Madonna has returned with Confessions II, the sequel to her 2005 masterpiece, Confessions On A Dance Floor. The album also features a collaboration with the singer’s daughter, Lourdes “Lola” Leon. In “The Test”, Madonna and Lola attempt to mend their relationship from both internal and external conditions. But this sequel represents much more than a nostalgic trip to the dance floor. “The Test” looks at the past, but its aim is toward the future.
Little Star
Echoing her Ray Of Light lullaby, Madonna addresses Lola in the opening verse. Here, she acknowledges how the chaos of stardom affected her child.
Little star, I tried to put you on a pedestal,
You didn’t ask for all the flashing lights,
I didn’t think of how it could disturb.
Or how it hurt.
I wish I knew the pain I’ve caused,
My butterfly was always being watched.
In verse two, Lola responds to her mother with gratitude. She sees Madonna as a North Star. At the same time, she promises to carve her own path.
A hand tenderly reaching to me,
You are my reason to be.
Or what I want, or look like.
What I wear, all the clothes on my back,
And what I attract.
I trace the line of what you have sewn,
Keep my own design, make it a landscape,
Make it alive.
Treading on Your Footsteps
Following in the footsteps of one of the most groundbreaking and transformative pop artists in history isn’t easy. Together, mother and daughter sing a chorus in persistent solidarity against expectations, paparazzi, and judgments.
I know they tried to put us to the test,
We’re not the same, but I’m treading on your footsteps.
Sometimes I think you wish I’d go away,
But my shadow stays, and it’s okay to be yourself.
I know they tried to put us to the test,
You’re not to blame, but you need to be free now.
You made me whole when I was broken too,
And I hope and pray I can do the same for you.
Confessions II may be Madonna’s most consequential album since Confessions I. And whatever trial the singer and her daughter faced, “The Test”, like the rest of the album, proves the material girls have aced it.
Photo by Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images