Madonna Goes Through a “Crisis of Confidence,” but Keeps Pushing Boundaries to Fight Ageism

At 64 years old, Madonna continues to make strides in the entertainment industry, proving that age is not a limitation for women. And despite the recent debacle over her Grammy look, along with a personal crisis that she is reportedly facing, Madonna continues to show everyone that she is still a force to be reckoned with.

A source revealed that Madonna is currently going through a “crisis of confidence.”

Reports indicate that Madonna and her 23-year-old lover Andrew Darnell recently ended their relationship. “It was only a very casual thing [with Darnell], so she’s not broken-hearted. It’s just that it has come at a bad time,” according to the unnamed source. “She’s having a bit of a crisis of confidence, and this doesn’t help.”

But despite all these challenges, the Queen of Pop remains focused on constantly reinventing herself and is working hard on her 40th-anniversary tour. “She’s throwing herself into the tour and is determined that not only will it be brilliant, but it will also thrust her back into the limelight,” the source added.

“They will never break me.”

She may have been through a lot, with the most recent hiccup being the negative comments she received after her appearance at the Grammys. But leave it to the music icon to answer in the most Madonna way — sending a strong message of defiance against her bashers.

“The world is threatened by my power and my stamina, my intelligence and my will to survive. But they will never break me. This is all the test,” she said in a tweet.

When she delivered a rousing speech about going against the grain, at the 65th Annual Grammys, and how being controversial could mean that an artist is “on to something,” internet trolls focused on how her face looked instead. So she clapped back at them through an Instagram post.

“Instead of focusing on what I said in my speech, which was about giving thanks for the fearlessness of artists like Sam and Kim, many people chose to only talk about close-up photos of me taken with a long lens,” she added. Madonna also threw shade at the press, saying the photographer has the power to distort anyone’s face.

Interestingly, Madonna predicted the relentless ageism that she was going to face when she was only 34 years old.

In an old interview, during her early 30s, she mentioned that we live in a society where people are not allowed to be adventurous after reaching a certain age.

“I mean, a lot of people have said, ’Oh, that’s so pathetic, I hope she’s not still doing that in 10 years.’ I mean, who cares? What if I am? Is there a rule?” — the much younger, but equally feisty Madonna said. “Life is long. People are living to be a hundred years old, so I don’t get it.”

Years later, her fight against ageism continues, and the Queen of Pop remains unapologetic for living her authentic self.

She said she would not apologize for her creative choices nor for her physical appearance. “I have been degraded by the media since the beginning of my career.” And she blamed ageism and misogyny for the criticism she has been receiving.

The pop star also wishes to pave the way for a better future for women. “I am happy to do the trailblazing so that all the women behind me can have an easier time in the years to come.”

Madonna vowed to continue defying societal pressures and stereotypes.

True to her “rebel” image, Madonna refuses to be criticized into oblivion — “I look forward to many more years of subversive behavior — pushing boundaries, standing up to the patriarchy, and most of all, enjoying my life.”