Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie , known artistically as Madonna, is an American pop singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Raised near Detroit, Michigan, Madonna moved to New York City for a career in ballet. After performing as member of the pop musical groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her self-titled debut album in 1983. She rose to success after producing three consecutive number-one studio albums on the Billboard 200 in the 1980s.