Frozen (6:12)

“Frozen” is a pop song by American singer Madonna from her 1998 album Ray of Light, written and produced by Madonna, Patrick Leonard and William Orbit. The song was released as the first single in February 1998.

“Frozen” was a radical change for Madonna. The darker electronic undertones, eastern strings arranged by Craig Armstrong, a touch of Middle Eastern percussion in the opening and her new vocal range were all previously unexplored territory for Madonna. However, the song was a huge success and is praised as being one of her best songs. Its success worldwide also marks it as one of Madonna’s biggest hits ever. Madonna has said that the lyric is about “an emotionally frozen girl.” The song was mainly composed in F minor.

“Frozen” also marked the beginning of a series of remixes which were done during the Ray of Light era. Madonna had been working with Victor Calderone since “Secret”, who went on to remix most of her follow-up singles. The remix done by the Stereo MCs was used by Madonna on her 2001 Drowned World Tour. Madonna also performed “Frozen” on her 2004 Re-Invention Tour, using a slightly edited version that is very similar to the original song, and on the 2009 leg of her Sticky & Sweet Tour, where it sampled musical elements from Calvin Harris’s song “I’m Not Alone” and lyrics from her own song “Open Your Heart”.

In 2003, Madonna fans were asked to vote for their Top 20 Madonna singles of all-time by Q magazine. “Frozen” was allocated the #10 spot.