ABOUT THE SYMBOLISM IN THIS VIDEO: Here is what Madonna explained years and years ago during an interview. The song is about becoming a mature person. Realizing that living a Self Centered life leads to sadness, and that giving your self, your time and your love to others is what brings true happiness. She used a Japanese theme because she felt inspired by the novel MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA and because in the Japanese culture there 3 prominent colors with a specific meaning that were perfect to represent 3 important messages in the song. 1) BLACK : Elegance, used by rich people, high society 2) RED : Happiness, passion, love, used for celebrations 3) WHITE : Death, used for mourning The woman in the BLACK kimono represents the Self Centered person who has other people to take care of HER needs. The plastic bag of water the woman is carrying, represents those material possessions rich people tend to cling to in their pursuit of happiness, without realizing material things are actually of very little value. (as valuable as a "plastic bag") The woman in RED , represents the person that has come to realize that being detached from the material world is the way to true happiness. She has managed to get rid off of the "plastic bag", so she is now free, happy and able to give to others. The people in WHITE represent modern society. People who are not rich or powerful, (like most of us) but that because of our greed, live in a constant state of mourning and sadness. (Complaining about everything) In Madonna's case, the event that made her realize she was living a Self Centered kind of life, was giving BIRTH to her first child (Lourdes), and being confronted with the responsibility of raising her with good values. This is what I remember from that interview. It may not be 100% accurate but I hope it helps you understand the song and the video a little better.

I swear this video is nothing short of a visual masterpiece. Madonna’s interpretation of that signature jerky Japanese horror style of editing into choreography is just genius.

Madonna choreographed this herself - it's the way she naturally dances without someone telling her to move. It's pure genius

It's one of her most underrated singles and videos. It only managed to hit 93 on the hot 100 which is beyond absurd to me, as it's probably one of her most artistic videos and songs

To be honest, I believe this is Madonna's finest work. Visually stunning, not only the first time I seen it when it debuted, but again after all these years. I'm still mesmerized by it. My favorite part is when the camera does the quick off center movement and then comes back to center again. It's brilliant but not sure how to explain how or why. I just crave it. I've never seen another video do that and it's not random but is actually thought out and with purpose. It's only happens like 4 times or so throughout the video...I hope that makes sense.

This song is dedicated to her daughter, indeed it's a motherhood song. In Ray of Light there's the feeling of getting home after being caught in a storm. Well, this song deals with that and it talks about a change of consciousness, a process of growing up. The bag full of water that she holds is obviously symbolizing her daughter. Because water is a healing element in all religions and cultures, and her daughter healed her. Her daughter is the shelter from the storm of life, keeping her safe from all the madness you can get caught in. This video also shows a Japanese dance called "butoh", in which the dancers perform strange but expressive moves telling a story with their bodies and faces. The first song on the album is called "Drowned World Substitute for Love", well in Japanese culture the world of geishas is called the "drowned world", it's the world of illusion, the world of fake reflections and fake faces. And once you realize you're in the drowned world, you can ascend to the surface and be enlightened by a ray of light.

Videos like this really showcase why Madonna is the greatest video artist of all time. The director went on to make the drama Chernobyl which was incredible too

I think the four elements are represented in the video. Water: the bag. Fire: the juggler. Air: the levitating. Earth: the wooden panel .

Totally agree Pure art Madonna Queen Mather of Pop

Every video from this album is a visual masterpiece and they still hold the test of time. Power of Goodbye, Ray of Light, Substitute for Love and Nothing Really Matters

Madonna is the last alive icon ! The Queen

Madonna was heavily influenced by the Arthur Golden novel 'Memoirs of A Geisha' - specifically, the character of the novels main antagonist, the geisha 'Hatsumomo' - when she conceptionalised this video.

The director Johan Renck did incredible work here when it comes to camera cuts and editing in general. It’s out of this world. Someone in the comment section mentioned these off center camera movements which I always loved, too. It’s all so eerie, strange and fascinating. Madonna’s dance moves are bordering on becoming funny and ridiculous but she makes it work with her confidence and aura.

She worshiped Bowie

You MUST watch and listen Bedtime Story 🤯

I’m so glad I discovered you. You’re thought process about Madonna, her music and the visuals is so cool. Makes such a refreshing change to hear someone react to Madonna’s art, rather than seeing kids making over the top KZfaq thumbnail faces, just to get more views and likes, and not really getting the full message. 💙

the Nothing Really Matters video was inspiration for the art director of a classic PS2 video game: Silent Hill 2 Fantastic!

