Modern pop music is confusing, says Madonna

The 64-year-old singer – who is one of the best-selling artists of all time – feels the music industry has changed markedly since her pop heyday.

The ‘Like a Prayer’ hitmaker – who shot to global stardom in the 80s – explained: “I think what’s changed the most is just the songs. Songs have changed. The concept of songwriting.

“I’m just, give me a song. I need a beginning, a middle and an end. You know what I mean? I get confused by people’s music. And also there are just too many artists on songs. I feel chaotic when I listen to them.”

Madonna has always been “invested” in empowering women through her music.

And the pop icon feels proud of her hit records and the impact that they’ve had on wider society.

She told Paper magazine: “I was very much invested in empowering women too and that was a very big part of the storytelling. Because I think, while women were making great dance records, I feel like in the early days, while the songs and melodies are really strong and the singers are really good, they weren’t really invested in making women think, ‘Wow, I don’t have to live in a man’s world, living under the male gaze for the rest of my life. I can look at life in a different way and not settle. I can have my own voice and my own vision.’ So that was an important element.”

Madonna has also been keen to “provoke people” through her music.

Asked what fuelled her progressive approach, she replied: “I would call it curiosity – the desire to provoke people and wake people up. I hate repeating myself.”