Madonna
She's the ultimate pop diva, the mother of reinvention, and the queen of controversy. But after 20 years of number one hits and living like a rock star, Madonna is changing her tune. "Extra" sat down with Madonna where she opened up about everything from the controversy surrounding the upcoming video for her new single, "American Life," her marriage to director Guy Ritchie, and her new mission in life.
About her new song, Madonna says, "Well people have a bad habit of reviewing my work before they've seen it... I'd like them to stop that."
On her new mission, she says, "I realize I’ve been given this place in the world for a reason, and I want to be able to do something really important."
And that something will surprise you. Madonna says, "I mean one of the biggest problems that exists right now in the world is nuclear waste, and that's something that I’ve been involved with for awhile with a group of scientists finding a way to neutralize radiation, believe it or not."
The 44-year-old mother of two attributes much of her new attitude to studying ancient Jewish mysticism called Kabbalah. Madonna says, "It's helped me to see that we are all extensions of each other, and that everything I say and do to people, I’m doing to myself."
Now, Madonna is hoping to share that message through her music and her new video for "American Life," which she says has been misinterpreted as an anti-war statement. She says, "We talked about the ideas for the video last November and had no idea we'd be in the position we're in right now."
The militant source of inspiration for Madonna is, of all people, in-your-face filmmaker Michael Moore. She says, "The movie that he made, ‘Bowling for Columbine,’ was a very important film."
She was even upset when he got booed at the Oscars. She says, "I was because it's his right as an American, a constitutional right, to express his opinion and I was impressed with his courage."
Madonna mustered her courage recently. The music and movie star made the jump to TV, shooting an episode of "Will & Grace." Madonna says, "It was a bit scary… I mean I had no idea I was going to have the experience I had, but I enjoyed it immensely."
Well, be it marriage or her latest tunes, the ever-evolving Madonna will continue to make beautiful music.
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