Madonna has debuted the music video for Dark Ballet, the fifth track from her upcoming album Madame X.
The fifth and final song to be previewed ahead of the album release on 14th June, Dark Ballet was produced by Mirwais Ahmadzai. The music video stars Mykki Blanco and was directed by Emmanuel Adjei. Watch it below:
Dark Ballet was inspired by the story of Joan of Arc. “She fought the English and she won, still the French were not happy,” Madonna says. “Still they judged her. They said she was a man, they said she was a lesbian, they said she was a witch, and, in the end, they burned her at the stake, and she feared nothing. I admire that.”
Hip-hop queer pioneer Blanco stars in the video as Joan of Arc. The video comes to a close with a powerful message from Blanco: “I have walked this earth, Black, Queer and HIV positive, but no transgression against me has been as powerful as the hope I hold within.”
Madame X has been picking up rave reviews ahead of its release next week. Fans have already heard the tracks Medellín featuring Maluma, I Rise, Crave featuring Swae Lee and Future featuring Quavo.
Tickets for Madonna’s Madame X theatre tour are on sale now. She will be performing 15 dates at the London Palladium in 2020.
