Madonna and Charli xcx had turned a mysterious tease into a full-blown collaboration with Danceteria Afterhours. The track was set to arrive September 24, with another major Madonna milestone landing days later at the MTV Video Music Awards.
The new release also brought a familiar name into the mix. Longtime Madonna collaborator Stuart Price handled production on the updated track, which revisited the world of Confessions II.
Madonna and Charli xcx reveal new details about Danceteria Afterhours ahead of its release
The collaboration marked a new version of “Danceteria,” a track from Madonna’s No. 1 album Confessions II. A press release described the song as a celebration of the early influences that shaped both artists. Madonna and Charli first fueled collaboration rumors at a Paris Fashion Week afterparty in June. Guests at Madonna’s Club Confessions heard a snippet featuring “Charli… Ma-Ma-Madonna” while both names appeared on a large screen.
Madonna later shared the official cover art and another snippet. She captioned the announcement, “Let’s take it to the East side baby……” before confirming the September 24 release. Fans could also pre-order the collaboration through Madonna’s official web store. The three-track CD included the Afterhours Mix with Charli, a Harry Romero remix, and the original version.
Physical editions came in purple, white and black. The release followed Madonna’s recent “Love Sensation (Afterhours Mix)” collaboration with Kylie Minogue. Meanwhile, Madonna picked up two additional VMA nominations. Those nods lifted her career-high total for this year’s ceremony from 11 to 13.
The new nominations came in the Best Long-Form Video and Best Album categories. They also kept Madonna as the most-nominated artist at this year’s ceremony. She was scheduled to open the MTV Video Music Awards on September 27. The performance marked her first appearance on the VMA stage in 23 years.
For Madonna, the week therefore carried two very different kinds of nostalgia. She revisited her musical roots with Charli while preparing for another major VMA moment. And with Stuart Price back behind the production, Danceteria Afterhours connected Madonna’s latest era with a longtime creative collaborator.
