Madonna revealed that she felt as if her heart had been ripped out after her mother, Louise Ciccone, died aged 30 in 1963 following a diagnosis of breast cancer.
The Queen of Pop, 66, who recently fueled engagement rumors with boyfriend Akeem Morris, opened up about dealing with loss in Sky’s new documentary, Becoming Madonna, which premiered on December 30.
The singer was only five years old when her mother died and was candid about the effect it had on her at such a young age, according to People.
“What happened when I was (5) years old was simply the biggest event of my life,” Madonna said. “It was like a part of my heart had been ripped out.”
‘I was forced to grow up quickly and understand my mother’s death, understand the psychological, everything that was going on. I think it was too much for a child.
The star remembered her mother Louise saying: “She was beautiful, sweet and very hard-working.”
Madonna, 66, revealed she felt as if her “heart had been ripped out” after her mother, Louise Ciccone, died aged 30 in 1963 after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
In the documentary, Madonna’s late brother Christopher also appeared to talk about their mother.
A few months earlier, in October 2024, he passed away at the age of 63 after a battle with cancer.
“I think when my mother died, things changed emotionally for everyone,” he said.
Christopher then added of his older sister, “I know my father put a lot more pressure on her to be our guide.”
‘She was our mother’s namesake, and her name was Madonna. I mean, it either crushes you, builds you up or elevates you to something else.’
The artist, whose full name is Madonna Louise Ciccone, spoke with pride about being named after her mother, saying: “It means a lot to me.” It’s my mother’s name and I loved my mother, so there’s a link there.’
Last year, in May 2024, the Vogue singer shared a tribute to her late mother on Mother’s Day on Instagram. Some photos showed Madonna standing on stage while a photo of Louise was shown on a big screen during her Celebration Tour.
In the caption, he wrote: “I was on stage for 81 shows looking at my mother’s beautiful face and wondering what she must have been thinking as she said goodbye to me from her hospital window.”
‘I was forced to grow up quickly and understand my mother’s death, understand the psychological, everything that was going on. “I think it was too much for a child,” said the singer.
The artist, whose full name is Madonna Louise Ciccone, also spoke with pride about being named after her mother, saying: “It means a lot to me.” It’s my mother’s name and I loved my mother, so there’s a link there.
“I got into the truck and closed the door without knowing that it was the last time I would see her,” the singer recalled emotionally.
At the time, Madonna expressed that her family had not told her that her mother was dying.
“I just watched it mysteriously disintegrate and then it disappeared and there was no explanation except that it had gone to sleep.”
She stated that the explanation that her mother simply went to sleep to describe her passing when she was only five years old has resulted in the singer’s own “tumultuous relationship with sleep.”
‘When I went on stage and looked at my mother’s face every night, I would say hello and say goodbye. I said thank you. I hope you’re proud of me. I said: Please protect me and keep me sane.
The star then reflected on being a mother, writing: ‘I became very close to my children on this tour. We cling to each other. For long hours we worked and fought.’
Madonna is the mother of six children: Lourdes, 28, Rocco, 24, David, 19, Mercy, 18, as well as Stella and Estere, 12.
‘They helped me manifest my dreams. In chaos and storms, monotony and repetition. The sleepless nights and the endless packing and unpacking. All the sacrifices we made together.’
“I just watched her mysteriously disintegrate and then she disappeared and there was no explanation except that she had gone to sleep,” Madonna recalled; seen in June 2024 in New York
The Material Girl hitmaker later added: “It’s not an easy road to get into the motherhood game.” Without manual or University. Just trial and error, learn, succeed and then fail again.
The Material Girl hitmaker later added: “It’s not an easy road to get into the motherhood game.” Without manual or University. Just trial and error, learn, succeed and then fail again.
‘I finally realized that they were raising me and not the other way around. I always laugh with my friends and say motherhood = suffering. But it’s not a joke, it’s the truest thing I’ve ever said…’
And in 2023, the singer made unusual comments about her late mother after visiting a warehouse with old suits while preparing for her tour.
She had written: ‘A trip to my archives is always a nostalgic trip to the past!’
‘When I was little I remember that my mother was always cold. Partly because she was sick but also because she never had shelter.
Madonna added: ‘She always spent the little money we had on our coats and I remember standing outside waiting for the school bus with my mother shivering from the cold in the middle of winter!’
‘Years later, when I became successful, my mother’s sister told me: “Now you can buy all the coats your mother couldn’t buy!”‘
“The journey from the memory of my mother shivering in the winter to me shivering in the air-conditioned storage space where all my costumes are kept is quite remarkable.”
Madonna’s father, Silvio Ciccone, celebrated his 93rd birthday last year in June, and the singer paid tribute to this major milestone.
The artist concluded by saying: “Every time I put on an amazing coat I think of my mother.” I hope you like my taste in costumes. But most of all I hope it’s warm!’
Madonna’s father, Silvio Ciccone, celebrated his 93rd birthday last year in June, and the singer paid tribute to this major milestone.
Silvio and Louise welcomed six children in total before their passing: Madonna, Martin, Paula, Melanie, as well as their late siblings Anthony and Christopher.
Later, his father remarried his second wife named Joan and they had two more children: Jennifer and Mario.
Earlier this week on Thursday, Madonna sparked engagement rumors with her boyfriend Akeem Morris, 28, by showing off a striking sparkler on her ring finger.
The star uploaded a series of photos to Instagram while celebrating the New Year with her children and Morris.
Silvio and Louise welcomed six children in total before their passing: Madonna, Martin, Paula, Melanie, as well as their late siblings Anthony and Christopher.
Earlier this week on Thursday, Madonna sparked engagement rumors with her boyfriend Akeem Morris, 28, by showing off a striking sparkler on her ring finger.
In one image, she and Akeem could be seen strolling down a hallway inside what appeared to be a luxurious hotel.
The singer extended her left hand towards the camera and fans quickly found a diamond ring on her finger.
Madonna and the former college footballer crossed paths for the first time in 2022, but did not make their romance public until last year, in July 2024, on social media.
His Sky Documentary is currently available to stream and follows his rise to fame from 1978 to 1992, plus includes previously unseen photographs and rare footage.