Madonna Forgives Brother, Inspires 2026 Album Songs

On Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast, Madonna said a spiritual near-death experience in the ICU — including a vision of her late mother — pushed her to forgive her estranged brother, Christopher Ciccone. The siblings had been at odds for years after Ciccone, a former dresser and art director for Madonna, published a tell-all memoir in 2008 and they drifted apart during her marriage to Guy Ritchie. When Ciccone became ill and reached out, Madonna said she put aside her pain, held his hand as he died of cancer in October 2024 and told him, "I love you and I forgive you." The reconciliation inspired unreleased songs called "Fragile" and "Forgive Yourself," which will appear on her forthcoming 2026 album. Madonna framed forgiveness as a freeing act rather than revenge and urged people to find a way to forgive even their "biggest enemies."