Future (Madonna and Quavo song)
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"Future" is a song by American singer-songwriter
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
and rapper
Quavo Quavious Keyate Marshall (born April 2, 1991), known professionally as Quavo (), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He is best known as the co-founder and former frontman of hip hop group Migos. Quavo is the uncle of late fellow Migos m ...
, from her fourteenth studio album ''
Madame X ''Madame X'' (original title ''La Femme X'') is a 1908 play by French playwright Alexandre Bisson (1848–1912). It was novelized in English and adapted for the American stage; it was also adapted for the screen twelve times over sixty-five ...
'' (2019). The track was written by Madonna, Diplo, Quavo and
Starrah Brittany Talia Hazzard, professionally known as Starrah, is an American songwriter, singer and rapper. She has written or co-written multiple songs that have reached the top 20 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, including Rihanna's "Needed Me", No ...
, and was produced by the former two. "Future" was released as the second promotional single from the album on May 17, 2019, by
Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
. Musically it was described as a
roots reggae Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae that deals with the everyday lives and aspirations of Africans and those in the African Diaspora, including the spiritual side of Rastafari, black liberation, revolution and the honoring of God, called Jah ...
and hip hop song, while lyrically it deals about looking to what is ahead, celebrating the present and also contemplating the past. "Future" received positive to mixed reviews from music critics; some deemed it catchy while others felt it was not memorable enough. The track also had a moderate commercial reception, reaching the top 30 in Hungary and peaking at number 50 in Scotland. Madonna performed the song during the
2019 Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest 2019 was the 64th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Tel Aviv, Israel, following the country's victory at the 2018 contest with the song "Toy" by Netta. Organised by the European Broadca ...
finale, causing controversy as it featured two dancers with
Palestinian Palestinians ( ar, الفلسطينيون, ; he, פָלַסְטִינִים, ) or Palestinian people ( ar, الشعب الفلسطيني, label=none, ), also referred to as Palestinian Arabs ( ar, الفلسطينيين العرب, label=non ...
and
Israeli Israeli may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the State of Israel * Israelis, citizens or permanent residents of the State of Israel * Modern Hebrew, a language * ''Israeli'' (newspaper), published from 2006 to 2008 * Guni Israeli ...
flags on their costumes; this was seen as a political statement for the
Israeli–Palestinian conflict The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is one of the world's most enduring conflicts, beginning in the mid-20th century. Various attempts have been made to resolve the conflict as part of the Israeli–Palestinian peace process, alongside other ef ...
. Later, the singer included "Future" on her 2019−20
Madame X Tour The Madame X Tour was the eleventh concert tour by American singer Madonna, in support of her fourteenth studio album, ''Madame X'' (2019). It began on September 17, 2019, at New York City's BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, and ended on March 8, ...
.


