IT WAS all hail Madonna last night – as the Queen of Pop reigned over London’s O2 to kick off her Celebration Tour.
In black fishnets and a white veil, she cut an ethereal figure as she appeared on a cross with a glass of champagne in hand while her disciples packed the 20,000-capacity arena.
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Wearing a brace on her left knee, she proudly defied her 65 years.
And with four decades of hits to belt out, as well as jaw-dropping wardrobe changes, there was plenty for her adoring audience including actress Jodie Comer fashion queen Stella McCartney and Spice Girls star Mel C to marvel at.
Among the star-studded guests was Glastonbury head honcho Emily Eavis, prompting whispers from fans that the superstar could be making her way to Worthy Farm in the not-too-distant future.
Warm-up for the main event was provided by an energetic Bob the Drag Queen in period dress as the scene was set in mid-century New York City.
There were flashbacks to photos of yesteryear, including of Madonna aged 16 — as Bob roared out: “This is not just a show, it’s not just a party, it’s a celebration bitches.”
With that, Madonna appeared. Opening her show in a kimono and headdress, she sang a stripped-back version of Nothing Really Matters before bursting into a series of retro classics as a troupe of acrobatic dancers worked their magic.
Turning religion on its head, Madonna performed Like A Prayer, flanked by scantily clad men in a revolving cage.
And she certainly did not shy away from her signature taste for sex, as she performed an erotic orgy dance scene with a tangle of dancers wearing red silk negligees while singing a verse of the sultry track Fever from her 1992 album.
Despite the knee brace, Madge showed no sign of struggling, as she delivered a flawless routine and perfect vocals.
She told the crowd: “Oh my God, it’s so good to be back. I’m pretty damn surprised I made it this far. How did I make it this far? Because of you. I’m going to take a little bit of credit too. It’s nice to have me back, too.”
And she added: “I’m going to tell you the story of my life, I’m going to do it through music and dance.
“It’s true what Bob said — I had no money in my pocket when I came to New York, my dad wouldn’t help me, he wanted me to go back home, I was an anorexic dancer.”
But she said: “I’m not a quitter, so I decided to become a musician.
“I was the drummer in a band for a while, but I wanted to be in the front.”
As spotlights darted around the area, Madonna rewound the clock as she went back to her era of The Eighties for her chart-topping tracks Everybody and Into The Groove.
Previous tours Blond Ambition (1990), Confessions (2006) and Sticky and Sweet (2008-9), relied heavily on fans’ enthusiasm for her latest material, drawing criticism from those who bought tickets hoping to hear more of Madge’s biggest hits from previous decades.
But Celebration, an unashamed greatest hits concert, saw the superstar give fans what they wanted and she sold out all 78 shows in a matter of minutes.
Madonna probably felt like she had a lot to prove.
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After the mishap of her most recent 2020 Madame X tour, where she was forced to cancel a string of dates on doctor’s orders due to seriously injuring herself, many predicted she’d be hanging up her microphone and cone bra for good.
But she hasn’t stayed at the top of her game by quitting, which is the reason she’s been in extensive and gruelling rehearsals for over six months so she can fulfil every date her fans have paid for, across all fifteen countries she’s performing in.
In fact many around the hitmaker believe she’s been pushing herself far too hard, in anticipation of this tour.
In June Madonna was found unresponsive and rushed to hospital as a result of a serious bacterial infection spending a number of days in intensive care.
But ensuring her safe arrival, her team employed a James Bond style security entourage to transport her to the O2.
In scenes that appeared straight out of an action movie, Madonna was driven in a blacked out Range Rover with motorcycle outriders dressed in slick tailored suits.
But it was only fitting that Madge lived up to the name of her tour – as she wrapped up the party of the decade with her 2009 hit – Celebration.
“Let me whisper in your ear, an invitation to the dance of life,” she sang.
There may have been many contenders for the crown, but last night, The Queen of Pop, reigned supreme.
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Loreen’s Euro win gem help
SWEDISH pop star Loreen now keeps a smoky quartz crystal on her at all times after it inspired her Eurovision triumph in May.
The Tattoo hitmaker, who dropped her new single Is It Love on Friday, said: “I always carry that one around. It symbolises my life, and what I’m supposed to be doing and need to be learning.
“The smoky quartz is about grounding yourself so if you look at the performance (at Eurovision) it was all inspired by smoky quartz.
“My nails had smoky quartz in them and also some cleansing crystals that cleans up the energies around you.”
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