The scene is dark. Thousands of screaming fans wait with agonizing impatience. Smoke billows from the stage and a confident blonde woman struts. With the spotlight fully on her, the crowd erupts into deafening applause as she begins her incomparable dance routines. It's an icon. She is Madonna. History has never seen a cultural figure with as much controversy or flair for drama as Madonna, nor will history ever see such a figure. Madonna's name is recognized by everyone, as evidenced by a survey of around fifty people of varying ages (shown below). These facts alone are enough to etch his name in pop culture history, but the creation of an icon doesn't stop there. Madonna is the quintessential example of an American icon because of her revolutionary changes in the world of music and fashion; his entire life, from his early childhood to his 50th birthday and beyond, challenged society's conventions and forever changed the face of the music industry. On August 16, 1958, Madonna “Madge” Louise Veronica Ciccone was born, the daughter of Silvio Ciccone and Madonna Fortin in Bay City, Michigan. As the third of six children, Madonna faced an uphill battle from birth to gain the attention of her engineer father and former dancer mother. She realized that to attract the attention of her parents and those around her, she would have to exercise her femininity to be recognized. This realization went directly against the devout Catholic upbringing in which her parents raised her. Forced to attend Catholic masses and primary schools, much of Madonna's childhood revolved around Catholic values. Images of Catholicism would later become huge inspirations for some...... middle of paper ...... allowed Madonna to become the only global superstar with the audacity to be able to claim that she, in fact, “ruled the world.” This is why Madonna is, without a doubt, an icon. Works Cited Fleming, Jessica. “Madonna: A Timeline.” » skiff.tcu.edu. October 22, 2003. TCU Daily Skiff. Internet. February 22, 2011. “Madonna.” notablebiographies.com. 2011. Advameg, Inc. Web. February 22, 2011. “Madonna Biography.” biography.com. 2011. A&E Television Networks. Internet. February 18, 2011. “Madonna Timeline.” » twoop.com. 2006. Internet. February 22, 2011. Monkish, Juliette. “10 FACTS ABOUT MADONNA.” articlealley.com. September 18, 2008. Web. March 5, 2011. Robinson, Peter. “Madonna: 50 Poptastic Facts.” tutor.co.uk. 15 August 2008. Guardian News and Media Limited. Internet. February 28, 2011.Stack, Tim. "Glee triumphs with the power of Madonna." Weekly Entertainment. May 7, 2010: 10-11. Print.