Linda Perry Wants to Produce for Madonna Because She's Become "Weak to Me and Not Powerful"

Linda Perry said Madonna is no longer the powerful leader she once was, claiming she has become a follower of current trends and is trying to compete with newer pop artists. Perry also said Madonna has turned down her offers to co-write or produce multiple times, calling her a recurring obstacle. Despite criticism, Perry expressed deep respect for Madonna’s legacy, praising her for teaching women to be strong and for constantly changing her sound. Perry said she wants Madonna to retire only after making an album with her, emphasizing raw vocal power over Auto-Tune, effects, and electronics. She envisioned an open, acoustic record with strings and live singing for an audience.

"“Of late, I feel she is a follower,” Perry said of Madonna. “She's following the trends. She's trying to compete with Charli XCX and this and that. Everything about her seems weak to me, and not powerful.”"

"Speaking with Consequence, Perry noted that Madonna has turned her down as a co-writer/producer numerous times, making her “a thorn in my side.” But she still has great respect for the pop icon: “She's one of the greatest. She taught women to be strong and be yourself, and I love how she just constantly was changing her sound. Every record sounded different. I mean, she is an explorer. She is a leader.”"

"“When Madonna is ready to retire, she should make that album with me because I'll make her such a great album,” she said, adding rhetorically, “I would love to get that woman in a studio, slap her in the face a couple times and say, 'Wake up. Get back to who Madonna is and what you represent. You are a leader, so we gotta get back there.' And focus on the power of what her voice can do, not the power of what Auto-Tune and effects can do, and all the electronics that she's into right now to hide all that.”"

"Perry explained she'd want to “put her out in the open,” allowing Madonna to “just show [her flaws] and make this beautiful, more acoustic type of record with strings. Something she could sit down and just sing to a crowd that's wearing nice clothes at Carnegie Hall or whatever.”"

Read at Consequence