Background and composition

In 2017, Madonna relocated to
Lisbon, Portugal Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administrative limits w ...
seeking a top football academy for her son David, who wanted to become a professional
association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
player. While living in the city, she began meeting artists, painters and musicians, who would invite her to "living room sessions". In these sessions, they would bring food, sit around the table and musicians would start playing instruments, singing
fado Fado (; "destiny, fate") is a music genre that can be traced to the 1820s in Lisbon, Portugal, but probably has much earlier origins. Fado historian and scholar Rui Vieira Nery states that "the only reliable information on the history of fado was ...
and
samba Samba (), also known as samba urbano carioca (''urban Carioca samba'') or simply samba carioca (''Carioca samba''), is a Brazilian music genre that originated in the Afro-Brazilian communities of Rio de Janeiro in the early 20th century. Havin ...
music. Finding herself "connected through music", the singer decided to create an album; "I found my tribe n Lisbonand a magical world of incredible musicians that reinforced my belief that music across the world is truly all connected and is the soul of the universe". On April 15, 2019, Madonna revealed ''Madame X'' as the album's title. For the album, she worked with longtime collaborator Mirwais, who had previously worked on her albums ''
Music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...
'' (2000), ''
American Life ''American Life'' is the ninth studio album by American singer Madonna. It was released on April 21, 2003, by Maverick and Warner Bros. Records. The album, produced by the singer and Mirwais Ahmadzaï, features references to many parts of Ame ...
'' (2003) and ''
Confessions on a Dance Floor ''Confessions on a Dance Floor'' is the tenth studio album by American singer and songwriter Madonna. It was released on November 9, 2005, by Warner Bros. Records. A complete departure from her previous studio album ''American Life'' (2003), t ...
'' (2005), as well as Mike Dean, who was a producer on ''
Rebel Heart ''Rebel Heart'' is the thirteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released by Interscope Records on March 6, 2015. She worked on the album throughout 2014, co-writing and co-producing it with various musicians, including Di ...
'' (2015), and
Diplo Thomas Wesley Pentz (born November 10, 1978), known professionally as Diplo, is an American DJ and music producer. He is the co-creator and lead member of the electronic dancehall music project Major Lazer, a member of the supergroup LSD with ...
. "Future" was written by Madonna alongside Diplo,
Quavo Quavious Keyate Marshall (born April 2, 1991), known professionally as Quavo (), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He is best known as the co-founder and former frontman of hip hop group Migos. Quavo is the uncle of late fellow Migos m ...
and
Starrah Brittany Talia Hazzard, professionally known as Starrah, is an American songwriter, singer and rapper. She has written or co-written multiple songs that have reached the top 20 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, including Rihanna's "Needed Me", No ...
, and was produced by the former two. It has been described as a
roots reggae Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae that deals with the everyday lives and aspirations of Africans and those in the African Diaspora, including the spiritual side of Rastafari, black liberation, revolution and the honoring of God, called Jah ...
, hip hop, and electro-
ragga Raggamuffin music, usually abbreviated as ragga, is a subgenre of dancehall and reggae music. The instrumentals primarily consist of electronic music. Similar to hip hop, sampling often serves a prominent role in raggamuffin music. Wayne Sm ...
song, heavily influenced by
dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rou ...
. Lyrically, according to the singer, it is about "the world that we live in today and the future of our civilization". It begins with Madonna singing "You ain't
woke ''Woke'' ( ) is an adjective derived from African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) meaning "alert to racial prejudice and Racial discrimination, discrimination". Beginning in the 2010s, it came to encompass a broader awareness of social ineq ...
" with vocals heavily worked by
Auto-Tune Auto-Tune (or autotune) is an audio processor introduced in 1996 by American company Antares Audio Technologies. Auto-Tune uses a proprietary device to measure and alter pitch in vocal and instrumental music recording and performances. Auto-Tu ...
, and a "slight, perhaps unconscious but audible white-person" Jamaican accent. During the chorus, she sings: "Not everyone can come into the future/Not everyone that’s here is gonna last", in a "hopeful" tone about shedding any recent negativity. Then, Quavo raps while reflecting on his current status and looking forward to what is to come: "My life is gold/I drip in ice/I see the signs/Just free your mind/Welcome to the future, it's a culture ride". The song includes a lyrical nod to Madonna's 2000 single " Don't Tell Me", with the line "Don't tell me to stop/'cause you said so". "Future" was released as the second promotional single from ''Madame X'' on May 17, 2019.


