Stars celebrate Madonna
Queen of pop? Mother of re-invention? Over-the-hill control freak? Confrontational sex-obsessed superstar? Whatever you think of Madonna, as she celebrates her 50th birthday this month, she still seems to have the boundless energy of a performer half her age.
And controversy hasn't done Madonna's career any harm. In fact, the Guiness Book of Records list her as the world's most successful female recording artist of all time and the top-earning female singer in the world with an estimated net worth of over $400 million, having sold over 200 million records worldwide. And her Confessions tour in 2006 was ranked as the highest-grossing tour ever by a female artist, generating about £96million.
Born into a Catholic Italian-American family, Madonna went from being a young girl born into suburban Detroit to being a multi-millionaire pop star.
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And according to her friends in Hollywood, much of her success is down to hard work and her chameleon-like ability to reinvent herself.
Probably the secret of her success has been her ability to reinvent herself, as Hollywood actor George Clooney told Century: "She is the high watermark when it comes to learning how to reinvent yourself. Without question she is the absolute best at that."
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Fellow fashionista, Sarah Jessica-Parker, added: "She has been incredibly inspiring and inspried and smart and interesting and has done what suits her and what she thinks is interesting and as a result we are interested."
Complements to the star also came from this side of the Atlantic with Helen Mirren and Suggs speaking highly of the star.
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Television presenter Davina McCall added: "If some-one asked me what you would be doing if you weren't being a presenter, I would be stalking Madonna!"
As well as being the Queen of Pop, Madonna is also a published author of children's books, an actress, film-director, designer and Lady of the Manor.
She is married to Guy Richie, though there have been rumours of marital problems. The couple have three children Lourdes, Rocco and adopted son David Banda, and are now planning to adopt another child from Malawi.