I mean she just brings so many genres to the table. And she goes all out not just a wig or a different makeup look, she totally transforms. Honestly to me the song itself was not a huge departure as most of Ray of Light was but the video just takes it to another level and it made me appreciate the song more. I love your comparison to Bowie👏👏

She won a GRAMMY RIGHT AFTER performing at the GRAMMYS for the VERY FIRST TIME ❤

One of the best! Grammy Award Winning. She performed this for Grammys and got a standing ovation. Genius. Really great reaction. Loved watching you watching!

How cool it is to see you becoming a Madonna fan! To be fair and completly honest no one does what she does! She's the most complete artist i've ever known! Those camera movements at 0:57, 1:18, 1:54 (and many others) kill me of excitement. They are sooo cool! *Madonna* told Entertainment Tonight why she chose the geisha look: _"The whole idea of a geisha is a straight metaphor for being an [entertainer] because, on one hand you're privileged to be a geisha, but on the other hand you're a prisoner."_ She told Interview Magazine in 1998 it was inspired by her relationship with her daughter Lourdes, who was then just two years old. She explained: _"She doesn’t know about me being famous. She hasn’t got a clue. And it's completely unconditional love, which I've never known because I grew up without a mother [who died of breast cancer when Madonna was 6]. I mean I did have my father, but I think that the love that you get from a mother is quite different. It's had a huge impact on me, as I suppose it has on everyone who has children. But definitely, when you have children you have to step outside of yourself. You can't sit around feeling sorry for yourself, or feeling like you’re a victim in any way, shape or form. You really look at life from a totally different perspective."_ Madonna *choreographed her own moves* in the video, since she _"[did not] like how other people say how I should move, I'm my own best choreographer."_ ("Entertainment Tonight News: Madonna, Behind-the-Scenes". Entertainment Tonight. February 6, 1999)

In fact, Madonna's biggest influence was David Bowie

Madonna is like 10 or 20 yrs ahead of the curve.

The Ray of Light looks, in my opinion, are up there with her most stunning reinventions. Not discounting her other looks but she had 3 exquisite transformations during the ROL era. The geisha was revisited in the video for Paradise, Not For Me and the Drowned World tour.

MADONNA= ARTE✨👑🙌🏼

The video is inspired by Memoirs of a Geisha, before it became a movie. She is playing Hatsumomo, which is the antagonist, and Geisha that broke the mold. Hence the wild dancing. Geisha dancing is the opposite of that. It's very controlled and dignified. Hatsumomo changed it all

The creativity of this era is mindblowing❤❤

I have no words! This is perfection.

The dancing in the video is inspired by Japanese Butoh dance: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butoh

This = my all time favorite song by any artist. The spiritual message, Madonna's harmonious, warm and soothing voice, the free dance, back and forth movement in the tunnel of life. This song is biblical and the video is light years ahead of its time.

That's such a unique song and video.

I used to hate this song with a passion. But it has aged like wine, and it's powerful message is so timeless now. Plus the video is perfection.

G'day it's Steven from Down Under Thank you for taking me down memory lane. All hail the Queen of Pop!

Have you seen the video for Bedtime Story? Iconic

It's truly invigorating to observe a reaction video created by someone mature enough to sport facial hair. Your respect for the artists you review is commendable. You managed to analyze a Madonna music video without needing to reference Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, or Beyoncé. The quality of your work is excellent, so please continue to share your insightful reactions.

IMHO this is my favorite song from her discography. It is full of hope and love.

She absolutely loved the book Memoirs of a Geisha, specifically the character Hatsumomo. So when they were creating the video, they went with an Asian theme.

I cannot say how relieved I am not to be forced to sit through another Millennial try to find the words they aren't yet equipped to use. Yes, indeed - this video and the accompanying Grammys performance that was essentially a re-creation for the stage is a true gem of what many might dismiss it as one of her more obscure releases. A small pieceof trivia: _RuPaul's Drag Race_ had an episode in which the runway challenge was _Night of 1000 Madonnas._ With her countless iconic incarnations , five of the seven or eight queens walked out in geisha kimonos, necessitating the single time the show has ever found it warranted to repeat a dedication challenge its next year. I have to say I found your comment with how it resembles the J-horror craze spot-on. Unless it's merely coincidence, she predicted that aesthetic eight years in advance! For anyone else that actually still reads, Arthur Golden's _Memoirs of a Geisha_ (the book this incarnation was inspired by) is a MUST.

