Once upon a time there was a girl called Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone. Wanting to be a superstar, she travelled to the bright lights of New York with just a few dollars and her dreams came true.
Or so the story goes.
One thing for sure is that it's hard to wrestle the title Queen of Pop from Madonna. Despite a career that has had its lows from flop films (Swept Away) to music misfires (American Life), the highs have been stratospheric.
Madonna's career now spans over three decades. Her punk mix of tutu, leggings and Boy Toy belt epitomises 80s fashion, while her gender-bending, boundary-pushing videos in the 90s have inspired everyone from Britney to Rihanna.
Constantly reinventing herself, Madonna has been everything from cowgirl to geisha to disco queen to American dream. The 00s, however, saw Madonna become a mother and a wife and become more vocal about her political and spiritual opinions.
The singer has tried her hand at numerous music genres too. Whether it's the country-tinged Don't Let Me, the hip-pop of 4 Minutes or the theatrics of the Evita soundtrack, Madonna has done it all.
The past decade has also seen the superstar become infamously athletic, sporting a serious set of guns and fish-netted thighs. Refusing to tone things down at the age of 53, Madonna continues to don leotards and heels and show the girls how its done.
With a new Golden Globe in the bag, Madonna's twelfth album MDNA has been critically acclaimed and sees the Hung Up singer staying put on the dancefloor - and with one eye on her throne at all times. Don't expect to see her relinquish it anytime soon. Sorry, Gaga...
