Madonna’s ‘Confessions II’ is Another ‘Act of Contrition’

Three quarters of the way through Madonna’s rager of a sequel to her 2005 album, Confessions On A Dancefloor, I fell asleep; however, this was only because I had been up in anticipation for days prior. According to her now leaked texts, the final fourth of Confessions II, is best for quiet contemplation unlike the earlier portions, further explaining how I managed to nod off during a momentous occasion.

The songstress has mentioned that generally each selected song past the cutting room floor was designed to get audiences ‘into the groove’ and keep moving during play through. With upbeat tempos and signature/commanding narration, the conquest of her intentional storytelling is triumphant. In addition to already building public interest through live performances—such as Grindr’s promotional set via Times Square, or Addison-Rae-clipped DJ sets—the newest album mix still drops freshly with an updated flow that connects all tracks by fading their glorious tones together. The original Confessions album—and its standouts like “Push,” “Forbidden Love,” and “Isaac”—has aged like wine, thanks in-part to its 2025-anniversary reissue, which introduced us to hidden gems that prove the consistent character of Madonna, like on “Super Pop.” “If I was an animal, I’d be a dog. If I was a dog I’d be a man. If I was a man, I’d be the president. If I was the president, I would be different.”

“I Feel So Free,” the “Vogue”-comparison-worthy, first-listed song, and offering to the public, enraptured crowds by marking the era as a strobe-heavy, visual saga. Crisp delivery immediately paints the collection as a proclamation of love and community. A standout, even with its having been available to hear longest, the original single samples a house music classic, “French Kiss” by Lil’ Louis. The production by Arca, a known sonic-partner to Björk, Madonna’s former collaborator and gossiped rival, and Stuart Price, is as immaculate as the lead performer’s material, which the ‘material girl’ claims to make from a place internally that is both masculine and feminine.

A teasing compilation-short-film accompanies this song partially, and others from the album, with celebrity cameos (Kate Moss, Shygirl, Benedict Cumberbatch…) that make so much sense it is almost comical; this is also thanks to both nostalgic and present lyrical notions syncing with kinetic visuals. The moans may feel glaringly similar to those from the 1989-1999 sample pack by Blu Mar Ten, used on Tove Lo’s 2024 HEAT EP, even from the background, but all elements are too Madonna-as-an-adjective to ever dare call derivative. 

“Good For The Soul” has a Marianne Williamson method to healing, focused on self preservation for the good of communal sustenance, and it chops vocals as an instrument, similar to how producer Miwais Ahmadzaï also did with Madonna on 2000’s Music. Track three, “One Step Away,” abstractly expresses through screwed flute and personal mantras for protecting dance as a sacred ritual. The jungle beat shifts goals from personal freedom to humanity’s liberation, a call to action for the sake of rent-payers. Madonna also just reflected on her time before wealth with The Celebration Tour’s featured housemother, Bob the Drag Queen, in an iHeart-exclusive sit down, where she discussed rent as a concept basically-inconceivable to her today.

‘Madge’ is a nickname lovingly bestowed by this artist’s largely British, despite her obvious global status, audience. On the third song, Madge proves what working not only in her homebase, but also from Europe does for her sound. The spoken pieces are similar to her multiple, genius contributions to the Christine and the Queens, French-Olympics-performed, 2023 album, PARANOÏA, ANGELS, TRUE LOVE where Madonna played an omnipotent role contemplating age, whimpering poetically, “Healthy boy, well fed, white with his rosy cheeks will wonder about me. Pity my bony body, those thin ribs, and worry, and feel my twisted ears, and the scars on my hands. Reminder of the flirtation of my skin and the cruel volcano, and perhaps lift my skirt before he learns the greater horrors. I owe him the truth of me, so I will say to him… end quote, I went to school, end quote.” 

“Bring Your Love” is ambivalently a single made to protest the chasing of trends and streaming chart success, despite its choice to include Sabrina Carpenter who stands at the forefront of TikTok’s soundscape. Lyrics gloating, “I know where the bodies are buried; don’t try to shut me up,” are in the same, ominous vein of 2018’s “Dark Ballet,” “They are so naive. They think we’re not aware of their crimes. We know, but we’re just not ready to act.” Here, the stylistically enhanced vocal cracks feel fortuitously decided becoming essential.

“Danceteria” announces there is plenty left unsaid as the previous number’s “I’ve got something to talk about…” trails forward. The use of Spanish feels like an attempt to further normalize bilingual performance by non-Latinx or indigenous artists, something also recently approached on the pop front by St. Vincent or Lorde. Namedropping is done in a way that honors those who helped Madonna reach the level of success she has today, especially, in terms of internet attention, when shouting out longtime friend Debi Mazar, who shares a lovely story with Madonna of assisting in early career ventures; this addendum feels special to this drop’s press run.

There is agility in the vocal delivery with attitude between more lackadaisical statements that feel factual to the singer, “Everyone here is a work of art.” There are culturally questionable lines per usual, but broken up by memorable, miniature bass riffs that lead into EDM blurts of energy. “Read My Lips” has Spanish guitar strumming akin to songs on 2008’s Hard Candy and hooked idioms like the track’s name, as well as “Broken up inside” and “Shut your mouth.” The feature of horns is deserving of a Madame X, another nickname since ballet-college at the University of Michigan, return to the Super Bowl stage, particularly following last year’s medley honoring Puerto Rico by Bad Bunny, if to happen, likely being sans her former 2012 support acts of the now-widely-shunned Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. The outro feels reminiscent of the first Confessions’ “I Love New York” with its soundtracked cityscape. 