Reception

"Future" received positive to mixed reviews from music critics.
Asian News International Asian News International (ANI) is an Indian news agency that offers syndicated multimedia news feed to news-bureaus in India and elsewhere. Established by Prem Prakash in 1971, it was the first agency in India to syndicate video news and , is t ...
noted that Madonna and Quavo's voices "blend together perfectly", while also commented that "with its catchy lyrics and upbeat tune, Future"is sure to make way into playlists". ''
The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...
'' Louise Bruton called "Future" a "sun-kissed call for progress". Trey Alston from
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
was positive, calling it a "surprising, ecstatic new record", and praised the "surprisingly funky" collaboration between Madonna and Quavo. Nick Smith from
MusicOMH MusicOMH (stylized as musicOMH) is a London-based online music magazine which publishes independent reviews, features and interviews from across all genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B. History MusicOMH was founded and launched by ...
complimented the song as being "dark and trippy", also pointing out "Diplo's fingerprints all over it". Paul Nolan from ''
Hot Press ''Hot Press'' is a fortnightly music and politics magazine based in Dublin, Ireland, founded in June 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. History ''Hot Press'' was founded in June 1977 by Niall Stokes, who co ...
'' was also positive, deeming it an album standout. Ben Beaumont-Thomas from ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' commented that the track was "her go at pop's next big trend, roots reggae", calling it "catchy and full-bodied". However, he criticized Diplo for "shamelessly ripping off" the brass from Outkast's " SpottieOttieDopaliscious" (1998). Another positive review came from ''
Gay Times ''Gay Times'' (stylized in all caps), also known as ''Gay Times Magazine'' and as ''GT'', is a UK-based LGBTQ+ media brand established in 1975. Originally a magazine for gay and bisexual men, the company now includes content for the LGBTQ+ commu ...
''s Daniel Megarry, who said he had "grown to love it", and commented that its "reggae-tinged beats and optimistic lyrics" would help sell the track. Michael Arceneaux of
NBC News NBC News is the news division of the American broadcast television network NBC. The division operates under NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, a division of NBCUniversal, which is, in turn, a subsidiary of Comcast. The news division's var ...
considered Quavo's appearance as "surprising". Alfred Soto from ''
City Pages ''City Pages'' was an alternative newspaper serving the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area. It featured news, film, theatre and restaurant reviews and music criticism, available free every Wednesday. It ceased publication in 2020 due to a ...
'' wrote that the track "unfurls as listeners might expect", and selected it as one of the "OK to pretty good songs" on ''Madame X''. Mike Wass from
Idolator An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry. Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books *''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music * Idolator (website), an American music blog * ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...
felt it was a deviation from Madonna's usual dance pop. Nonetheless, he praised its "important message". In a further review, Wass called it a "dancehall-lite collaboration ..no less subtle in its messaging or execution", but criticized the singer's heavy use of autotune. ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
''s Jeremy Helligar criticized its lyrics for being "cliché" and said that they "go low when adonnashould be aiming higher". Kitty Empire of ''
The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...
'' criticized the lack of chemistry between Madonna and Quavo, an opinion that was shared by ''
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
''s Craig Jenkins and the ''
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''s Chuck Arnold. On a more negative review, Rich Juzwiak from ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' said that " adonnawarbles through Auto-Tune and adopts a contemporary hip-hop posture that ends up just sounding like a flat sort of honking out of her nose. It’s not so much that she’s riffing on hip-hop that’s the problem ..it’s that she’s being smarmy as she does it". Nicholas Hautman from ''
Us Weekly ''Us Weekly'' is a weekly celebrity and entertainment magazine based in New York City. ''Us Weekly'' was founded in 1977 by The New York Times Company, who sold it in 1980. It was acquired by Wenner Media in 1986, and sold to American Media Inc ...
'', dismissed "Future" as "forgettable" and one of ''Madame X''s "filler" tracks. On a similar note, Jonny Coleman from ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' also deemed it forgettable and said it sounded like a "
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
leftover". "Future" debuted at number 40 on the foreign language songs chart in China, later reaching its peak at number 20. On 24 May 2019, the track debuted at its peak of number 50 Scotland. Also in Hungary, "Future" peaked at number 30. The track peaked at numbers 16 and 33, on the French Digital and UK Download charts, respectively. It also reached number 20 on the Euro Digital Songs chart, compiled by ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''.


