Madonna worries about gun violence every time her children go to school.
The pop superstar released the video for God Control on Wednesday, which shows the hitmaker and a group of friends running for cover as a gunman opens fire in a club. As her new Madame X character types the lyrics to the song in her apartment, Madonna's blonde video alter ego is shot and killed on the dancefloor.
The star came under fire from fans, who slammed the video - which strongly resembles the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida - as capitalising on the victims of mass shootings. Pulse survivor Patience Carter added she was "truly disturbed" by the video.
But speaking to People, Madonna insisted she intended the promo to raise awareness of the need for more stringent gun control laws.
“Every time I go out to a public gathering, I think about it,” she admitted. “When my kids go to school, I think about it. It’s kind of crazy. Every time there is a gathering of any sort, there’s a possibility that this might happen. It’s a crazy state of mind to be living in. It seems like it’s some kind of futuristic action film, but it’s our reality.
“I hope people see that no one is safe. Not even themselves."
The 60-year-old, who has six children - Lourdes, 22, Rocco, 18, David, 13, Mercy, 13 and six-year-old twin girls Estere and Stelle - also admitted her concerns as a parent made her more determined to tackle the issue head on, adding: “I send my children to school with the same fear every mother in this era has."
“As a mother, you feel protective and responsible for all of the children in the world,” she continued. “It’s really scary to me that the once-safe spaces where we gather, worship and learn are targets. Nobody’s safe. So of course, as a mother, I acutely feel the worry.”
