XtremelyBJS2004

Hey guys! In the latest issue of Rolling Stone, their Annual Celebrating The 50th Anniversary Of Rock Issue, our beloved Britney contributes her thoughts on her Idol, the Material Girl, Madonna. Also, Britney herself is mentioned in Antonio "LA" Reid's contribution on his thoughts of the Gloved One, the King Of Pop, MJ. Reading what they both have to say is AWESOME! What she says about Madonna I think describes what I would say about Britney were I asked to write about her. Enjoy!

Madonna
by BRITNEY SPEARS

I'M SORRY, BUT I'D RATHER MEET MADONNA than the President of the United States. Madonna has this thing about her that you can't explain - the thing that makes somebody a star. When she walks into the room, you just have to take notice. She's so comfortable with herself, and she's not afraid to live life to the fullest and to say whatever she feels, no matter what anyone thinks. There's something kind of childlike about that; it's a beautiful, amazing thing.

Madonna was the first female pop star to take control of her career and to take responsibility for creating her image, no matter how much flak she might get. She's proved that she can do so many different things - music and movies and being a parent, too. Her music has become iconic: Songs like "Holiday" or "Live to Tell" are timeless - not just disposable hits. They feel like home. She has her spells of being moody and vibey and spiritual, but her words are so easy to relate to. She's a diva and does what she wants, but she's a loving person.

The first time I met her was when I flew to visit her at one of her shows in 2001. I walked into her dressing room, and her daughter, Lola, was there, and I felt really nervous. I said to Madonna, "Can I just hug you?" I was so stupid! But she was so nice about it. I would definitely not be here, doing what I'm doing, if it wasn't for Madonna. I remember being eight or nine years old, running around my living room singing and dancing and wanting so much to be like her. All my girlfriends still listen to her stuff. We're all mesmorized by her. Madonna's stage presence has inspired so many artists - you can see her influence in some of the younger generation like Kelly Clarkson and Shakira, who have picked up some of her moves.

As part of the generation that's coming up, you look at Madonna and you don't want to let her down. That's such a motivation for me. I love doing what I do, but when Madonna comes around - like when we were making the video for "Me Against The Music" - it's like, "Everybody get your act together - the godmother is here."

Madonna has done so much, and she's been around so long, and the bitch still looks good! She's spent years in the public eye, and that can be really hard for anyone to deal with. But she dug deep and started writing from her heart, and that's therapy to keep you going. Madonna has so much like inside her, and she's so much more noticable than all the rest of us. She stuck to what she believed in and did what she felt, and that was part of her art - to just be herself.


Michael Jackson
by ANTONIO "LA" REID

Michael has influence so many artists, some of whom are picking up on the grandeur and showmanship of his live performances. You can see his influence in his sister Janet, in Justin Timberlake, Usher, Britney Spears, and in Jennifer Lopez and Mariah Carey. You can see his influence in the dance moves - the syncopated choreography - that a lot of young artists use. And a lot of them have picked up his work ethic. When you look at a Britney Spears production or a Justin Timberlake production, or you look at an Usher production, you really see that they took a page out of Michael's book; they went to rehearsal, and they must've worked eight hours a day, because their shows are flawless, as Michael's shows were flawless.


Courtesy of Rolling Stone Magazine