Madonna reflects on deep yet complex bond with late brother Christopher Ciccone: 'It's hard to explain'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Madonna reflected on her complex bond with her brother, Christopher Ciccone, who died of cancer on Friday, October 4, in Michigan, at the age of 63. 

The Queen of Pop also lost her stepmother, Joan Ciccone, just a few weeks ago on September 24, and her older brother, Anthony Ciccone, in early 2023.

Madonna took to her Instagram on Sunday to pen a heartfelt tribute to her brother, and she not only acknowledged that Christopher had been the "closest human" to her but also wrote an ode to their inexplicable bond. 

Madonna's heartfelt tribute to Christopher Ciccone

Taking to her Instagram, the 'Popular' singer mourned, "My brother Christopher is gone. He was the closest human to me for so long."

The Grammy winner continued, "Its hard to explain our bond. But it grew out of an understanding that we were different and society was going to give us a hard time for not following the status quo. We took each other’s hands and we danced through the madness of our childhood."

Born in 1960, Christopher started dancing early in his childhood. He joined the Montreal company La Groupe de La Place Royal before joining Madonna as a backup dancer early in her career. 

He also appeared in the music video of her 1983 track 'Lucky Star'. Christopher became an important part of Madonna’s entourage in the 1980s after taking up roles as her personal assistant, stylist, and tour director, as per Deadline.

Christopher's artistic achievement reached its peak when he worked as the art director for his sister’s iconic 1990 Blonde Ambition world tour, according to the Mirror US.

However, their relationship became strained in 2001. Christopher reflected on their tumultuous bond in his 2008 memoir, 'Life with My Sister Madonna'.

Nevertheless, the siblings found their way back to each other toward the end of his life, with the ‘Material Girl’ singer writing in her tribute, "When my brother got sick, we found our way back to each other."

Recalling their childhood in Michigan, Madonna wrote, "We took each other’s hands and we danced through the madness of our childhood. In fact dance was a kind of superglue that held us together. Discovering Dance in our small Midwestern town saved me and then my brother came along, and it saved him too."

"My ballet Teacher, also named Christopher- created a safe space for my brother to be Gay. A word that was not spoken or even whispered where we lived," shared the songstress.

She added, "When I finally got the courage to go to New York to become a Dancer. My brother followed. And again we took each other’s hands, and we danced through the madness of New York City!"

Madonna recalled, "We devoured Art and Music And Film like hungry animals. We were in the epicenter of all of these things exploding. We danced through the madness of the AIDS epidemic. We went to funerals and we cried, and we went dancing."

"We danced together on stage in the beginning of my career and eventually, he became my the Creative Director, of many tours. When it came to good taste, my brother was the Pope, and you had to kiss the ring to get his blessing," wrote the ‘Vogue’ hitmaker about her brother’s work in her tours.

She continued, "We defied the Roman Catholic Church, The Police, the Moral Majority and all Authority figures that got in the way of Artistic freedom! My brother was right by my side. He was a painter a poet and a visionary. I admired him. He had impeccable taste."

"And a sharp tongue. Which he sometimes used against me but I always forgave him," said Madonna, presumably referencing his scathing criticism of his sister in the 2008 memoir.

"We soared the highest heights together and floundered in the lowest lows. Somehow, we always found each other again and We held hands and we kept dancing," noted Madonna. 

The ‘Frozen’ hitmaker bared her heart, sharing, "The last few years have not been easy. We did not speak for sometime but when my brother got sick, we found our way back to each other."

"I did my best to keep him alive as long as possible. He was in so much pain towards the end. Once again, we held hands. We closed our eyes and we danced. Together. I’m glad he’s not suffering anymore. There will never be anyone like him. I know he’s dancing somewhere," concluded the Queen of Pop.

Madonna and Christopher Ciccone's strained relationship

Trouble brewed between the siblings when Christopher Ciccone discovered in 2001 that he was replaced as Madonna’s tour director for her Drowned World Tour. Moreover, the singer’s marriage with Guy Ritchie deepened the chasm between the siblings.

In a 2009 interview with The Guardian, he shared, "From the moment I found out that I wasn't doing Drowned World, to her and Guy's wedding, everything became a bit of a blur, a dark, fairly negative period of time for me."

"You know, she was my family. I wasn't close to my other brothers and sisters, I moved out when I was 18 and moved to New York so... she was my family. Plus I'd come out of a 10-year relationship straight after the Girlie Show. So losing that, losing her - I was kind of out there for the first time in 15 years by myself," added Christopher. 

Their bond was left in tatters when the pop star accused him of theft. He subsequently penned down his grievances in his 2008 tell-all memoir ‘My Life with My Sister Madonna’.

In The Guardian interview, Christopher reflected on working with Madonna.

He said, "Yes, but she needed me, and I wanted to do it. Also, even though my brothers and sisters lead very regular lives, that still isn't easy for them. Because first, you compare yourself with Madonna and her success, and because you can't get there, you consider yourself some kind of a failure. And then there's the expectations of other people who know you're Madonna's brother, so why aren't you rich and famous?”

Christopher continued, "The life that she's chosen has had unintended consequences on all of our lives. And it's not as if she'd ever acknowledge that. Even with me, involved with her for 25 years... Madonna isn't big on recognizing other people for their contribution."

In his bombshell book, he accused Madonna of being a harsh dictator and called her out for revealing his sexual orientation on national television.

Nevertheless, the siblings eventually found their way back to each other, with Christopher telling Evening Standard in 2012, "As far as I'm concerned, we're good."

Revealing that they have mended the fences, he shared, "We are in contact with each other, although I haven't seen her for a long time. We're back to being a brother and sister. I don't work for her, and it's better this way."