Madonna Dedicates Song To Friends Who Died Of AIDS During Celebration World Tour
Image: Madonna. Image: Facebook
Pop star Madonna, 65, dedicated a performance on the opening night of her Celebration Tour to LGBTQI people and friends who lost their lives to AIDS.
Held Saturday, October 14, at London’s O2 Arena, Madonna dedicated her 1986 song “Live to Tell” to those who passed away.
During the performance, photographs of those who lost their lives appeared on the arena’s jumbo screens, including singer-songwriter Sylvester, Freddie Mercury, choreographer Alvin Ailey, and artist Martin Burgoyne.
‘Beautiful And Incredibly Moving’
“Sylvester, Cookie Mueller, Leigh Bowery, Robert Mapplethorpe so many others lost to AIDS honored by Madonna singing “Live To Tell” at the opening night of her Celebration Tour in London,” wrote Dark Entries Records in a post to social media.
Sylvester, Cookie Mueller, Leigh Bowery, Robert Mapplethorpe so many others lost to AIDS honored by Madonna singing “Live To Tell” at the opening night of her Celebration Tour in London
🎥 @georgieboyg#madonna #celebrationtour #sylvester #cookiemueller #robertmapplethorpe #AIDS pic.twitter.com/wgZvZgMjB3— Dark Entries Records (@darkentriesrecs) October 14, 2023
According to writer Nick Levine, who was in the audience, “Madonna’s Celebration Tour version of Live to Tell dedicated to lives lost lives to AIDS, including her best friend Martin Burgoyne pictured behind her here, was beautiful and incredibly moving.”
Madonna’s Celebration Tour version of Live to Tell dedicated to lives lost lives to AIDS, including her best friend Martin Burgoyne pictured behind her here, was beautiful and incredibly moving. pic.twitter.com/vKr4ibon9H
— Nick Levine (@mrnicklevine) October 15, 2023
‘She Had Our Backs When Few Others Did’
National AIDS Trust praised Madonna for the tribute, writing, “It’s been great to see Madonna remembering people who lost their lives to HIV and recognising the work of @aidsmemorials during a moving rendition of ‘Live To Tell’ at her concert in London as part of the Celebration Tour.”
It's been great to see @Madonna remembering people who lost their lives to HIV and recognising the work of @aidsmemorials during a moving rendition of "Live To Tell" at her concert in #London as part of the #CelebrationTour #Madonna https://t.co/rr3hae8ZEC
— National AIDS Trust (@NAT_AIDS_Trust) October 16, 2023
Executive Director of Aidsmap Matthew Hodson praised Madonna for the tribute, adding, “Madonna included #HIV safer sex advice with her Like A Prayer album. There’s a reason why gays of a certain age (i.e. my age) will always Stan Madonna. She had our backs when few others did.”
Madonna included #HIV safer sex advice with her Like A Prayer album.
There’s a reason why gays of a certain age (i.e. my age) will always Stan Madonna.
She had our backs when few others did.#MadonnaCelebrationTour pic.twitter.com/tGWzCCeCGr— Matthew Hodson (@Matthew_Hodson) October 14, 2023
Hits Radio host Ben Johns reiterated Hodson writing, “One of the greatest things about Madonna is her unwavering support for the LGBTQ+ community. Dedicating ‘Live To Tell’ to victims of the AIDS crisis proved her allyship tenfold once again.”
one of the greatest things about Madonna is her unwavering support for the LGBTQ+ community. Dedicating ‘Live To Tell’ to victims of the AIDS crisis proved her allyship tenfold once again #CelebrationTour pic.twitter.com/nKrrEbdEcJ
— Ben Johns (@ben_johns) October 15, 2023
Another fan wrote, “Didn’t bank on myself BAWLING during Live to Tell when Madonna put up pictures of the icons we lost during the AIDS crisis.”
didn’t bank on myself BAWLING during Live to Tell when Madonna put up pictures of the icons we lost during the AIDS crisis 😭 #TheCelebrationTour pic.twitter.com/aPH5c22KKF
— lou (@lousaysthings) October 15, 2023
The setlist also included hits such as Nothing Really Matters, Erotica, Holiday, Fever, Vogue, In This Life, and Like a Prayer.
In January, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of her career, Madonna announced a worldwide Celebration tour.
In June, Madonna developed a serious bacterial infection which led to the Celebration Tour being postponed.
The tour was due to start in mid-July in Vancouver before heading to the US and Europe, ending in Amsterdam on December 1.
