As the 80's drew to a close, Madonna had seven Hot 100 No. 1's under her garter and had established her title as the reigning Queen of Pop. With her plethora of enduring singles, the most recent being 1989's smash hit "Like A Prayer," Madonna's biggest obstacle would only be figuring out how to continue growing the already sensational scale of her own success.
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The singer would dive back into the world of the underground clubs, Madonna's true main stage, to pay homage to vogueing in her next pop hit "Vogue." Madonna's ode to 80's and 90's ballroom culture, often celebrated by queer people of color, would mark her eighth Hot 100 No. 1 by May 1990.
Inspired by Harlem ballroom culture, Madonna recruited dancers and choreographers Jose Gutierez Xtravaganza and Luis Xtravaganza from Sound Factory so that they could educate the world on the phenomena of "voguing" during her Blond Ambition tour.
“I was at the Sound Factory, an after-hours spot where we went to dance all night long," reminisced Jose. "A mutual friend, Debi Mazar whispered to me that Madonna was in the club and wanted to see me. Madonna went straight to the point, she was very direct and asked, ‘Can I see you do this vogue thing I keep hearing about?’"
The two also made an appearance in Madonna's flawless monochromatic music video for the classic track. With the legendary David Fincher as director, the "Vogue" video became a mainstay on MTV, debuting some of Madonna's signature fashion fits.
Released in March, the synth-sexual house-disco track thrust Madonna back into the spotlight of queer folklore, ushering in the queen and her philosophies of dance floor liberation. By the summer, the single would shimmy to No. 1 in countries all over the world as a runaway hit and become the year's best-selling single.
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