She's Madonna

About

She’s Madonna was written by Robbie Williams with Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe of the Pet Shop Boys, who also produced the track. It was released as the third single from Rudebox on 5 March 2007, reaching number 16 in the UK and the top five in several European charts. The song combines sleek synth-pop with tongue-in-cheek lyricism, paying tribute to both pop iconography and the allure of fame.

Williams conceived the idea for a song about Madonna and brought the chorus — “I love you, baby, but you can’t understand, she’s Madonna” — to the writing session. The lyric was reportedly inspired by an anecdote involving film director Guy Ritchie, who was said to have told his then-girlfriend that he was leaving her for Madonna because “she’s Madonna.” Williams transformed this story into a playful and ironic reflection on desire, celebrity and the magnetism of fame.

Tennant and Lowe helped shape the structure into a full narrative that blends admiration, irony and heartbreak. The lyrics are filled with cultural references — “We’re having drinks with Kate and Stella,” “Gwyn is here, she’s brought a fella” — while wordplay such as “you’re frozen now, but she’s got her groove on” nods to Madonna’s own songs. Musically, it channels the Pet Shop Boys’ elegant electronic minimalism, with a cool detachment underscoring the emotional complexity of the story.

“I’m a massive fan of hers, and there hasn’t been a big song about Madonna. This is it.”Robbie Williams

The video, directed by Johan Renck, features Williams in drag, exploring dual identity and performance. Its surreal imagery mirrors the song’s theme of competing personas — the private self versus the public star. Critics later hailed She’s Madonna as one of the most inventive singles of his career, cementing the creative partnership between Williams and the Pet Shop Boys.