Live performances

On April 9, 2019, it was announced by local promoters Live Nation Israel that Madonna would perform at the
Eurovision Song Contest 2019 The Eurovision Song Contest 2019 was the 64th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Tel Aviv, Israel, following the country's victory at the 2018 contest with the song " Toy" by Netta. Organised by the European Broad ...
finale, stating she would "perform two songs, including a new song from her upcoming album". However, on May 14, Eurovision's executive supervisor Jon Ola said they hadn't confirmed the singer's appearance as there was no "signed contract". The appearance was officially confirmed two days before the finale. Madonna performed "Future", along with her 1989 single " Like a Prayer", during the event, held on
Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...
on May 18. For the performance, Madonna was joined by Quavo and wore a black cape and eyepatch with the letter X while several dancers, who wore
gas mask A gas mask is a mask used to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft tissues of the face. Most gas mask ...
s, fell to the ground. Halfway through, Madonna sang a fragment of her song "
Dark Ballet "Dark Ballet" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her fourteenth studio album ''Madame X'' (2019). It was released on June 7, 2019 as the album's third promotional single. Written and produced by Madonna and longtime collaborator ...
". Also featured on the performance, were two dancers with
Palestinian Palestinians ( ar, الفلسطينيون, ; he, פָלַסְטִינִים, ) or Palestinian people ( ar, الشعب الفلسطيني, label=none, ), also referred to as Palestinian Arabs ( ar, الفلسطينيين العرب, label=non ...
and
Israeli Israeli may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the State of Israel * Israelis, citizens or permanent residents of the State of Israel * Modern Hebrew, a language * ''Israeli'' (newspaper), published from 2006 to 2008 * Guni Israeli ...
flags on their backs holding each other. It ended with the phrase "Wake Up" being projected on a black screen, before Madonna fell backwards off the stage, hand-in-hand with Quavo. The performance caused controversy, as it was seen as a political statement for the
Israeli–Palestinian conflict The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is one of the world's most enduring conflicts, beginning in the mid-20th century. Various attempts have been made to resolve the conflict as part of the Israeli–Palestinian peace process, alongside other ef ...
. Eurovision organizers said that part of the performance was not an approved part of the act; the
European Broadcasting Union The European Broadcasting Union (EBU; french: Union européenne de radio-télévision, links=no, UER) is an alliance of Public broadcasting, public service media organisations whose countries are within the European Broadcasting Area or who ar ...
released a statement saying Eurovision was a non-political event and that Madonna had been made aware. The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), along with other artists such as
Roger Waters George Roger Waters (born 6 September 1943) is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. In 1965, he co-founded the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. Waters initially served as the bassist, but following the departure of singer-so ...
and
Brian Eno Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (; born Brian Peter George Eno, 15 May 1948) is a British musician, composer, record producer and visual artist best known for his contributions to ambient music and work in rock, pop an ...
, had previously called for a boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest in support of Palestine, and even urged Madonna not to perform. Madonna said that she was never going to "stop playing music to suit someone’s political agenda", to which the PACBI responded; "artwashing Israel’s brutal oppression of Palestinians for a million dollars must be among the most immoral political agendas". Later, the Kan Israel Broadcasting Corporation sued Live Nation over the performance, claiming the singer's representatives had violated the terms of their agreement and "reneged on financial promises".
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's Holly Thomas expressed that Madonna "didn't do or say much besides create an obtuse spectacle against the backdrop of a frankly terrible song" and "offered her audience no meaningful education of the conflict she alluded to". In addition to the controversy, the singer was criticized for her vocal performance; Netherlands announcer Emma Wortelboer quipped she was “thankful for Madonna’s autotune” during the results segment of the competition. One day later, a video of the performance was uploaded to the singer's official
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account, this time her vocals were edited. Madonna included "Future" in the setlist for her 2019−20
Madame X Tour The Madame X Tour was the eleventh concert tour by American singer Madonna, in support of her fourteenth studio album, ''Madame X'' (2019). It began on September 17, 2019, at New York City's BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, and ended on March 8, ...
. She played the piano, flanked by a pair of "robotic but sinuous" dancers with red lights on their eyes, while images of "urban and environmental destruction" and the word "warning" were projected on the video screen. ''
Paper Paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibres derived from wood, rags, grasses or other vegetable sources in water, draining the water through fine mesh leaving the fibre evenly distributed ...
''s Bradley Stern described the performance as "a more muted piano piece", compared to the "medieval-meets-post-apocalyptic moment on Eurovision".


Credits and personnel

*Madonna –
writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles and techniques to communicate ideas. Writers produce different forms of literary art and creative writing such as novels, short stories, books, poetry, travelogues, p ...
,
vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
,
producer Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...
*patsmusicrop BMI *
Diplo Thomas Wesley Pentz (born November 10, 1978), known professionally as Diplo, is an American DJ and music producer. He is the co-creator and lead member of the electronic dancehall music project Major Lazer, a member of the supergroup LSD with ...
 – writer, producer *
Quavo Quavious Keyate Marshall (born April 2, 1991), known professionally as Quavo (), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He is best known as the co-founder and former frontman of hip hop group Migos. Quavo is the uncle of late fellow Migos m ...
 – writer, vocals *
Starrah Brittany Talia Hazzard, professionally known as Starrah, is an American songwriter, singer and rapper. She has written or co-written multiple songs that have reached the top 20 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, including Rihanna's "Needed Me", No ...
 – writer Credits and personnel adapted from the ''Madame X'' album liner notes.


Charts


Release history


References


External links

* {{authority control 2019 songs American reggae songs Dancehall songs Madonna songs Music controversies Quavo songs Songs written by Madonna Songs written by Diplo Songs written by Starrah Songs written by Quavo Song recordings produced by Diplo Song recordings produced by Madonna Madame X (Madonna)