Madonna just proved that age is just a number — and so is the length of a birthday rider. Celebrating her 66th birthday with the kind of extravagance that only the “Material Girl” singer can can pull off, she turned the Italian coast into her personal playground, complete with a yacht and an entourage with a certain type of, shall we say, energy.
“Madonna had very specific instructions and demands,” an insider revealed to OK Magazine of the singer’s recent Italian birthday bash at Positano’s Villa TreVille resort — the very same Italian luxury hotel Jennifer Lopez retreated to earlier this summer. This time, Madonna took her flair for the dramatic to new heights (or should we say, depths of the Mediterranean?). Whether she was sipping something fabulous off Positano or strutting through Portofino, her party was nothing short of a meticulously orchestrated spectacle. Every morsel of food and drop of wine was curated to perfection — a birthday bash befitting pop royalty, naturally.
Her detailed rider didn’t stop at drinks and finger foods, though. There were also specifics when it came to who she wanted to be serving her those birthday treats. “She only wanted handsome young men working on the staff,” the source added.
Madonna’s rider also reportedly required designer outfits to be flown in from all corners of the globe. “Madonna requested designer outfits be flown in from all over the globe to be photographed in,” the source revealed.
Anyone who’s followed Madonna’s dating history knows the singer has a soft spot for youthful energy, be it in her personal life or her professional circle. Her more recent romantic rendezvous have skewed on more on the May-December side since her split from her second ex-husband, Guy Ritchie, back in 2008. Rumor has it, even her boyfriends sign NDAs, ensuring what happens in Madonna’s world, stays in Madonna’s world.
Madonna’s boyfriend selection process is as thorough as her event planning. She interviews potential partners based on a checklist of traits: they must be attractive, athletic, talented, fun, loyal, and passionate, ensuring they check all the right boxes before entering her inner circle. A newer beau, Jamaican-born soccer player Akeem Morris, 28, joined Madonna during her birthday celebrations.
While some might call her demands a bit (or a lot) extra, what else do you expect from one of the world’s first pop superstars? Madonna’s birthday extravaganza is a cheeky reminder of why she is still a cultural icon to this day. After all, she’s a material girl, living in a material world.
Before you go, click here to see Madonna’s best VMA fashion photos over the years.