I think you're gonna really appreciate her Drowned World tour, featuring songs from the albums Ray of Light and Music. It is, perhaps, her most artsy concert and was a thrill to watch live.

Madonna is amazing in everything she's ever done. I've been a fan of hers from the very beginning and still am to this day. She's an artist of incredible strength, inventivness and creativity. This album "Ray of Light" is truly one of her best and one of the best. My favorite songs (if I can choose ) is "The Power of Goobye". Also, "Sky fits Heaven". Brilliant!!!

A work of art all and all! Also, Nothing makes the darkest go like the light!

MASTERPIECE. Cant remember, but have u ever seen THE POWER OF GOODBYE? Also incredible

I just love this song since the very beggining I bought Ray of light in 1998, the video is a real Masterpiece...!

Also Nothing Really Matters came out well before Blackstar so perhaps Bowie was inspired by Madonna? I do know she accepted his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for him back in the 90s. So I think the admiration was mutual

Yesss, one of her Bessst 💜👑💜👑💜

Great video and song as far as Bowie concerned he was a huge influence on Madonna she’s often spoke of of it.

It’s wild to watch you experience it for the first time and seeing you feel what I felt the first time.

Pure Art

This was a great genuine reaction. I'm glad you're impressed with Madonna now. Good on you.

I love your MADONNA reaction videos. Yours are by far the BEST Madonna reactions. Looking forward to the next one. And A Happy New Year to you.

I forgot, have you reacted to her video for “Substitute For Love” from Ray Of Light yet? Also a great song and beautiful video.

Love your reactions man. I was never a big fan of Madonna and only really applied my listening to her music from Ray of Light. Since then I’ve become a fan. Little bit let down by her behaviour of late which is making her less individual and cringe. BUT you cannot deny the solid albums she’s dishes out.

The video was inspired by Memoirs of a Geisha, the book. Also performed at the Grammys with the same look. Look also reappears for video for Paradise (Not f/Me) video used in the Drowned World Tour. I'm sure it's on here

great reaction, pls do Dark ballet the video. forever the queen. greetings from Berlin

Here's my interpretation of the video and it's completely different from the one in the other comment: It is about motherhood and more specifically about conception. Madonna in black represents dormant egg cell. In the concept of yin and yang, yin (represented by color black) is the receptive principle and symbolizes female energy. She is holding bag of water like a baby - it's still empty, but Madonna in black is ready for the motherhood. The imagery is of a geisha being prepared for ceremony (ovulation). People in white represent sperm. It's yang principle (color white) - active, male energy. Their jerky movement is similar to the way sperm cells move. Also they are both male and female, X and Y chromosomes from the father. There's an image of them feeling the wall of locks, similar how the sperm have to "unlock" the egg. One of the dancers in white is making the leap up, he is the one fertilizing the egg (although it needs other cells to pierce the outer layer). After that he starts the same dance as Madonna in red. Madonna in red represents fertilized egg (zygote). She is moving in a narrow corridor similar to zygote moving in fallopian tube. Color red traditionally associated with women's sexuality. Dancers in white were dressed as patients in insane asylum. Madonna in black was reserved, but Madonna in red seems to have caught the same insanity (dreaming/waking up to life).

Utter masterpiece!

4:45 this is how i feel every time i listen to her music!!! 😂

This song is amazing (beat and lyrics). Although the video is weird, its completely reasonable when you understand the whole package (lyrics+ vídeo). MADONNA ❤️ 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷

I hope you react to the lead single from Ray of Light next. Frozen was a U.K. no 1 hit - love to see your reaction to it.

love it one of my favorite videos Thank u❤❤❤❤❤❤w

If you're looking to be further impressed by her, please react to the live performance of Mer Girl/Sky Fits Heaven from the Drowned World Tour. A little spoiler: its Japanese themed.

It's a real pleasure to watch you appreciate this video. It doesn't get the attention it deserves.

