Stuart Price reveals how Madonna rebelled against streamers with Confessions II (EXCLUSIVE)

Madonna deliberately pushed back against streaming culture while making Confessions II, according to collaborator Stuart Price.

In his exclusive interview with Attitude, the producer revealed that he and the Queen of Pop rejected the industry’s focus on standalone tracks in their decision to create a continuously mixed album.

“One observation that we’ve made about this era of music is that DSPs [digital streaming platforms] more or less force you into making individual songs,” Price explained. “Your song can be for two and a half minutes and then it must stop. The next song is two and a half minutes and then it must stop.”

“We wanted to go against the grain” – Stuart Price on making Confessions II a continuous mix

Rather than following that model, Price said the pair wanted listeners to experience the record as one uninterrupted journey.

“We wanted to go against the grain,” he said. “Part of the reason for making a continuously mixed album is because it’s somewhat against how DSPs want you to present music. Madonna was always very rebellious in that sense, so to her having the record also be a continuous thing, it just goes against the grain of what is expected.”

Released earlier this month, Confessions II reunites Madonna with Price more than 20 years after they created 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor, the Grammy-winning dance album that spawned hits including ‘Hung Up’, ‘Sorry’ and ‘Jump’. The sequel sees the pair return to house music while exploring themes of identity, grief, spirituality and human connection, and has been widely hailed as Madonna’s strongest album in two decades.

“One of the things that we were so keen to create on this record was this immersive feeling of connection” – Price on Confessions II

Price said the decision to structure the record as one continuous mix also reflected the album’s central message.

“One of the things that we were so keen to create on this record was this immersive feeling of connection – of what clubs are, why they’re important, how they let people express themselves, how they let people find new people. They’re ultimately very liberating spaces.”

Confessions II has already become another landmark in Madonna’s career, debuting at number one in both the UK and US.

The album also sees Madonna collaborate with a number of artists, including Sabrina Carpenter on its lead single, ‘Bring Your Love’. Elsewhere, the album features appearances from Martin Garrix, Feid, Stromae and Madonna’s daughter, Lola Leon.

Read Attitude’s full interview with Price here.