Madonna kicks off Celebration Tour with nonstop hits, performance from her daughter

The singer kicked off her world tour in London.

October 16, 2023, 2:12 PM

Madonna officially kicked off her Celebration World Tour in London over the weekend, wowing fans with a litany of hits and memorable surprises.

Among the highlights of the show at O2 Arena on Saturday was when the pop icon sang a snippet of "Little Star," which she dedicated to her daughter Lourdes Leon, who celebrated her 27th birthday on opening night.

PHOTO: Madonna performs during opening night of The Celebration Tour at The O2 Arena on Oct. 14, 2023 in London.
Madonna performs during opening night of The Celebration Tour at The O2 Arena on Oct. 14, 2023 in London.
Kevin Mazur/WireImage via Getty Images

Leon appeared alongside Madonna's 11-year-old daughter Estere, who impressed the crowd when she vogued onstage.

Estere demonstrated how to "strike a pose" during her mother's Celebration Tour in London.
Estere demonstrated how to "strike a pose" during her mother's Celebration Tour in London.

Madonna and Leon both looked on proudly as Estere moved across the stage.

PHOTO: Estere, Lourdes Leon and Madonna perform during opening night of The Celebration Tour at The O2 Arena on Oct. 14, 2023 in London.
Estere, Lourdes Leon and Madonna perform during opening night of The Celebration Tour at The O2 Arena on Oct. 14, 2023 in London.
Kevin Mazur/WireImage via Getty Images
PHOTO: Lourdes Leon and Madonna perform during opening night of The Celebration Tour at The O2 Arena on Oct. 14, 2023 in London.
Lourdes Leon and Madonna perform during opening night of The Celebration Tour at The O2 Arena on Oct. 14, 2023 in London.
Kevin Mazur/WireImage via Getty Images

Many of the Queen of Pop's most beloved songs were included in the set list, from "Into the Groove" to "Open Your Heart" to "Vogue," as well as "Live to Tell," "Like a Prayer," "Ray of Light" and "Holiday."

Variety noted that she threw some snippets of other artists' songs into the mix, including Sam Smith and Kim Petras' "Unholy" and Prince's "Let's Go Crazy." She also performed a cover of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" and did a mashup of her late friend Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and her own hit "Like a Virgin."

Madonna highlighted the controversy she's caused in her career by showing news headlines and video montages throughout the evening, according to Variety. The video screens also paid tribute to friends she'd lost to AIDS, and she offered a plea for peace in the Middle East. At various times, she "flew" over the crowd in an illuminated "portal" that took her through different eras in her career.

The Celebration World Tour continues with two more sold out shows at London's O2 Arena on Oct. 17 and 18 before heading to Europe. It arrives in the U.S. in December, kicking off the North American leg of the tour with three shows at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Here's the full set list, according to Madonna's team:

  • "Celebration Intro/Nothing Really Matters"
  • "Everybody"
  • "Into the Groove"
  • "Burning Up"
  • "Open Your Heart"
  • "Holiday"
  • "Live to Tell"
  • "Like a Prayer"
  • "Act of Living For Love/The 90's"
  • "Erotica"/"Papa Don't Preach"
  • "Justify My Love"/"Fever"
  • "Hung Up on Tokischa"
  • "Bad Girl"
  • "Vogue" (Estere's Ball)
  • "Human Nature"/"Crazy For You"
  • "The Beast Within" (Interlude)
  • "Die Another Day"
  • "Don't Tell Me"
  • "Mother and Father"
  • "I Will Survive"/"La Isla Bonita"/"Don't Cry For Me Argentina"
  • "I Don't Search I Find" (Interlude)
  • "Bedtime Story"
  • "Ray of Light"
  • "Rain"
  • "Billie Jean" vs. "Like A Virgin"
  • "Give Me All Your Luvin'/B**** I'm Madonna"