Madonna has honored her brother Christopher Ciccone, who passed away at 63, calling him “the closest thing to me for so long.”
Christopher, who worked as her tour director and appeared in her early music videos like Lucky Star, died of cancer in Michigan on Friday.
In an emotional Instagram post, the 66-year-old singer reflected on their unique bond, saying it “grew from the fact that we were different.”
She shared: “Society was hard on us for not following the norm. But we held each other’s hands and danced through the chaos of our childhood. Dance became the glue that kept us together.”
Madonna explained that discovering dance in their small town was life-saving for both of them, especially for her brother as a young gay man.
“When I got the courage to move to New York to pursue dance, he followed. Again, we held hands and danced through the craziness of New York City,” she wrote.
She recalled how they absorbed art, music, and film with passion, describing New York as the center of it all. “We danced on stage together early in my career, and later, he became my creative director for many tours.”
Madonna admired her brother’s talents, calling him a “painter, poet, and visionary.” She added, “He had impeccable taste and a sharp wit, which he sometimes used against me, but I always forgave him.”
Despite their ups and downs, including a falling-out in the early 2000s after Madonna’s marriage to Guy Ritchie, the two reconnected before his death.
In his 2008 autobiography Life With My Sister Madonna, Christopher opened up about their relationship and his experience working for her.
Reflecting on their reconciliation, Madonna said: “We didn’t speak for a while, but when he got sick, we found each other again. I did everything I could to keep him alive.”
In their final moments, Madonna shared: “Once again, we held hands, closed our eyes, and danced together. I’m relieved he’s no longer in pain, and I know he’s dancing somewhere now.”
Christopher was also an artist, interior designer, and directed music videos for stars like Dolly Parton and Tony Bennett. His death comes shortly after the passing of Madonna’s stepmother Joan and their older brother Anthony, who died last year.
