American singer-songwriter and actress Madonna has postponed her global tour due to hospitalization in an intensive care unit (ICU) following a severe bacterial infection.
The pop superstar’s manager Guy Oseary revealed that the infection was “serious”, resulting in “a several day stay in the ICU”, but assured a full recovery is anticipated.
In an official statement, Guy Oseary reported that Madonna’s health condition is on the mend, but she remains under medical supervision.
At 64, Madonna was scheduled to kick off her 84-show tour in the following month.
It is suspected that she is undergoing treatment in a hospital located in New York City, as indicated by US media coverage.
The pop legend’s intention was to commemorate the 40th year of her debut single, Holiday, by initiating her inaugural greatest hits tour.
Labelled the Celebration Tour, this marked her re-entry into concert halls and stadiums following her unconventional, theatre-based Madame X performances in 2019 and 2020.
Some of those shows had to be cancelled due to the star’s health issues related to her knee and hip.
“Sorry I had to cancel tonight,” she posted on Instagram following a 2020 concert cancellation in Lisbon, “but I must listen to my body and rest!”
Madonna’s forthcoming tour was scheduled to commence in Vancouver, Canada, on 15 July and conclude on 30 January, 2024 in Mexico City.
However, the pop icon’s manager confirmed that Madonna contracted a “serious bacterial infection” on Saturday 24 June and consequently, all scheduled engagements would be put on hold.
Her UK and Europe segment of the tour was supposed to start on 14 October, with both the beginning and end of this leg at London’s O2 Arena.
Upon announcing the tour earlier in the year, she shared with her fans: “I am excited to explore as many songs as possible in hopes to give my fans the show they have been waiting for.”
Madonna’s greatest hits have spanned across multiple decades – with iconic songs such as Into The Groove (1985), Like A Prayer (1989), Vogue (1990) and Hung Up (2005) among many others.
Given Madonna’s private nature concerning health issues, it is probable that she was in the concluding phase of tour rehearsals when she fell ill.
In 2009, her Sticky & Sweet Tour earned her a Guinness World Record for the highest-grossing music tour by a female artist.
Forbes, the American magazine, ranks her as the 45th wealthiest self-made woman in the US, boasting an estimated fortune of $580m (£460m), and credits her with an estimated $1.2bn in earnings from her tours.
Madonna is the mother of six children. She recently took to Instagram to celebrate her twin daughters, aged 10, on their completion of elementary school to her 18.9m followers.
Madonna Louise Ciccone spent her early life in Detroit, Michigan, moving to New York in 1978 to chase her dreams in dance and music.
Earlier this year, she lost her older brother Anthony Ciccone, 66, who battled with issues of alcoholism and homelessness.
