For Madonna‘s million of fans, the legend is Woman of the Year every year. However, for 2016, Billboard have bestowed her the honor.
The Pop queen will be presented with the award on December 9th in NYC, with the ceremony airing December 12th on Lifetime.
Ahead of the broadcast, the star sat down with the publication to dish on a whole host of topics – including ageism, sexism, Donald Trump‘s election win, staying relevant, and more.
A meaty except awaits below…
I want to ask you about ageism in the music world. In Hollywood, as you know, it’s rare for women to find great roles as they get older. I imagine it’s even tougher to be a woman of a certain age in pop music. When you go into the studio or mount a tour like Rebel Heart, are you concerned about staying relevant?
I don’t care. It’s the rest of society that cares. I don’t ever think about my age until someone says something about it. I feel that I have wisdom, experience, knowledge and a point of view that is important. Can a teenager relate to that? Probably not. But that’s OK. I understand that. “Relevance” is a catchphrase that people throw out because we live in a world full of discrimination. Age is only brought up with regard to women. It’s connected to sexism, chauvinism and misogyny. When Leonardo is 60 years old, no one is going to talk about his relevance. Am I relevant as a female in this society that hates women? Well, to people who are educated and are not chauvinists or misogynists, yes.Speaking of: How did you feel about the outcome of the election?
It felt like someone died. It felt like a combination of the heartbreak and betrayal you feel when someone you love more than anything leaves you, and also a death. I feel that way every morning; I wake up and say, “Oh, wait, Donald Trump is still the president,” and it wasn’t a bad dream that I had. It feels like women betrayed us. The percentage of women who voted for Trump was insanely high.Why do you think that is?
Women hate women. That’s what I think it is. Women’s nature is not to support other women. It’s really sad. Men protect each other, and women protect their men and children. Women turn inward and men are more external. A lot of it has do with jealousy and some sort of tribal inability to accept that one of their kind could lead a nation. Other people just didn’t bother to vote because they didn’t like either candidate, or they didn’t think Trump had a chance in the world. They took their hands off the wheel and then the car crashed.Were you surprised?
Of course. I was devastated, surprised, in shock. I haven’t really had a good night’s sleep since he has been elected. We’re f—ed.
We love is some Madge, but the timing of the honor does feel a little interesting. She’s been active charitably, but she’s not really done much musically in 2016.
Could newness be nigh? Because, if previous recipients are any indication, the M-O typically sees the artist receive the award as a precursor to a “proper” return? (See Gaga).
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Well said Madge.. Women just hate eachother..
Funny how Barbara never get this so called ageism treatment, Janet don’t as well. Maybe it’s just Grandonna doing the most like she been doing her whole 30byear career and the public is just sick of it.
Janet is old. Watch Wendy Williams talk about her.
Is that a joke? Barbara gets called crazy all the time (but she kind of is, so…) and Janet is old AF and having kids like she’s some 20 year old.
Lol. If Janet is old as f*ck then Madonna is dead and buried, and now a ? !
This is the ageism that Madge is talking about! If a man knocked up a woman @ 50 no one would blink! But because of ageism and sexist beliefs a woman should only have kids in her 20’s??!!
Janet and her husband are able to provide for their child many lifetimes over and give him love for as long as they live.
At least she had a baby in wedlock and with love, which is more than. Most ever do.
All these women have experienced some form of ageism. When you are past 35 it gets exponentially harder to get airplay of music, videos and have sales.
Madonna is right about everything she wrote, including the Trump nightmare. Ugh.
Sorry for the dissertation. Lol.
You better believe a man having a kid at 50 is way too late too. The only upside is he’s not the one endangering himself and the unborn by carrying it at such an age (like Janet).
Nonsense. Don’t change it up now. You said what MOST of society does. That having kids for a woman past their 20’s is not acceptable.
If your point was just about age and not about gender, why did you mention Janet, and no men 50 or older having children?
Also, you don’t know what Janet’s health situation is! So to generalize and say she is endangering her child, without sound proof is reckless.
Yes statistically, it becomes more challenging, the older you get, but if certain protocols are followed, their is no reason to not do it.
You were misogynistic, sexist, and prejudiced to her age.
Stop trying to spin it otherwise. You NEVER mentioned men.
I’m also sure you’re not Jan’s OB/GYN, so you don’t know the particulars of her pregnancy, so you are speaking out of ignorance..
Furthermore, it’s pretty laughable, that a Madonna fan can fix their face to call anyone old! ???
Sorry, as much as I love Janet, but she is simply not interesting enough anymore for the media to get on her. A lot of people are not even really aware of her existence anymore (like she’s some retro 90ies artist), but everyone still knows madonna. Barbra is like on another level and built her brand totally in another way than madonna. Madonna built her legacy on shock, the media, hype and all that comes with it – sure, she had the quality to back it up – but she always relied to gimmicks. That’s what she gets for it. Barbra on the other hand has always been a classy act. If Whitney would still be alive she would fall under the same category, I guess. Same goes for Celine. You never hear people say that she’s too old for this or that
Not interesting enough, yet you Madonna Stan’s ALWAYS have her name in your mouth?
No one brought up Janet before y’all.
Your a joke Janet has your mind because, you are aware of who the supervisor talent actually is.
And who got buy by shock, and white privilege.
Shut the hell up you lame ass.
