Getty ImagesMadonna has paid tribute to her brother Christopher Ciccone, who has died aged 63, calling him “the person closest to me for a long time.”
Her brother, who was the pop singer’s tour director and danced in her early music videos, including “Lucky Star,” died Friday of cancer in Michigan.
Heartfelt posts on InstagramThe 66-year-old singer wrote that their relationship is difficult to explain but “stems from our different understandings.”
She added: “Society will make things difficult for us if we don’t follow the status quo.
“We held each other’s hands and danced through the madness of childhood, and in fact, dance was the super glue that held us together.”
The singer explains that “discovering dance in our small Midwestern town saved me” and then “it saved him too” as a gay young man.
“When I finally had the courage to go to New York to become a dancer, my brother followed, and once again we held each other’s hands and danced through the craziness of New York City,” she wrote.
She added that the pair “devoured art, music and film like hungry animals” in the city and were “at the center of the explosion of all these things.”
“We danced together on stage early in my career, and eventually, he became my creative director on many of my tours.”
She added: “I have my brother right next to me, he is a painter, a poet and a dreamer and I admire him.
“He had impeccable taste. And he had a sharp tongue, which he sometimes used against me, but I always forgave him.
“We soar to the highest points together, and we struggle to the lowest points together.
“Somehow we always find each other again, we hold hands and keep dancing.”
Getty ImagesThe pair fell out in 2008 after the publication of his autobiography, Life with My Sister Madonna.
Speaking about the reunion before his death, Madonna added: “The last few years haven’t been easy.
“We didn’t speak for a while, but when my brother got sick we got back to each other.
“I tried my best to keep him alive as long as possible.
“At the end he was in so much pain that we held hands again, closed our eyes and danced together.
“I’m glad he’s not suffering anymore, there will never be anyone like him. I know he’s dancing somewhere.”
Ciccone is also an artist and interior designer and has directed music videos for other stars such as Dolly Parton and Tony Bennett.
Madonna’s stepmother Joan also recently passed away from cancer, and Madonna’s brother Anthony died early last year.
