In November 1983, Neil Tennant — then a journalist with Smash Hits and helping to launch its U.S. offshoot Star Hits — sat down in a bustling New York café with an ambitious new singer: Madonna.
Tape recorder in hand, he listened as she spoke about leaving Michigan for New York with just $35, chasing a career in dance before turning to music, and breaking through the city’s club scene with songs like “Everybody.”
Madonna’s confidence and drive shone through the conversation. Leaning forward with the energy of someone who already knew where she was heading, she told Tennant matter-of-factly, “I want to be a star.”
The interview was published in the February 1984 issue of Star Hits and remains a vivid portrait of Madonna on the brink of superstardom. You can read the original piece here at madonnaunderground, it has been added to the press section of THE FIRST ALBUM
Star Hits February, 1984 (USA)
