Madonna says she likes to work with people who talk about deep issues

London: Madonna has said that she likes working with people who are well-read and know about what is happening around the world. Her new album ‘MDNA’, a “triple entendre” as she describes it, is a return to what she does best - classic pop songs with a sprinkling of trademark controversy.

It is also down to the return of her winning formula - working with top European producers. Stuart Price produced some of her best original material on ‘Confessions On A Dancefloor’ back in 2005. She also made some great material with French electronic guru Mirwais. But her return to the studio with producer William Orbit, who made ‘Ray Of Light’ back in 1998, is a masterstroke. The tracks they have made together on the new album, including ‘Gang Bang’ and ‘Some Girls’, slot into her discography perfectly. The 53-year-old singer has also employed the skills of Martin Solveig, Italian DJ Benny Benassi and his cousin Allessandro. The Material Girl believes her return to Europe for her producing partners is no coincidence. “I think maybe I just have more of a European sensibility. People say that about my songs as well. I like working with people who are well-read and know what’s going on in the world,” the Sun quoted her as saying. “Conversation is essential. With William, we always get into discussions about philosophy or quantum physics. With Martin Solveig we always end up getting in to discussions about foreign films. When I’m working with people I can’t just write music, I have to be able to talk about life and the world, and art. Benny was a tricky one because he doesn’t speak English very well… I ended up kind of using his cousin Allessandro as an interpreter,” she said. Madonna stresses on how important communication is while working. “It was a little bit frustrating at first but eventually we found a way to communicate. You figure out a way. With music it’s so much about the vibe and the energy and you know when things are working and when they’re not,” she said. “When you’re working with someone for the first time, there’s a kind of shyness that everybody has, so with Benny it was more challenging because of that but we figured it out and by the end I felt like I knew him very well. Martin is such good fun, I adore him. You have to feel like you can say ‘No, I don’t like that,’ and you’re not going to hurt their feelings. And vice versa. But he’s got just the right balance of seriousness and humour. He’s very organised and methodical in his thinking so I like his work process,” she added. ANI