/Roman style. This was the first time that Madonna performed at a Superbowl half-time, in all of her close-to-thirty years in the music industry. So, what does she do? She walks us through the whole thing! No, not every song or every year... that would be a full concert. Just the highlights! She opens with Vogue, complete with hieroglyphic Egyptian poses. It's clear that Madonna's out to make you dance... or rather make you remember that she's the queen of dance, not any of these other young up-and-coming starlets. She does it convincingly. Vogue plays like the old school club royalty that it is. Seamlessly, the performance transitions to Music. Madonna starts running up the newly formed bleachers, then in come break dancers... break dancing on the bleachers! This is a great show... and then you start noticing that you're not just sitting and watching (like you started)... now you're standing and dancing. This is what music is for... to move us. Madonna's got it... and she happily gives it to us. Before the Music fades, she's joined by the Party Rockers LMFAO, in a nod to DJs and the driving force behind much of today's popular music, who are blending Party Rock Anthem... a perfect match, that no one would've suspected because of their years apart, however it works...
Then comes the main event. Give Me All Your Luvin' storms in to steal the show. Madonna is joined by Nikki Minaj and M.I.A., as a nod to current music bad-girls, yet is not upstaged by them. The show is hers and the song and performance brings back memories of "... oh, Micky, you're so fine..." What really stands out is that the sound of the song is throw back. It's updated, yet still rooted in the 1980s sound. Madonna's voice is still strong, just like in the 1980s... actually, even stronger.
After a brief segue into Open Your Heart, Madonna wraps it up with Like a Prayer, joined by Cee Lo Green. This is a fitting closeout song. It's still a dance song, but reminds you about the "majesty" of Madonna, and as Cee Lo belts out the gospel solo and leads the choir. Madonna then disappears in a flash, down into the stage... and then the lights on the field read "Peace on Earth". Well, if dance music will do it...then we're certainly on the way.
Oh, by the way... the Giants won (21 to 17).
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