Madonna kicked off The Celebration Tour at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday night, and while the evening was largely filled with triumphant hits, the ever-outspoken pop icon took a moment to address the conflict between Israel and Hamas-controlled Palestine. This wasn’t surprising, given her swift condemnation of the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israeli soil, which left around 1,300 people dead, primarily civilians, just a week prior.
“It pains me to witness the events unfolding in Israel and Palestine,” she conveyed to the audience. “It’s heartbreaking to see the suffering of children, teenagers, and the elderly. It’s all truly heart-wrenching, isn’t it? I’m sure you share this sentiment. Despite our heavy hearts, our spirits remain unbroken. Are you all with me?” The crowd responded with applause, and she continued.
“Many wonder, ‘What can one person do? I’m just an individual.’ You might feel hopeless or powerless. But there’s much we can do. First and foremost, we can say, ‘I can make a difference because I, as an individual, can bring positivity into the world through my actions and words, each and every day.’ I apologize if this sounds like a lecture, but together, we possess incredible collective power. We can choose to unite in a dark and malevolent way, or we can unite from a place of light and love. With a shared consciousness, we can change the world and bring about peace – not only in the Middle East but across the entire globe.”
This wasn’t the only profound moment during a night otherwise filled with jubilation. The Queen of Pop, whose tour launch had been delayed due to her hospitalization from a severe bacterial infection in June, also candidly discussed her near-death experience.
At one point in the show, I thought I wouldn’t make it,” she admitted bluntly.
“I forgot five days of my life – or perhaps it was death; I wasn’t entirely sure where I was.”
Madonna credited her family for pulling her through. “My children were there – and it’s always my children who rescue me.” She referred to this as her “secret” to survival and emphasized that she constantly reminds herself, “I have to be there for my children; I must endure for their sake.
In fact, five of her children joined her on stage during the tour opener. Madonna certainly knows how to keep her family close.