Author of Madonna’s biography reveals that she was not a fan of the singer and explains the 5-year process for publishing the book | Fantastic

“Every artist wants to change the world. Madonna did,” says the singer’s biographer

65 years old, 40 years old, the queen of pop has many stories of a rebellious life full of transformations. There are so many that the artist’s biography, recently released in Brazil, has more than 800 pages.

Fantástico spoke to the author, Mary Gabriel, who – oddly enough – wasn’t even a fan of Madonna when she decided to take on this challenge. She was hooked by the phenomenon when she least expected it.

“I wanted to choose an artist to biograph. And while I was researching, I came across a speech by Madonna from 2016, in which she basically talked about struggle”, says Mary Gabriel.

“She had been elected Woman of the Year and was already opening her speech by saying that she was a doormat. It wasn’t indulgence, it was a denunciation that women only survive in the entertainment industry by submitting. Then it dawned on me that Madonna was very smarter than I thought. I wasn’t a fan until then, you know?”, reveals the biographer.

It took five years between research, reading, writing the text and publishing the book, without ever even being able to speak to Madonna.

“I had no idea how unreachable she would be. I was a journalist for 25 years. I would find out the number, call, ask to speak to the person and they would answer. But with someone like Madonna, it’s another plane of existence. I tried for five years and I understood that it wasn’t going to happen.”

“Then I decided to do as I had done with my other biographies, of people who had already died: I only used archives, hundreds of old interviews… I would have loved an interview with her, but I think it worked anyway”, he says.

Fearless and determined, Madonna has already started her career with her foot in the door.

“In the early 1980s, a woman – especially a pop singer – made it her job to obey […]. Record companies thought the audience was just men. But Madonna changed every aspect of it all. At first she didn’t compose, but in ’89 she only sang her own songs,” she says.

Mary Gabriel was impressed by Madonna’s courage.

“She was a girl alone in a violent New York. No family, no money, no connections in the music world. And in a short time, with determination, courage and, of course, talent, she created this phenomenon called Madonna.”

Watch the full interview in the video above.