Madonna has one request for fans hoping to catch her in concert: “Put your f***ing phones down.”
The “Hung Up” singer hit out at how prevalent phone usage has become at concerts, just days after she treated fans to a surprise preview of her forthcoming album, Confessions II, in New York’s Times Square.
Madonna, 67, is set to release the new album – a sequel to her hit 2005 record Confessions on a Dance Floor – next month, her first release in seven years.
Speaking to journalist Anderson Cooper at a screening of Confessions II – The Film, Madonna aired her frustrations with the “persistent need” to documentary everything, adding: “I came to this earth to be a doer, not a watcher.”
Commenting on how she was greeted with a sea of screens when performing at Coachella with Sabrina Carpenter in April, the singer added that the “deep tribal experience” of dancing is being tainted by concertgoers’ inability to enjoy the moment.
“Put your fucking phones down and connect,” she said, according to Variety.
The “Like A Virgin” singer isn’t the only music star to speak out about phones ruining concerts; in April, The Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde revealed that she “may never tour again” because of the increased use of tech at gigs.
It’s also impacting the theatre world, with Rosamund Pike making headlines last week after calling out an audience member in her performance of Inter Alia who was texting during a pivotal scene.
“You know who you are and I’m not going to single you out,” she said. “Maybe it was very important, and maybe you’re a doctor, and you’re saving someone's life, and I hope you are, but we do see these, we do feel them.”
It’s set to be a busy year for Madonna, who’ll be releasing her new album on 3 July and also headlining the World Cup final half-time show alongside Shakira and BTS.
On Thursday 4 June, Madonna kicked off Pride Month in New York by previewing the new album with a six-song set. The setlist included fan favourites such as Hung Up, Get Together, and I Love New York, alongside new material like I Feel So Free, Bring Your Love, and Love Sensation from Confessions II.
Teasing it in April, the singer said that the release is a "love letter to dance music and to all the spaces and communities that create it or enjoy it”.
"The dance floor isn’t about a specific space or building, it’s wherever we gather to dance, celebrate and connect,” she wrote on Instagram. “Thank you for being a part of this moment and for supporting my music. See you on the Dance Floor."
