Madonna, I Rise | Track Review

Madonna steps up her game on the second advance single from Madame X, “I Rise,” which is encouraging, inspirational, and filled with resolve.

“Us kids don’t know what we’re talking about / That we’re too young to understand how government works / We call B.S.” “I Rise” arrives as the second single from Madame X, the highly-anticipated new studio album from the one-and-only Madonna.  “I Rise,” which opens with that politically-charged intro courtesy of Stoneman Douglas High School shooting survivor, Emma Gonzalez.  That alone makes the single a stark contrast to the Latin-infused promo single, “Medellín”, with Maluma.

Following the Gonzalez intro, the pre-chorus and chorus arrives; The chorus is simple, yet inspiring from Madonna: “I rise, I rise / I rise up above it, up above it / I rise, I rise  / I rise up above it all.”  Worth noting, “I Rise” features nice vocal production. Madonna’s voice sounds extremely strong on this particular record.  Returning to the sections of the song – the for – there is only one true verse.  During the course of that verse, Madge serves up a heaping dose of resolve, strength, and toughness.

“There’s nothin’ you can do to me that hasn’t been done

Not bulletproof, shouldn’t have to run from a gun.”

Another notable section of “I Rise” occurs with the arrival of the bridge. Here, Madonna sings:

“Freedom’s what you choose to do with what’s been done to you

No one can hurt you now unless you want them to.”

Final Thoughts

Some other notes worth mentioning regarding the well-rounded “I Rise.” Beyond the aforementioned excellent vocal production, the overall production is pretty sweet.  This is a modern-sounding record that embodies the sleek, urban-pop script of 2019. The synths, lush pads, and the hard-hitting drums make the production stand out; There are also vocal effects in play which arrive towards the end of this slick joint.  All in all, “I Rise” packs a more substantial punch than “Medellín”, thanks to its activist spirit.

Madonna • Madame X • Boy Toy, Inc. / Live Nation Worldwide, Inc. / Interscope • Release: 6.14.19

Photo Credits: Boy Toy, Inc. / Live Nation Worldwide, Inc. / Interscope