My absurd experiences in North America over the years

The following afternoon, Los Angeles was covered by a thin layer of clouds, and the light was gentle and even, neither as glaring as at noon nor as intense as at dusk.

The first recording studio was located on a quiet street in West Hollywood. The storefront was small, but the interior was surprisingly spacious.

This is the place where Madonna met Taylor Swift.

Her choice of this place was quite unexpected, but it also provided a perfect excuse.

As a senior artist, I would like to share my thoughts with the rising stars in the name of music.

When Li Fu and Taylor arrived, Madonna was already waiting.

She sat on the sofa behind the control panel, wearing a black T-shirt and dark jeans, her hair casually draped over her shoulders. She looked less like a legendary superstar and more like an ordinary person who happened to be passing by and stopped in for a chat.

When she saw Taylor Swift come in, she didn't shake hands or give her a big hug, but simply nodded to her naturally, saying, "Thank you for giving me the time of day. Please have a seat."

The two took their seats one after the other. This was the first time Li Fu had met Madonna, or more precisely, the first time he had met Madonna in private.

In his previous life, when he was in school, he had heard the songs of this global superstar and watched her music videos. He had also seen Madonna at the MTV Awards.

Overall, he was quite familiar with Madonna.

Li Fu first heard of Madonna from a gossip rumor that Madonna had a relationship with basketball superstar Sticco Pippen, or that Madonna simply needed a sexual partner at the time.

Madonna's pursuit of Pippen was very high-profile. Whenever the Bulls went to Los Angeles for an away game, she would drive her luxury car with a hot tub to pick him up.

This made Michael Jordan very jealous. The competitive Jordan once recommended himself to Madonna, saying that he could "perform better" than Pippen. However, Madonna flatly rejected him, saying that there was "not a chance."

It's clear she was very satisfied with Pippen's performance.

Madonna, now 51, may not be as beautiful as she once was, but compared to the average person, she is still very well-preserved.

She leaned back on the sofa armrest, adjusted her posture, and instead of directly addressing the media storm, she began to recount a past event.

"In 1989, I released a song called 'Like a Prayer.' The music video for that song contained some religious imagery, which many people felt was blasphemous. GG Entertainment withdrew from my collaboration, and the Vatican even issued a statement. The situation became quite tense at one point."

That was one of the most dangerous moments of Madonna's career.

"However, I benefited greatly from that incident, and in just a few months I learned to distinguish which things needed to be addressed and which did not." Madonna looked at Taylor Swift with a calm expression.

"How exactly do you divide it?" Taylor Swift asked.

She knew Madonna must have meant something, perhaps even sharing her experience.

"See if it will change your life. If it won't, then it's just noise. If it will, then you need to take it seriously, stand in a higher position, or achieve better results to shut those people up."

Madonna was clearly saying that while being a superstar brings love, it also means being criticized by countless people.

This has always been the case in this industry. The Kanye West incident was egregious, but the road to superstardom is destined to be fraught with difficulties. Some things should be put behind us now.

Taylor Swift listened quietly, and finally nodded slowly.

Madonna shifted her gaze from Taylor Swift to Li Fu, "Mr. Li, it's an honor to have you here today. I've seen the video of your gunfight in the streets of Los Angeles; you're really skilled. You must have held back with that kick, right? Otherwise, Kanye would be on crutches."

She started paying attention to Li Fu even before he went to Nashville. If she had been a few years younger, she would definitely have added another chapter to her rich romantic history.

Madonna is, to some extent, a "veteran" who enjoys seeking thrills and trying different types of things.

"You flatter me. It's just a trivial skill, nothing to brag about," Li Fu replied calmly.

Madonna smiled faintly and then got back to the point, "To be honest, I don't know Beyoncé well, nor do I know Kanye. It's unfortunate that a 19-year-old girl had her microphone taken from her at her own awards ceremony. The perpetrator should pay the price, and he certainly did."

Kanye's life was thus rewritten, his career was largely ruined, and it may be very difficult for him to make a comeback.

Madonna felt that the price was enough.

"As for Beyoncé and her husband, I'm not speaking up for them, but I feel that if things continue like this, you might not be able to get out unscathed," Madonna said. Having spent half her life in the entertainment industry, she's seen it all and knows all the inside stories.

"What do you mean?" Li Fu wanted to hear what she had to say.

"Putting everything else aside, you may feel good about ruthlessly eliminating them, but as the storm continues, public opinion could shift at any moment, portraying you as vengeful villains," Madonna shrugged. "Don't think it's impossible. Fans and listeners are often biased and will only believe what the other side's PR team does."

She put forward a completely new point of view, and after listening to it, Li Fu had to admit that it made sense.

Taylor Swift lowered her head slightly, as if processing the weight of those words, "But I don't want to see them lately."

"Then I won't see them," Madonna stated decisively. "You're not obligated to see them, but you are obligated to be responsible for your career. Music itself is important, but things outside of music are equally important."

Taylor Swift nodded. Of course she knew that she was very smart; all she lacked was experience.

Madonna looked at Li Fu again. This young man was surprisingly composed. He had become famous at a young age and was one of the richest young billionaires under the age of 30. In fact, he was not arrogant or haughty.

She thought that the person who was relentlessly pursuing Kanye and Beyoncé would finally show their true colors!

It's actually easier to deal with rational people.

"Beyoncé told me that she was deeply sorry and heartbroken by Kanye's behavior, and that if you can accept it, she will release a statement saying that after in-depth communication, the misunderstanding has been resolved and the matter is over."

Madonna's stance may be impartial, but her purpose was still to deliver this message.

Beyoncé and her husband have indeed endured a huge media storm, facing immense pressure and suffering considerable losses, but it is absolutely impossible for them to admit their mistakes.

Admitting wrongdoing would be tantamount to telling the public that Kanye's actions were instigated by them, and the storm would only intensify.

If that's the case, what's the point of peace talks?

Li Fu was well aware of this, of course, but what could he do when he lacked direct evidence? Logical reasoning couldn't be used as evidence.

"We'll think about it," he said after a moment's thought, "and we'll definitely get back to you tonight."

"OK, I'll wait for your news."

Madonna stood up and hugged Taylor Swift, encouraging her that this incident might even benefit her career.

The incident caused a huge uproar in the United States, and the discussion was equally heated in Europe and Asia. Fame and popularity are invaluable boosts for young rising stars.

Even if this fame and popularity do not come from the music itself.