Influences

Religion, Ethnicity and Family

Madonna has cited her Catholic and Italian background are major influences in her life and career. She has also noted on various occasions that her mother's premature death left a lasting emotional burden throughout her adolescence and adulthood. As an entertainer, Madonna has occasionally touched on these subjects in her song lyrics and visual presentation.

Madonna's Catholic background and relationship with her parents were reflected in the 1989 album Like a Prayer, which featured songs about her parents and Catholic upbringing. The video for the title track contained Catholic symbolism, such as the stigmata. Madonna used the crucifix as a notable religious accessory in the church setting of the video, and was also included in the stage design of her "Confessions" tour. "Promise to Try" told of her sadness at the memory of her mother, while "Oh Father" told of a strict father who elicited fear in his child. In the The Virgin Tour, she wore the rosary around her neck. In the music video for "La Isla Bonita", she prays the rosary.

She has described the name as being "very Italian", despite the fact that she was named after her French Canadian mother. The name "Madonna" is Catholic and references The Virgin Mary, who, in the Roman Catholic Church, is often referred to as "The Madonna" and juxtaposes the two Italian words "ma", a variation on the Italian "mia" (the contextual form for the adjective "my"), and "donna", which literally translates to "my lady".

Madonna's Italian heritage has also been referenced in her work. The video for Like a Virgin, filmed in Venice, Italy, features her in Venetian settings. The "Open Your Heart" sees her boss yelling at her in Italian. In the "Papa Don't Preach" video, Madonna wears a shirt with the slogan, "Italians Do It Better". The video release of her Who's That Girl Tour, titled Ciao, Italia! - Live From Italy, was filmed mainly in Turin, Italy. In it, Madonna performs the song Papa Don't Preach while a portrait of the Pope appears on the screen behind her. "Papa" is the Italian word for "Pope".) In her 2005 documentary I'm Going To Tell You a Secret, she jokingly states that she has "big, fat, Italian thighs."

Musical influences

In 1985, Madonna commented that the first song to ever make a strong impression on her was "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" by Nancy Sinatra and that it summed up her take-charge attitude. As a young woman, she attempted to broaden her taste in literature, art, and music, and during this time became interested in classical music. She noted that her favorite style was baroque, and loved Chopin because she liked his "feminine quality". She has also acknowledged the impact of Debbie Harry and Chrissie Hynde saying they "paved the way" for her. In an interview with the Observer on October 29, 2006, Madonna professed a love for fellow Detroit natives The Raconteurs and The White Stripes, as well as New York band "The Jett Set". Madonna has also commented that she enjoys Frank Sinatra, and especially likes to sing, "My Way" in the shower.

Film stars

During her childhood, Madonna became fascinated by films and film stars, later saying, "I loved Carole Lombard and Judy Holliday and Marilyn Monroe. They were all incredibly funny...and I saw myself in them...my girlishness, my knowingness and my innocence". Her "Material Girl" music video recreated Monroe's "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" number from the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and she later studied the screwball comedies of the 1930s, particularly those of Lombard, in preparation for the Who's That Girl? film. The video for "Express Yourself" placed a femme fatale character alongside an androgynous figure in male attire, which was compared to Marlene Dietrich and was inspired by Fritz Lang's Metropolis movie. The video for "Vogue" recreated the style of Hollywood glamour photographers, in particular Horst P. Horst, and imitated the poses of Marlene Dietrich, Carole Lombard and Rita Hayworth, while the lyrics referenced many of the stars who had inspired her. Among those mentioned was Bette Davis, described by Madonna in a Rolling Stone interview as an idol, along with Louise Brooks and Dita Parlo.