In honor of Madonna's 53rd birthday on Tuesday, we take a look at the evolution of Madge throughout the years.
Born Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone, the Michigan native moved to New York in the late 1970s to pursue a career in modern dance before her debut album "Madonna" was released in 1983.
Throughout her career, many of her songs have hit number one on the record charts, including "Like a Virgin", "Papa Don't Preach", "Like a Prayer", "Vogue" and "Music", to name a few. Guiness World Records names her the world's top-selling female recording artist of all time, with more than 300 million records sold worldwide.
Madonna has not only branded herself as a pop icon over the years, but has delved into acting, fashion, entrepreneurship, production and publishing.
She has won countless awards, most notably a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy for her 1996 role in "Evita".
Currently, Madonna manages her clothing line, Material Girl, shared with daughter Lourdes, which they launched in 2010. Her manager, Guy Oseary, reported Madonna will record her 12th album tweeting, "It's official.. Madonna's 1st day in the recording studio for the new album," on July 4, 2011.
Singer Madonna arrives at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art December 8, 1999 for the Costume Institute Gala.ReutersMadonna poses on arrival at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit celebrating the opening of Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty in New York, May 2, 2011. REUTERSMadonna arrives to open Hard Candy Fitness gym in Mexico City, November 29, 2010. REUTERSMadonna walks with her adopted children, David (L) and Mercy at the Mphandula Child Care Centre, about 47 km (29 miles) west of Lilongwe, October 29, 2009.ReutersMadonna arrives with her daughter, Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon, to attend a reception to benefit UNICEF hosted by Gucci at the United Nations in New York February 6, 2008.REUTERSMadonna performs on stage during her 2008 "Sticky and Sweet" tour at Morumbi stadium in Sao Paulo.REUTERS/Paulo WhitakerMadonna poses for photographers after arriving at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2005 at Lisbon's Atlantic Pavilion November 3, 2005. Madonna gave her first live TV performance of her new single "Hung Up".ReutersMadonna performs during her 'Re-Invention' World Tour 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York, June 16, 2004.ReutersMadonna (C) performs alongside Britney Spears (L) and Christina Aguilera, during the opening number at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, at Radio City Music Hall in New York, August 28, 2003. REUTERSMadonna arrives at the Odeon West End for the 2000 premiere of her latest movie 'The Next Best Thing ' in which she stars with British actor Rupert Everett, June 6. Madonna is currently pregnant with British film director Guy Ritchie's baby.ReutersMadonna performs her song "Nothing Really Matters" during the 41st Grammy Awards February 24, 1999. Madonna's album "Ray of Hope" won for Best Pop Album.REUTERSSinger Madonna ReutersMADONNA AND AWARD AT 1999 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS.ReutersMadonna smiles during a news conference in Stockholm November 14, 1998.ReutersSinger Madonna speaks to the audience at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards at New York's Radio City Music Hall September 4 where she introduced a performance by the group Prodigy. A somber Madonna used the opportunity to speak of the tragic death of Diana Princess of wales by saying "it is time for us to take responsibility for our insatiable need to run after gossip, scandal, lies and rumors...until we change our negative behavior, tragedies like this will continue."REUTERSMadonna, who plays Eva Peron in a new film production of the musical 'Evita' appears at a photocall on the first day of music recording for the film October 2, 1995. The film based on the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice is directed by Alan Parker and co-stars Antonio Banderas and Jonathan Pryce. REUTERSRock star Madonna performs at Wembley Stadium September 25 during the opening performance of the World tour "Girlie" in September 1993.ReutersMadonna performs Best Original Song nominee "Sooner or Later" from "Dick Tracy" at Academy Awards on March 25, 1991ReutersPop star Madonna sings to a full house at Rotterdam's Fayanoord Stadium July 24, 1990. The "Material Girl" features on the top five slot of "Hottest Women of All Time" list in a recent poll.REUTERSMadonna dances before a crowd of 77,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in London August 18, 1987.ReutersMadonna, here in Toronto on July 3, 1987, for a concert tomorrow, displays BJ the puppet, a gift from a fan, following a presentation of an award from WEA Records for selling over a million copies of her True Blue. Reuters
