"This was the only way I could be with my mother again": Madonna reflects on loss and why she's "not afraid of death"

Madonna is widely recognized as the “queen of pop” who revolutionized the music industry. But only a few might be aware that her mother played a huge role in influencing her music, which has earned millions of fans across the world.

In her recent post on Instagram, the Like A Prayer singer reflected on the loss of her mother, Madonna Louise Ciccone, who passed away in 1963, as per a report in Distractify.

“When I was a child my mother died. I became fascinated with cemeteries. I was not afraid of death because I knew this was the only way I could be with my mother again.” She wrote in her post.

“As life went on I lost many people that I loved dearly, and came to look at death as a kind of doorway to eternal life.”

The 66-year-old shared a detailed version of her note on her Instagram stories, where she mentioned how bidding goodbye to her mother “left a haunting memory. A deep longing. A terrible fear of abandonment.”

What happened to her mother? Let’s unravel the details of Madonna’s connection with her late mother.

Also read: BLACKPINK’s Lisa becomes first K-Pop star to perform at Oscars 2025

---

How did Madonna’s mother die? Exploring about the impact her mother had on her life.

Madonna's mother, Madonna Louise Ciccone, reportedly passed away from breast cancer on December 1, 1963, at the age of 30.

At that time, she was only five years old. Her mother was of French-Canadian descent. She was a dancer as well.

Her mother’s death left a lasting impact on the singer’s life. According to a report in Distractify, Madonna stated in her biography, Madonna: An Intimate Biography, which was written by Randy Taraborrelli, that she noticed the changes in her mother’s health during the last few months but could not understand what was happening as she was too small.

According to a 1995 interview with Primetime, as reported by Distractify, she reflected on her mother’s death and said, “I'm sure that it has influenced every decision that I've made and sort of left me with a feeling of hunger and longing, a feeling of emptiness.”

Last year in May 2024, on Mother’s Day, she once again recalled some of her memories with her mother through Instagram, according to People magazine.

"I stood on stage for 81 shows staring up at the beautiful face of my mother and wondering what she must’ve been thinking as she waved goodbye to me from her hospital window. I stepped into the station wagon and shut the door not knowing it was the last time I’d see her," she wrote.

"Nobody told me my mother was dying — I just watched her disintegrate mysteriously and then she disappeared and there was no explanation except that she had gone to sleep.” She added.

Madonna's mother, Madonna Louise Ciccone, inspired her songwriting by leaving a lasting emotional imprint due to her untimely death.