Madonna

Hello! I'm MADONNA! Here is my life:

> 1958: I was born on August, 16th in Bay City, Michigan (USA). My full name is Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone.

> 1958-1977: I excelled at dance and drama at high school and at colleges in Michigan and North Carolina.

> 1977: I went to New York. I studied with the choreographer Alvin Ailey and I took modelling jobs.

> 1979: I moved to France to join a show featuring disco singer Patrick Hernandez. There I met Dan Gilroy and we formed the band 'the Breakfast Club'.

> 1980: I worked with Steve Bray (famous drummer) and we signed a contract with Sire Records.

> 1982: With the disc jockey Mark Kamins, I recorded 'Everybody'', a club hit.

> 1984: My singles 'Holiday' and 'Like A Virgin' reached the US Top 20 and were big hits across Europe.

> 1985-89: 'Crazy For You', 'Into The Groove', 'Dress You Up', 'Papa Don't Preach', 'True Blue', 'Open Your Heart' and 'La Isla Bonita' were later successes. Like an increasing number of my songs, 'Who's That Girl' (1987) was tied-in to a film. My film career had begun in 1980 with a minor role in the b-movie 'A Certain Sacrifice' before starring in 'Desperately Seeking Susan' (1985), in 'Shanghai Surprise' (1986) and in the play 'Speed The Plow'. My video for 'Like A Prayer', with its links between religion and eroticism, was condemned by the Vatican and caused Pepsi-Cola to cancel a sponsorship deal with me.

I got married with the actor Sean Penn in August 1985 but we divorced in 1989.

> 1990: I starred in the blockbuster film 'Dick Tracy' and my 'Blond Ambition' world tour was a success. The tour was commemorated by a documentary film, 'Truth Or Dare On The Band Behind The Scenes, And In Bed With Madonna', released in 1991. Among the hits of the early 90s were 'Vogue', 'Justify My Love' and 'Rescue Me'.

> 1992: I signed a multi-million dollar deal with the Time-Warner conglomerate. This guaranteed the release of albums, films and books created by my own Maverick production company. My graphic and erotic book 'Sex' was a bestseller.

> 1996: I was Eva Peron in the movie 'Evita'. On 14 October, I gave birth to Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon. Her father is Carlos Leon, my personal trainer.

> 1998: I returned to music with 'Ray of Light'. My album 'Music' was a huge hit.

> 1999: The 'Austin Powers' soundtrack ('Beautiful Stranger') was a smash hit.

> 2000: I starred in the film 'The Next Best Thing' but it was not a hit. On August, 11th I gave birth to Rocco John Ritchie. I married the British film director Guy Ritchie on December, 22nd.

> 2001: My 'Drowned World Tour' was a phenomenal success.

> 2002: I made my stage debut in London and also began working on my husband's next film 'Swept Away'. I wrote the title song to the 20th 007 outing 'Die Another Day' and I appeared in the action film.

> 2003: My single 'American life' was a huge hit, especially in Europe.