Ray of Light

Description

Ray of Light is Madonna's seventh album, released in 1998 and sold over 20 million copies. It was partly produced by Madonna, Patrick Leonard, Marius De Vries, and William Orbit. Following the mixed success of the musical Evita and the birth of her daughter Lourdes, Madonna began writing her seventh album in May 1997, based on her own experiences and fundamental questions of life (death, fear, love...). To ensure a cutting-edge sound, she once again enlisted William Orbit, a musician specializing in electronic music, Patrick Leonard, Marius De Vries, who contributed to the album Bedtime Stories, as well as Craig Armstrong (Massive Attack), who worked on I Want You. Photographer Mario Testino, known for his work in fashion magazines, handled all the photos. In this new album, Madonna addresses the world of celebrity (Drowned World (Substitute For Love)), motherhood (Nothing Really Matters, Little Star), and spirituality (Shanti, Ashtangi, Frozen). Finally, in Mer Girl, she reflects on her mother's death, a topic she has spoken about extensively before. As is her custom, she completely changes her look to adopt a more natural style (brown hair, much less provocative outfits, etc.). The album, blending American, Japanese, Indian, and gothic cultures and sounds, is a triumph, with the press and music magazines praising her new voice (having taken singing lessons during the filming of Evita) and the quality of the music and lyrics of her songs. The album won three Grammy Awards, including Best Pop Album. It topped the charts in many countries, remaining number one for several weeks and over a year in the rankings, making it one of the biggest commercial successes of 1998.