Pretender

When Madonna set out to create the album that would follow her successful debut, she was very clear about the sound she was looking for. To achieve this, she turned to Nile Rodgers, a producer she admired for his work with David Bowie on the album Let's Dance. Madonna not only chose the songs but also actively participated in the composition, writing five of them, four in collaboration with Stephen Bray. The recording sessions took place at the Power Station studio in New York. To shape the sound, Rodgers called upon some of his former bandmates from Chic, such as Bernard Edwards and Tony Thompson. The result was an album that would solidify her, with songs that explored new textures and rhythms.

This album, released in November 1984, was the second studio work by the American artist. The production was handled by Nile Rodgers, who had the help of engineers like Jason Corsaro and Rob Eaton for recording and mixing. The song Pretender is 4 minutes and 30 seconds long. The artist, born in Bay City, Michigan, had already demonstrated her talent and vision since her first album in 1983, and this next step reaffirmed her ability to innovate in pop music.