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Oh Shanti! Gay Fans Get Misty as Madonna's Ray of Light Turns 20
Oh Shanti! Gay Fans Get Misty as Madonna's Ray of Light Turns 20
Seen by many as the Queen of Pop's artistic zenith, the album was the personal soundtrack for many Gen X queers.
Twenty years ago, Madonna released her seventh studio album, Ray of Light. The album would win three Grammys, sell 16 million copies, expose a growing spiritual side to the pop queen, and endear her even more to her legion of gay fans.
Produced by British musician William Orbit, Ray of Light contained songs more opaque and electronica-infused than previous Madonna releases. The first album released after the icon gave birth to her first child -- Lourdes Leon -- and after she won a Golden Globe for playing Eva Peron, Ray of Light seemed to usher in a new, more profound Madonna. At the time, Madonna was influenced by her yoga practice and her study of Kabbalah, an ancient Jewish spiritual practice.
After 2000's Music and 2003's American Life, Madonna retreated a bit from ambitious, heady albums like Ray of Light, which featured a mix of pop bangers and ballads (the title track, "The Power of Goodbye") with darker, less Top 40-friendly tunes ("Candy Perfume Girl," "Skin"). There was even a Hindu Sanskrit prayer that listeners could dance to ("Shanti/Ashtangi").
The album remains a high mark in Madonna's career and fans, especially gay fans, celebrated its release on social media (the only person who didn't seem to reference RoL's birthday on Twitter was Madonna herself).
\u201c@Madonna 20 years ago this album came to life, Ray of Light was and still is an absolutely outstanding album spawning 5 singles and selling over 16 million copies worldwide. #RayOfLight #RayOfLight20\u201d— Mr David (@Mr David) 1519296133
\u201cHappy Anniversary! to 1 of my favorite Albums made so far, which also set the tone for electronica music in global pop culture, such a masterpiece and I can't get enough of it. I Love it #RAYoFLIGHT @Madonna #Frozen #Swim #NothingReallyMatters #Madonna\u201d— Lewis Trazenzky (@Lewis Trazenzky) 1519339151
\u201cRay of Light, one of the greatest pop albums of all time, is 20 today! Madonna at her finest, changing pop history and bringing spirituality into mainstream. #RayofLight\u201d— leo ~ obsessed with butterfly (@leo ~ obsessed with butterfly) 1519336957
\u201cHappy anniversary! #RayOfLight a must have in your collection. Madonna at her best #20Years @Madonna\u201d— Oz \ud83d\udd2e (@Oz \ud83d\udd2e) 1519330215
\u201cHappy 20th Birthday Ray of Light! This album changed my life when I was a teenager. #Madonna #RayOfLight\u201d— Dave \u00c1lvarez (@Dave \u00c1lvarez) 1519330705
\u201cSo #RayofLight is 20 years old today! I am off to lie down in a darkened room @Madonna #justgothome\u201d— GMS (@GMS) 1519333667
\u201c20 incredible facts about #RayOfLight even the biggest Madonna fan might not know.\n\nhttps://t.co/BxFdkBmyxU\u201d— GAY TIMES (@GAY TIMES) 1519328111
\u201c\u201cNever forget who you are little star.\u201d A reminder that still stands true \u2018til this day & truly something we need to hear right now. Celebrating 20 years of @madonna\u2019s Ray Of Light today. (\ud83d\udcf7: Frank Micelotta Archive via @pitchfork) #RayOfLight\u201d— Maverick (@Maverick) 1519338486
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