“Everything” forecasts and addresses residual tension from pandemic isolation plus the current culture war. A youthful pre-chorus utilizes differing methods of proving how much Madonna means it when she interjects, “It’s not okay. I don’t fuck with it!” The strings are seemingly similar to the predecessor record’s hit, “Sorry,” tying the two projects together again. “Love Sensation” is radio friendly, and it is also disco-like which listeners may have expected when first hearing this project would be part-continuation, considering the overbearing success of the ABBA-sampling single “Hung Up.” “Love Without Words” intuitively attacks the challenge that is, semantically, being sure to revere all of dance-as-a-genre’s niches, “Call it trance… Call it house… Call it techno…” 2015’s Rebel Heart comes to mind with the style of autotune on the bridge. 

“Bizarre” is a standout with an intro also reminiscent of past single, “Sorry,” and a hook that repeatedly gargles then motifs the Shelby Cobra car model, potentially inspired by the record’s location of London during creation. The chorus is Rihanna-esque, with a great synth-layer that is too modern to be marked as just eighties in its quality, despite bearing a semblance like Corey Hart’s “Sunglasses at Night.” Then, just as nostalgia kicks in, a pounding 2010’s nightclub trance is imposed instrumentally with grit. “School” is eerie and reiterates a past cult-classic title as a chorus: “I’d Rather Be Your Lover” from 1994’s Bedtime Stories, an album that reflected accessibility in art as a result of pushing the envelope too hard on 1992’s Erotica. This era of hers defined a legacy of sexuality and freedom partially because of the music, but also due to the release of supplemental, photo-book, Sex, forever heralded as the ultimate, promiscuous endeavor by a diva.

“Fragile” embarks on a more personal feat and segment to CONFESSIONS II, chronicling the afterlife by means of science-fiction/spirituality as a method to processing grief. This is done well in a way that fits pop music, thanks to the earnest story behind the rhythm, something not easily accomplished…as seen when Melanie Martinez attempted to brand her 2023 record, PORTALS with the same concept in its entirety, but lacking Madonna’s truth and breadth. It beautifully discusses her immediate relative Christopher’s passing away during the production process, and it is danceable through drum and bass percussion even as it grows to be tear inducing with a fading heartbeat.

“My Sins Are My Savior” is pumping electronica and has a tick that makes it indispensable with R&B grooving to the singing and haunting samples of the 1991, eponymous song “My Army of Lovers.” The lyrics, “I tried to find my way in unfamiliar faces. I looked for love in unexpected places,” remind of the stunning music-video for Ray of Light’s 1998 “Drowned World/Substitute for Love.” There is an ever-present appreciation for classical piano even in the dancehall.

“Betrayal,” perhaps my favorite from the album, includes a genius, jazzy interpolation via saxophone and asks as many questions, with its mysterious performance, as it declares cruel awakenings meant for another to accept. The use of trip-hop inspiration pairs well with vocal scrubbing and filtering. “The Test” is the most unique output by Madonna since MDNA’s “Best Friend” due to being extremely introspective, for both her and her featured daughter, Lourdes (as Lola Leon). The two’s relationship challenges are approached soulfully. Simple xylophones are like slot-machines and sweeping traffic is like wind, connecting into the closer, “L.E.S. Girl,” very naturally. It’s an endearing ballad not quite the same as those on the compilation of M’s slower songs, Something to Remember from 1995, but it sums up the period of memories covered throughout C2 softly, saying goodnight to all those listening whether they be long-home from the club or just leaving an afterparty at sunrise. 

I have chosen to look at this album as more its own, rather than a sequel, but not for any reason having to do with commerciality, instead because I think each reflection, or as Madonna has called them ‘Catholic-inspired contritions,’ on CONFESSIONS II feels completely modern and has to do with many personal ongoings in her life, such as the recent loss of a brother or current intricacies in the motherhood of daughter ‘Lola.’ The ladder is notably effective knowing the impact of growing up without her own mom had for Madonna, something journaled in her past album closer “Mer Girl.”

A term recently re-popularized in the context of pop music by Charli xcx, ‘the moment’ fits what CONFESSIONS II has overtaken, and it seems to only be beginning with the Summer of 2026, as prominent remixers (Peggy Gou, Honey Dijon…) join forces with M on their renditions…expectedly more is to come as four new singles became offshoots on album release day. The politics here feel practical compared to the sensationalized American Life in 2003 and perhaps even more impactful than overly optimistic: charitable singles like “Hey You” or her cover of Lennon’s “Imagine.” Fans are also expecting the queen of pop to provide more exercises of sheer willpower with a likely deluxe reissue. Having just completed a world tour of greatest hits post-intimate-theater appearances for her last full-length album Madame X, it will be fascinating to see how this five-decades-in act supports the newest additions to her comprehensive discography.

CONFESSIONS II by Madonna is out now.