MASTERPIECE

Madonna has said she was a huge Bowie fan growing up.

Thank you for sharing this

My favourite single of ROL

It's 2001: A Space Odyssey meets Memoirs of A Geisha. Filmed in reverse.

Beautiful!!! Totally agree with you and your reaction 👍👍👊💙🙏 Thank you so much!!!! Zane

Was she inspired by the book Memoir of A Geisha during this time. I remember her mentioning it.

If I remember correctly it wasn't until this album in '96 that she started winning Grammys, not that awards mean anything obviously because she had done stunning work up to this point as well.

Funny how Madonna released the two greatest songs of the nineties as the last two singles off this album.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

she had given burth to her daughter lourdes and won 5 grammys for this album Ray of light Frozen,,, Power of Goodbye

Nothing takes the past away like the future. Recipe for peacefulness.

♥♥♥

One of my fav songs and clips of her. The album was inspired by gettting her 1. Daughter.

The whole Ray of Light album is/was from her first child Lourdes.

Some points: 1) Madonna always cited David Bowie as her No 1 male artist influence. They had met lots of times casually at public events, I think they had dinner some times too. He had a lot of respect for her. She lied to her dad and secretly went to her first concert as a teen with a friend, and it was David Bowie's. Obviously she is a trailblazer and huge influence to the world like he was. 2) Video directed by Johan Renck, who also directed the megahit HUNG UP later. Prob has done another Madonna vid which i cant get my head to. Johan Renck first tried as a Scandinavian pop star. He had a BIG European hit in 1993 as STAKKA BO titled Here We Go Again, you can watch it on youtube. 3) If you liked the video and song so much, you can locate on youtube the NRM REMIX VIDEO set to the late and great Peter Rauhofer Club 69 Remix, which includes take offs, behind the scenes and of course cut scenes from the Nothing video, set to a brilliant remix. All of the official remixes of NRM are GORGEOUS and I suggest you track them down. My fave are the Club 69 Phunk Mix and the Club 69 Speed Mix. Also Talvin Singh and Kruder And Dorfmeister mixes rule for a more alternative flava..

check out the Kruder and Dorfmeister 11 min remix.... that is INCREDIBLE so as the original

Masterpiece of music and video. That weird dance reminds of how Lorde moves. Looked normal to me. Lol That’s why I love Madonna’s dance movements it runs through current artists. Icon. ‘Frozen’ is another brilliant song. Actually the whole ‘Ray of Light’ album is top notch.😂👌🏼

This video also inspired the horror direction for the silent hill video game.

the video is based on some japanese story about a woman losing her mind.

That red kimono is in the V&A, or at least it was.

Please review Bedtime Stories or Power Of Goodbye, Jump or Frozen

🙋‍♂️Hello from Dallas, I love watching you loving Madonna as much as I do, she has been such a huge part of my life since 1983, I'm an original fan, also, hehe, I've got a little man-crush on you, I was sad when I saw your ring 🤦‍♂️, oh well, I will still watch all your Madonna reactions.. ttfn 🤍

😎😱👍🙏

Please watch drowned world substitute for love it’s a amazing ❤

You should react to more official videos, even though you've already seen it, we'd love to hear your opinion 😉

“Oh no she kimono don’t” (If you know, you know)

Just watching it back, I think she's describing the disconjunction between being a sex object and how disconnected those sexy moves seemed to her after becoming a mother.

It’s no wonder you never knew this existed. It’s a good song and an incredibly weird, visually stunning video (something Madonna never does anymore). You never heard of it because the single was a massive flop. Out of the entire Ray of Light album, “frozen” and “Ray of Light” were the only two successful singles. “Nothing Really Matters”, “The Power of Goodbye” and “Drowned World Substitute for Love” were all huge flopped singles.

My like was "666" LOL

I presume you have to read Memoirs of A Geisha to get this video.some themes of motherhood but also maybe blind zombies showing how primitive people can be before they have children . Dunno. Weird

It's the poorest charting single off the album when it could have been one of the best. It wasn't promoted properly. Also I have no clue why she never released the single with Ricky Martin, Be Careful w/My Heart.

Jajajaja that is a japanese dance style. The video is original and it does not have to be like in the 80s you know with a story. You do not seem to be open minded to art. That is nothing crazy, but different.

If you ordered Bjork from wish

She used to make Such a Good music