Rebel Heart mixes outspoken Madonna with mesmerizing beats.
Madonna’s Rebel Heart album, deluxe edition, is a compilation of 19 tracks. It is a motley collection of hip hop-infused songs and radio hits like “Living for Love.”
Rebel Heart is over 74 minutes of her “Madgesty” and collaborating artists, like Nicki Minaj and Chance the Rapper. Not to forget the help of music industry pros like Kanye West, Diplo and Avicii, who produce some of the more punchy dance medleys.
“B!%$* get off my pole” is one of the many incendiary lyrics in the song, “Holy Water.” This song is filled with sexual innuendos and religious references which pays homage to the style and schtick that Madonna has been implementing through her career. The beat is catchy and electric.
The sultry tune, “Best Night” has an intoxicating beat that makes you want to surrender, just as the lyrics say, and make your night go from 0-100 quick.
Madonna begins by attempting to rap alongside Nas in “Veni Vidi Vici” and it falls flat, but the lyrics in the chorus help connect listeners to that feeling of struggle meeting success.
“Unapologetic Bitch” draws from Reggae with the strong influence of the guitar, drums and the slowed down tempo. Madonna builds off of the momentum of the introductory beat and then it transforms into a head bopping sway-inducing club stopper.
“Joan of Arc” is reflective and you can even argue that it is an open letter to her critics. In the song she calls out paparazzi and tabloids for the mean-spirited comments or photos they have taken of her and then criticized. She is not made of stone and things like that get to her. She sings, “I’m not Joan of Arc not yet, I’m only human.”
The album’s title track, “Rebel Heart” switches gears from the majority of the songs that are infused with sexual undertones. It talks about Madonna’s journey as an individual who fits outside of the mold of everyone else. She faced hardships because of who she identified herself as and she does not look back. She embraces her uniqueness.
Overall, Rebel Heart works well. It provides a balance of reflective, dance and Madonna-centric songs that continue to prove her versatility as an artist. This compilation does not shy away from experimenting with different sounds or sexual subject matter. It goes to show that Madonna will not cease to reinvent herself and she will succeed.
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