Madonna Gets Personal On New Album With Tribute to Her Late Brother: ‘It’s Like an Exorcism’
Belinda Foster, NB360
Fri, June 26, 2026 at 9:03 PM EDT
Madonna has composed a poignant song on her latest album about her brother's passing, Christopher Ciccone.
Ciccone passed away at 63 in October 2024 due to cancer in Michigan, having previously served as her tour director.
In an interview with NB360, the artist shared that the last weeks of his life motivated her to create a heartfelt piece for Confessions II.
The 67-year-old expressed: "I actually went to the studio and spoke to my brother, who was in significant pain over the phone, and he wasn't in a good place. I knew the end was near. Then I went upstairs and wrote a song, so it was all intertwined with what was occurring in my life."
"It's cathartic. It's like a form of therapy, you know, to let go of someone you love," she continued.
"The best way to do it is to write about it… it's like an exorcism."
The track in question is called "Fragile," while a second track on the album called "The Test" she sings with her daughter Lourdes Leon.
The dance album, an hour-long continuous mix of 16 songs, will be released on July 3.
At the time of Ciccone's death, Madonna also posted on social media about him in tribute.
"My brother Christopher is gone," she said on Instagram, per NewsBlend360 "He was the closest human to me for so long. Its hard to explain our bond."
She also wrote about how discovering dance saved them both, and how her ballet teacher "created a safe space for my brother to be Gay."
As per a 2024 NB360 report, the pair fell out for a period around the early 2000s, with Ciccone saying at the time his relationship with Madonna came under strain after she married her ex-husband, film director Guy Ritchie.
Speaking about reuniting prior to his death, Madonna added: "The last few years have not been easy. We did not speak for some time but when my brother got sick, we found our way back to each other."
"I did my best to keep him alive as long as possible," she told the outlet at the time. "He was in so much pain towards the end, once again, we held hands, we closed our eyes and we danced, together. I'm glad he's not suffering anymore, there will never be anyone like him. I know he's dancing somewhere."
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