During the second night of the Ultra Music Festival, it was a blink-and-you’d-miss-it moment at the start of Avicii’s set. As one of the night’s headliners, Avicii opened with an exclusive remix of Madonna’s most recent single, the Benny Benassi-produced “Girls Gone Wild,” and had the singer – also promoting her 12th studio album MDNA – on stage. Before the track started, she asked the audience, among other statements, “How many people in this crowd have seen Molly?”
Yet, Deadmau5 – in Miami for the week but not playing at Ultra – heard her statement and responded on Facebook. According to TMZ.com, the Canadian house producer also known as Joel Zimmerman wrote: “Very classy there madonna. ‘HUR DUR HAS ANYONE SEEN MOLLY???’ such a great message for the young music lovers at ultra. Deadmau5 spread his message throughout other social media, including Twitter and Tumblr. On his blog, Zimmerman put together a lengthy post about responsibility for personal choices and endorsements as a performer, discussing his own vices and then directing his statements toward Madonna. He wrote: “[S]till, we have, and will always have personal choice. Thats how our lives are shaped… through the good or bad choices we make. we learn every day from them… but theyre ours to make, and its our responsibility to make the right ones for each of ourselves.Not to be pandered down to us in metaphorical pill form from BIG voices as a marketing scheme to ‘fit in’ with todays young and ‘hip’ crowd to sell a fuckin CD.” Zimmerman appeared to calm down once he got to Twitter, where he stated: “You’re a role model to 100’s of millions. You have a powerful voice,EDM could use your positive influence, not ‘molly’ talk.” Ordinarily, the “Girls Gone Wild” singer stays away from Twitter. In fact, most of the updates of MDNA’s progress came through manager Guy Oseary’s account. But, to promote the album, which hit stores on March 26, Madonna opened her own account and responded to the “Strobe” producer’s statements. A Twitpic of the singer, wearing mouse ears in an old photo, bore the following statement: “From one mouse to another. I don’t support drug use and I never have. I was referring to the song called ‘Have You Seen Molly’ written by my friend Cedric Gervais who I almost worked with on my last album …” Zimmerman replied: “Fair enough, I was just voicing my concerns as I usually do. +1 respect for clearing it up personally. […] Regardless, just be a little more aware of what you *should* represent at EDM events, and ill watch my mouth.” Resolving their disagreement, Madonna then wrote: “Communication is always best. You should have called me first, we could have cleared it up ‘privately.’ See you on the road.” Although Deadmau5 appears to have forgiven the singer, others in the EDM community are still wary, particular Paul Van Dyk. The trance producer, currently promoting his upcoming album Evolution, discussed the incident with Billboard. First stating Madonna just made the “biggest mistake of her career,” Van Dyk echoed Zimmerman’s sentiments about connecting with a younger crowd and then told the magazine: “Madonna was so stupid to actually call out drug abuse in front of a crowd of 18-year-olds. This is not what our music is about. It’s really counterproductive.” Although Madonna has incorporated dance music into her sound over the years, few of the top producers have worked with her one-on-one. That’s not the case for Martin Solveig, who, even though as one of the newer names in house music, produced a handful of tracks on MDNA, including first single “Give Me All Your Luvin’”. Speaking from his perspective, the “Hello” producer told MTV the statement is simply her brand of humor: “She’s a lot more ironical than a lot of people think, and … she has this dry sense of humor, which sometimes makes her say or do things that are a little bit shocking, which is also the reason why everyone loves her.” So, although the Ultra Music Festival concluded its 2012 run just a week ago and Madonna’s statement is still creating headlines, whose side are you on? Is Solveig, because of association, simply “molly”-coddling the singer?
