If you were fortunate enough to secure a spot on the guest list, you were in for the party of a lifetime. Judging from the line that stretched down Robertson Blvd. well past midnight on Saturday night, it was clear that many had made it—but not all were able to catch a glimpse of Madonna in person as she strolled behind the decks at 12:53 a.m., sending the crowd into a frenzy.
The 67-year-old pop icon previewed two new songs at this (un)surprise appearance at Club Confessions—a one-night party at the legendary Abbey nightclub in West Hollywood. It was also a birthday bash for Tristan Schukraft, the CEO of telehealth company MISTR and owner of the storied gay Mecca. The event gave fans an early taste of her next era.
Dressed in a powder-pink bustier reminiscent of the iconic piece she wore at Coachella—only to have it stolen later—Madonna premiered two previously unheard cuts: “Love Sensation” and a track titled “Freedom” that played like a demo and quickly became the night’s centerpiece. Her recently released “I Feel So Free” and 2005’s “Hung Up” also made appearances in her set.
Stuart Price, the mastermind behind 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor and Confessions II—which drops July 3 and marks Madonna’s return to her former label Warner Records—kept the beats coming. Romy, who had just performed at Coachella with her band The xx, and DJ Mez Monty took turns at the decks. Romy spun remixes of Ariana Grande’s “Into You” and her own duet with bandmate Jamie xx, “Higher Places,” while Monty teased the crowd with Madonna’s “Get Together” and “Thief of Hearts.”
From behind the booth, Madonna worked the room like a drill sergeant. “Don’t wait. Take it. Don’t wait. Take it. Take your freedom! Put your hands up! Put your hands up!” she shouted, before admonishing the crowd to “put your phones down” and be in the music. At another point, she led the room in a call-and-repeat: “There’s nothing that we cannot do!”
The guest list was a testament to Madonna’s enduring crossover appeal, drawing an A-list crowd including daughter Lourdes Leon, boyfriend Akeem Morris, Cara Delevingne, Tom Daley, Tori Spelling, Lily Allen, Sky Ferreira, Addison Rae, Kali Uchis, Lola Young, and Vivian Jenna Wilson. RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Willam, Trinity the Tuck, Morgan McMichaels, Gottmik, and Symone were also in attendance, as was TikTok creator Harry Daniels, who was reportedly waiting at the door to serenade her on arrival.
Madonna last released a studio album in 2019 with Madame X.
