Madonna Resumes Celebration Tour After Hospitalisation
Madonna Kicks Off Celebration Tour After Life-Threatening June Hospitalisation
On 14 Oct., Madonna officially kicked off her Celebration Tour, marking the star's triumphant return to the stage after a health scare over the summer that she wasn't sure she'd survive. "I didn't think I was going to make it, neither did my doctors. That's why I woke up with all of my all of my children sitting around me," she said during the London concert, via CNN. The tour, which will travel through Europe, the United States, and Mexico, runs through to 24 April, 2024.
"I forgot five days of my life – or my death. I don't really know where I was," she added. Ultimately, Madonna said, she was able to pull through because of her kids. "If you want to know my secret, and you want to know how I pulled through and how I survive, I thought, 'I've got to be there for my children. I have to survive for them,'" she said.
Madonna has six children — 27-year-old Lourdes, 23-year-old Rocco, 18-year-old David, 17-year-old Mercy, and 11-year-old twins Estere and Stelle. During the show, she brought Lourdes Leon, Estere, and Mercy James to the stage for a special moment in the spotlight.
Madonna was hospitalised for a bacterial infection in late June. Around a month after leaving the hospital, the singer paid tribute to her loved ones in an Instagram post that read, "Love from family and friends is the best Medicine. One month out of the hospital and I can reflect." She continued, "As a Mother you can really get caught up In the needs Of your children and the seemingly endless giving……….. But when the chips were down my children really showed up for me. I saw a side to them I had never seen before. It made all the difference. So did the love and support from my friends."
In her post, Madonna also shared a photo of a gift she "sobbed" over from her longtime manager Guy Oseary, which she said made her realise "how lucky" she feels "to be alive." She concluded her post by writing, "Thank you to all my angels who protected me and let me Stay to finish doing my work! ♥️."
The star previously shared an update on her health on Instagram on 10 July, ensuring fans that she was healing. "Thank you for your positive energy, Prayers and words of healing and encouragement," the 65-year-old icon wrote. "I have felt your love. I'm on the road to recovery and incredibly grateful for all the blessings in my life." She also confirmed that her Celebration Tour, which was scheduled to begin on 15 July in Vancouver, had been postponed.
"I did not want to disappoint anyone who bought tickets for my tour," the mother of six wrote. "I also didn't want to let down the people who worked tirelessly with me over the last few months to create my show. I hate to disappoint anyone. My focus now is my health and getting stronger and I assure you, I'll be back with you as soon as I can!"
On 28 June, Madonna's manager announced via social media that the singer had been hospitalised four days before. "Madonna developed a serious bacterial infection which [led] to a several day stay in the ICU," wrote Oseary. "Her health is improving, however she is still under medical care. A full recovery is expected. At this time we will need to pause all commitments, which includes the tour. We will share more details with you soon as we have them, including a new start date for the tour and for rescheduled shows."
Fortunately, on 29 June, Rolling Stone reported that Madonna was safely home. A source told the outlet that Madonna was "at home and feeling better." The report arrived after Madonna's close friend Debi Mazar wrote on Instagram, "Madonna is on the mend & home resting."
Over the past year, Madonna has been outspoken about aging in the public eye — especially following commentary on her appearance at the 2023 Grammys in February. "Once again I am caught in the glare of ageism and misogyny That permeates the world we live in," she wrote on Instagram at the time. "A world that refuses to celebrate women past the age of 45 And feels the need to punish her If she continues to be strong willed, hard-working and adventurous."
She told her followers, "I have never apologised for any of the creative choices I have made nor the way that I look or dress and I'm not going to start. I have been degraded by the media since the beginning of my career but I understand that this is all a test and I am happy to do the trailblazing so that all the women behind me can have an easier time in the years to come."