**superior
What’s the big deal about her? She can’t sing or dance and she has never been cute
careful, there’s folks that say the same about beyonce.
Lucky Star. Vogue. La Isla Bonita. Madonna is a DANCER. She has always be able to dance beautifully and erotic. Say what you will about her voice, but she IS A TRAINED Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater DANCER in New York City.
And still can’t dance. J.LO shits on her dancing abilities.
Y’all wanna talk about dance bring up Ciara. She’s out dance them all.
You are clearly delusional. You may stan for Beyoncé, but respect the path madonna opened for a lot of artists. One may not like her, but she always had a message and fought for something.
I agree with her election statements
She’s absolutely right about women hating each other. Look at the way the fanbases for Rihanna, Beyonce, Ciara, Gaga, etc. go at each other on this site alone. You never see fans of Bruno Mars, or Weeknd, Usher, John Legend, or any of the male artists attacking each other the way the female artists’ fans do.
Most of those fans are gay men that in their late 20s,still living with their mom. But there’s is a rivalry between Weakend & Mars right now, same with Usher & JT, Prince & MJ, Nsync & Backstreet.
the Gays spend all day stanning for Divas instead of living life
Beyonce took female empowerment to another level, she is just as powerful as any male celeb. Madonna was cute for a distraction but now we are experiencing Beyonce.
No female artist will ever top madonna so be careful hun
Celine Dion has sold more albums than her, so she is not untouchable at all.
Celine Dion is 100 million albums behind Madonna. No she hasn’t even remotely sold what Madonna has. CD Dion stans must be the most delusional fanbase after Thighyonce.
H** I am talkng about albums. Celine has sold more albums than Deadonna. Celine has 3 albums that sold over 30 million (Let’s Talk Abour Love, Titanic Soundtrack and Falling Into You), Deadonna has 0 (no, Immaculate Collection is still struggling to reach 30 million). Celine is a definition of albums artist. Deadonna sold more singles than her, that’s true, but she needed gimmicks to achieve it, Celine didn’t.
@blue jeans
Sweety, I know logic might not be your thing, but the Titanic Soundtrack does not get credited to CD Dion. She had ONE song on that album. She needs to have at least half for it to be considered hers.
The name of the person on the cover of that album is James Horner NOT CD Dion.
The only reason the soundtrack sold as much as it did was because of My Heart Will Go On aka the only single from the album. Can you name me any other track beside it please? No one cares about those forgotten/unknown instrumentals. Well, if you put it like that it’s a shame that album full of instrumentals and one vocal song sold more than any Madonna album, yet she is supposed to be Queen of Pop. Queen my ass!!!! Celine >>>>>>>
Madonna’s GLOBAL fame is beyonce’s wet dream
Madonna is speaking facts. women don’t support women, just look at the comments of stans attacking other female fan bases such as (Bey, Riri, Mariah, Cici, Keri, Gaga, Taylor, Adele ect. ) it’s f****** ridiculous. The males can play together n get over pitty bs but not females. Nicki and Kim are prime examples too.
These comments are from men.
Retire sis
LOL
And we’re not going to blame Trump on women, WHITE women voted for Trump, not all, but a good portion of them. So Granny need to know that the only women that voted for him were the ones that looks just like her.
If we’re going to bring the race card up, the BLACK population didn’t turn up to vote. Not all of them, but a good portion of them were brainwashed by the BS the media fed them about Hillary Clinton not being trustworthy.
Black people weren’t supported by either candidate so THAT’S why they didn’t vote you ass hole.
Ignorant fool. Hillary Clinton has supported Black people since BEFORE MLK JR’s death. She was part of the Civil Rights era. She helped end segregation at her college. She fought for the health care of poor children (disproportionately Black) and the things she did in the fight against H**/A*** are uncountable.
She has the best interests of ALL Americans.
The subject was that women voted for Trump. SOME blacks didn’t vote, but that was MOST liberals as well (Bernie supporters). The FACT is Trump supporters fully supported him, we on the left wasn’t pro HER, we were just against HIM. The support was never there.
.
Back to the point, Granny blames WOMEN, but the facts & numbers shows that the only WOMEN that voted for him were WHITE.
Shut the f*ck up please, can’t you see we’re all getting tired of your bullshits? NEXT
This h** is so overrated! Can’t sing, can’t dance, horrible, disposable, generic music with shallow lyrics that her gay fans overhype and think ‘Wow, queen, so iconic’!!! Nothing that she did in her career was original in the slightest, she brought nothing new to table. Not to mention that it is a huge myth about her being the best female performer (she is not good at all actually, all gimmicks on stage and still sucks ass). J.Lo can murder her on stage anytime, even Ciara. Stop overrating this woman, she is not all that.
This performance is better than any Oldonna performance in her entire career. She wishes!!!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGgG3EbwqDc
Beyonce is better.
Beyonce stans are such trash. Gosh, I hate her more now. Beyonce will NEVER equate to Madonna – in sales, impact, influence and her contributions to music, fashion and Pop Culture. Never!
If Madonna has one thing that no one can’t deny, that, is wisdom.
Speak the truth your Majesty!!!!!
I’m not a huge Madonna fan because I never really listen to her music but that woman spoke the truth. When men get old they are still seen as inspiring, men and women support them and the list goes on but women are treated so harsh it’s sad. I’m scared for the day I get old. And yes women never support each other.
Wow