Madonna Treats Fans with Debut Performance of “Express Yourself” on Celebration Tour
via TheMrKingAlex / YouTube
During her recent show at Boston’s TD Garden, Madonna surprised fans by delivering the first-ever live performance of her iconic single “Express Yourself” as part of the Celebration Tour.
Before diving into the song, Madonna, with a beer bottle in hand, toasted to the new year, expressing her intention to begin with “gratitude.”
She then grabbed an acoustic guitar and took a moment to thank her children who often join her on stage, affectionately describing them as “beautiful, talented, intelligent, opinionated” individuals.
In a light-hearted tone, Madonna quipped about her “other two” kids, mentioning that they have “moved on.”
“I’m very grateful because while they may need me as a mother, I must admit that I need them,” she shared during her set. “And I need you, and we need each other because family isn’t just what you’re born into. Family is the family that you create.”
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Following this heartfelt speech, she incorporated a verse from the classic “This Little Light of Mine” before transitioning into the second verse of “Express Yourself.”
“While I’m telling you right now what I need, I also wanna tell you what I don’t need.”
She added before performing the song:
“You don’t need diamond rings or 18-karat gold/Fancy cars that go very fast, you know they never last, no, no.”
This acoustic rendition, featuring the chorus and the third verse, replaced the usual cover of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” in Madonna’s recent setlist.
“Her voice is still as strong as ever, and she won’t be able to make out with dozens of dancers onstage forever, so now is the perfect time for her celebration,” noted a Rolling Stone review of the show.
Madonna kicked off the U.S. leg of her tour in mid-December in New York City and is scheduled to perform in Toronto later this week, with a return to Madison Square Garden planned for late January.
Watch the performance below:
