Attitude went inside Madonna’s epic Confessions II launch party – here’s what happened (EXCLUSIVE)

The year is 2026 and you’ve been invited by Warner Music to the official launch party for Confessions II, the 15th studio album by the Queen of Pop, Madonna.

Yes, we think I’m Breathless should be included in that – Sondheim, for goodness sake! – but that’s not for now. For now it’s a moment your teenage, Dick Tracy-loving, self would never believe.

Confessions II, the sequel to 2005’s Confessions On A Dance Floor – for which she granted an audience with Attitude for a cover story – reunites Madonna with producer Stuart Price.

Stepping inside Club Confessions

The official launch takes place at London’s Magazine, is powered by Grindr – speaking of things my teenage self wouldn’t believe – and takes place between 9.30pm until 2am. 

Admittedly, I’d have heeded the summons to the dancefloor with less reticence if I was/still/around those younger years, but when Madonna calls, you answer – and it turns out I was in good and very gay company…

Attitude arrives just ahead of opening and you can see the venue from exiting North Greenwich tube station. It’s not hard to miss, after all, as the entrance is a giant – and we mean giant – pair of inflatable legs straddling a speaker, through which guests will enter Club Confessions, a one-night-only event to launch the long-anticipated album.

The queue stretches as far as we can see – people of all ages, Madonna T-shirts from all eras, lots of pink veils. Fortunately for us, the guest queue is significantly shorter and we’re into the courtyard area extremely quickly. Madonna collectors – there are three different coloured wristbands for the evening, black, purple and pink… gotta catch ‘em all!

Grindr, giant speakers and free cocktails

People are excitedly taking pictures by the entrance, with dry ice and mood lighting all around. Once inside the legs (!) there’s a large Grindr x Madonna billboard to the left – more selfies are being taken – and a merchandise booth to the right. A missed opportunity here as there’s only two T-shirts, both bearing the legend, “Don’t Be A Vibe Kill,” in different fonts, and nothing branded for Club Confessions at all. The price? A mere £65 each.

Then we’re through into another room, with giant speakers built into the walls on one side, and a cloakroom watched over by a giant photo of Madonna onto the other. Everybody is blasting through the venue, taking us right back to the very start as proceedings get underway and flows into Sidewalk Talk.

The first DJ set is by Horse Meat Disco, and it’s brilliant. Camp classics, queer icons, pop hits – no vibe kill here. Speaking of vibe, the drinks are all free at Club Confessions, with a special selection of Madonna cocktails on offer as well as wine, beer and soft drinks. Fans can choose from Spicy Danceteria, Absolut Holiday Highball and Into? The Groove Grindr Muld. Yes, there’s an Absolut Vodka collaboration for the campaign too…

Fans have already made their way to the barrier in front of the stage – we’re told some people got here at 5am to ensure a spot. As the venue starts to fill up, we bump into lots of familiar fan faces, former colleagues, lovely Instagram people and a few celebrities. It’s all quite overwhelming. “Lasers!” a friend quips, as the room is flooded with light during one number. “You haven’t seen those since the ‘90s!” Worryingly, he might actually be right.

Stuart Price takes to the decks

Jodie Harsh takes over the decks at 10.45, with a slightly harder set than the previous one, as anticipation – and temperature – rises for the arrival of Her Royal Highness.

It’s at 12.08 when Stuart Price takes over from Jodie, mixing in 2000’s number one single Music to open his set. The screen behind him jumps to life with visuals from the Confessions II campaign and the audience whoops – and the phones are suddenly out.

Music mixes into Future Lovers – with a bit of I Feel Love – and then to the strains of Rescue Me, she’s HERE. “Alright London! Mutha is HERE! Mutha’s in the house! Are you ready?!” Madonna joins her producer behind the decks as the mix turns into I Feel So Free. “Be whoever you wanna be!” she shouts, as a chorus of male voices sing the lyrics back to her.

She’s dressed in pink and wearing black sunglasses, dancing and singing along as Price mixes into Bring Your Love and then Love Sensation. “There’s nothing we cannot do!” she shouts at the crowd, getting them to chant it back to her. “Everyone here is a work of art!” she cries, as Danceteria starts up and she’s joined behind the decks by daughter Lola (who co-wrote and appears on The Test). Also joining at this point is DJ Honey Dijon, doing some incredible mixing with Price.

“Mutha loves you!” – Madonna

The crowd literally take the lyrics, “Everybody get up and dance,” to heart. Shirts are off, veils are being waved in the air…

“You know this song!” Madonna commands as Get Together starts up “Alright London, can we get together?” The crowd is going wild. 

Dijon mixes in classic track Physical Attraction and Madonna sings along. Madonna singing Physical Attraction! Gay screams!

Hung Up starts to bring the set to a close, with Madonna declaring that she’s hung up on the audience. “Mutha loves you!” she repeats as the song mixes into Vogue. “What are you looking at?” she asks. “Look at me, not your phone,” she repeats before putting her mic down and voguing. 

It’s 12.50 when Madonna bids us farewell. “Goodnight London. Thank you so much. Thanks for coming. Thank you. I love you,” she says, tapping her heart and then making a heart sign with her hands, followed by a few more poses. Thief Of Heart plays as she hugs Dijon and leaves the stage. “MADONNA!” Price shouts to the crowd, echoing the inside of many of our heads for the last 40 years. 

A night to remember

While Dijon plays on until 2am, we have to admit defeat – and an early deadline – and exit those disco legs one last time. 

Being in the presence of Madonna is always a rare thrill – I met her once at a party for her movie WE and kept my cool, despite screaming inside and desperately wanting to ask if she did the voice for The Blank in Dick Tracy – but Club Confessions felt like a real pop culture moment. Will she repeat the format for a Confessions II tour? Should she? We’re just glad to have been part of what feels like a fever dream. 

Ironically, those concerns about not being able to stay awake until 2am prove unfounded – we’re still awake at 4am on a natural high from being in the room with a true living legend. Teenage me would be ecstatic and, yes, just a little breathless.

Confessions II is out now.