Madonna's younger brother Christopher Ciccone dies at the age of 63

Madonna's younger brother Christopher Ciccone has died at the age of 63.

Christopher died on Friday (October 4) in Michigan after a battle with cancer, his rep confirmed to TMZ.

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“My brother Christopher is gone,” Madonna began a long message on Instagram alongside a photo gallery of her late sibling. “He was the person closest to me for so long. It's hard to explain our bond. But it came from the realization that we were different and that society would make things difficult for us if we didn't follow the status quo. We held hands and danced through the madness of our childhood. In fact, dance was a kind of superglue that held us together. Discovering dance in our little Midwestern town saved me, and then my brother came along and that saved him too.”

The Queen of Pop has suffered many deaths in her family recently. Christopher's death comes less than two weeks after the death of Madonna's stepmother Joan Clare Ciccone, who also suffered from cancer. The pop superstar's eldest brother, Anthony Ciccone, also died of respiratory failure and throat cancer in February 2023. He was 66.

Madonna addressed Christopher's illness in her heartwarming tribute. “We didn't speak for a while, but when my brother got sick. We found each other again,” she wrote. “I did my best to keep him alive as long as possible. Towards the end he was in so much pain. Once again we held hands, closed our eyes and danced. Together. I'm glad he's no longer suffering. There will never be anyone like him. I know he’s dancing somewhere.”

Christopher – one of Madonna's seven siblings – began his entertainment career as his sister's backup dancer before directing music videos for stars such as Dolly Parton and Tony Bennett. He also served as art director for Madonna's Blond Ambition World Tour in 1990 and was tour director for her The Girlie Show in 1993.

“When I finally had the courage to go to New York to become a dancer. My brother followed me,” Madonna recalled in her Instagram note. “And again we held hands and danced through the madness of New York City! We devoured art, music and film like hungry animals. We were at the epicenter of all these things exploding.”

An argument arose between Madonna and Christopher, who was also an artist and interior designer, and was documented in his 2008 book: Living with my sister Madonnawhich reached number 2 on the New York Times bestseller list. He claimed the singer outed him in a 1991 interview with The lawyerHe said: “My brother Christopher is gay and he and I have always been the closest members of my family.”

Christopher later spoke about his relationship with Madonna in an interview with Madonna in 2012 The Evening Standard. “For me we are good. We are in contact with each other, even though I haven't seen her for a long time. We are a brother and a sister again. I don’t work for them and it’s better that way,” he said at the time.

“I couldn't be prouder of her. She is a force to be reckoned with. Does she have the voice of Barbra Streisand? No,” Christopher added about his sister. “Can she dance like Martha Graham?” Probably not. But the combination of their skills made them great and left a great legacy for them and, through them, for me. So yeah, God bless her.”

Madonna also spoke about her turbulent relationship with Christopher in her memorial. “I admired him. He had impeccable taste. And a sharp tongue that he sometimes used against me, but I always forgave him,” the superstar wrote on IG. “We have scaled the highest heights together and failed at the lowest depths. Somehow we always found each other and held hands and continued dancing. The last few years haven’t been easy.”

Christopher married British hairdresser Ray Thacker in 2016.

Madonna's former longtime publicist Liz Rosenberg also took to social media to remember Christopher.

“I honor the memory of my old, extremely talented friend Christopher Ciccone and all the beautiful memories we shared. these years ago. Rest in peace my beautiful boy,” Rosenberg wrote on Instagram.

Watch Madonna's full tribute to her brother Christopher on Instagram here.

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