Growing up with Madonna

Enid Parker goes back in time to relive her introduction to Madonna and her love for the icon

Growing up in the 80s meant there were a couple of things you just couldn't get away from - the big hair, neon, shoulder pads, fishnet tights and of course, Madonna. My introduction to the brazen, trendsetting, pop culture-influencing superstar happened in 1987 when I first heard Causing a Commotion, a cheeky musical serenade from the soundtrack to her film Who's That Girl.
Despite the tune's catchiness and its popularity on air, the Madonna phenomenon took a while to grow on me. "You can't compare her to someone like Whitney," I would tell friends with all the solemnity a 12-year-old could muster. But eventually this somewhat feigned indifference began to fade. I saw girls at school copying some of her hairstyles and fashions, and became interested, in spite of myself. I found myself catching up with her earlier albums - including popular hits like Into The Groove, Borderline, True Blue, Holiday - and decided I loved them all. Soon, a couple of posters sprung up on my bedroom wall - and though I can't say my mother was completely on board with this new infatuation, from then on there was no turning back. I was a Madonna fan for life.
In 1989, when a farewell party for the tenth grade called for us ninth graders to step up and provide 'entertainment' - Madonna fever was at its peak - and we settled on performing True Blue, imagining with typical teenage audacity that we could recreate the magic of its iconic video. Needless to say we had to tone down some of the more suggestive movements, of course we weren't allowed to wear as short skirts as were featured in the video, and colouring our hair Madonna's then trademark peroxide blonde was another taboo, but l like to think we were successful in serving up a fine karaoke version - complete with dancing - of the memorable 1986 track. An old photo that surfaced recently confirmed what I suspected all along - that I was out of sync with the rest of the group. Oh well.
Looking back, I can't pinpoint exactly what it was that endeared Madonna to me. Maybe it was her music - there's no denying her tunes were addictive - (though I never imagined I'd be singing La Isla Bonita for years to come). Maybe it was her attitude - that devil-may-care brashness teens found irresistible. Everyone loves a rebel, right? Or maybe it was just the 80s working its magic - pulling you into a mesmerising, colourful fabric of culture that continues to resonate and exert its influence even today. Happy Birthday, Madonna!
Dubai-based fans talk about Madonna's enduring appeal
Shaleena Kumar
Madonna has always been able to reinvent herself according to different timelines in the music scene. Her vivacious, strong and exuberant personality that comes across in her music has always captivated her fans and still manages to do so with the old and young alike. My favourite Madonna song of all time is Frozen.
Reena Chermana
Madonna is iconic and popular for her timeless beauty, versatility and contagious energy as a performer. Frozen is my all time favourite Madonna track!
Kritika Mathur Ghosh
I started listening to her only in the new millennium. That's when I discovered her brilliance. When I think of Madonna I think of how strong a woman can be. Also, Madonna's life is a book of mistakes and experiences that a woman can learn from. She's had her share of struggles and she has come out strong from them.
Priyanka Dhar
The quintessential female popstar, the first of her kind... who shone like the 'True Blue', reached the masses 'Like a Prayer', who represented 'The Material Girl' telling the papas not to 'Preach'...larger than life, the true diva..Madonna was like a voice to unspoken words residing in the hearts and minds of the 80s youth who were stuck at the crossroad of tradition and rebellion. Back then we were just getting exposed to Western music, and Madonna was a phenomenon. Every song of hers depicted a different message through their videos, powerful enough to influence young minds, be it the power of a single mother in Papa Don't Preach or the Gypsy Kings inspired La Isla Bonita showing the passionate love of a Latina. The reasons for her enduring popularity is manifold. She has always defied norms whether through her songs or her personal life. She gave expression to the voices of millions who otherwise were reeling under the pressure of adhering to hypocritical norms of society. Happy Birthday Madonna... You continue to be the Ruling Queen.
Brynell Moraes
What separated the widely acclaimed Queen of Pop from the then successful crop of female artists that made waves in the 1980s, legends like Whitney Houston, Cyndi Lauper, Annie Lennox and Tina Turner, was that she was able to constantly reinvent her style and her sound to reflect the forever evolving popular music scene. It was what allowed her to maintain a near thirty-year reign over pop culture and music, eventually paving the way for a new generation of female artists like Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift. Borderline happens to be one of my favourite songs of hers.
 
Enid Parker
enid@khaleejtimes.com