Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Madonna at the VMAs: Did she pay tribute to Aretha Franklin or herself?

On Monday night at the MTV Video Music Awards, Madonna was asked to pay tribute to Aretha Franklin. But then she launched into a long story about her early days as a struggling artist.

By Madeleine Brand • Aug 21, 2018 • 1 min read

On Monday night at the MTV Video Music Awards, Madonna was asked to pay tribute to Aretha Franklin. But then she launched into a long story about her early days as a struggling artist. She recalled one audition where she was asked to sing something, wasn’t prepared, but knew Aretha Franklin’s song “Natural Woman” by heart. Twitter slammed Madonna for making it all about her -- while wearing a Moroccan outfit that some said was cultural appropriation.

Madeleine Brand
Host, 'Press Play'
Sarah Sweeney
Vice President of Talk Programming, KCRW
Michell Eloy
Line Editor, Press Play
Amy Ta
Digital News & Culture Editor
Ann Powers
NPR music critic and correspondent, author of “Traveling: On The Path of Joni Mitchell”

News

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Madonna at the VMAs: Did she pay tribute to Aretha Franklin or herself?

On Monday night at the MTV Video Music Awards, Madonna was asked to pay tribute to Aretha Franklin. But then she launched into a long story about her early days as a struggling artist.

Share

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Madonna at the VMAs: Did she pay tribute to Aretha Franklin or herself?

On Monday night at the MTV Video Music Awards, Madonna was asked to pay tribute to Aretha Franklin. But then she launched into a long story about her early days as a struggling artist.

Share