The manager of pop superstar Madonna has refuted claims made by experimental LA-based musician, and Sugar Mountain Festival 2015 act, Ariel Pink that he had been recruited to work on the material girl’s upcoming album.
Speaking to Faster Louder recently, Pink said he had been asked to work on Madonna’s new album, which will follow up 2012’s MDNA. “They need something edgy. They need songwriting,” he said.
“She can’t just have her Avicii, her producers or whatever, come up with a new techno jam for her to gyrate to and pretend that she’s 20 years old. They actually need songs. I’m partly responsible for that return-to-values thing.”
He also added that it’s been a “downward slide” since Madonna released her first record, 1983’s Madonna. Those comments did not bypass Madge’s management team and when asked by one perturbed fan on Twitter to dismiss Pink from the project, Madonna’s manager Guy Oseary wrote, “[Madonna] and I have never heard of [Ariel Pink]. The label may have reached out but M has no interest in working with mermaids.”
Disney reference aside, it seems that Ariel Pink will not see his songwriting contributions making their way onto a Madonna record any time soon. “I haven’t heard from Madge in the past 24hrs,” he tweeted. “Was it something I said? #thankyou #bigmouth #nexttime”.
Pink’s original comments also incited criticism from Grimes, who tweeted, “Ariel Pink’s delusional misogyny is emblematic of the kind of bullshit [every] woman in this industry faces daily.” The Black Lips also contributed to the debate, defending Pink by writing, “how was that mysogonitic? He just said he didn’t like much of her music after the first album?”.
Scroll through Ariel Pink’s Twitter feed right now and you’ll see it’s littered with polarised comments either in his defence or criticising him. Interestingly, as pointed out by Pitchfork, Pink actually covered Madonna’s track Everybody for 2007’s Madonna tribute album Through the Wilderness. That song is is from Madge’s debut record.
Ariel Pink will head to Australia next year as a part of the Sugar Mountain Festival 2015 lineup.
Watch: Ariel Pink – Everybody
.@madonnarebel @madonna and I have never heard of @arielxpink. The label may have reached out but M has no interest in working with mermaids
— Guy Oseary (@guyoseary) October 14, 2014
I haven't heard from Madge in the past 24hrs. Was it something I said? #thankyou #bigmouth #nexttime
— Ariel Pink (@arielxpink) October 13, 2014
Ariel pinks delusional misogyny is emblematic of the kind of bullshit everyone woman in this industry faces daily
— Grimes (@Grimezsz) October 14, 2014
@Grimezsz how was that mysogonitic? He just said he didn't like much of her music after the first album?
— Black Lips (@TheBlackLips) October 14, 2014
@Grimezsz I prefer Live to Tell. Also immaculate <3
— Ariel Pink (@arielxpink) October 14, 2014
