William Orbit says he’s written a “successor” to the classic Madonna album ‘Ray Of Light’, but he’s had “nil response” from her.
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The producer won Grammys for his work on the 1999 LP, which won Best Pop Album, while the title single picked up Best Dance Recording.
Upon its release, the album debuted at Number Two on the US Billboard 200, with the biggest first-week sales by a female artist at the time. It also peaked at Number One in 17 countries.
Now, he’s revealed that he’s written a full follow-up to the iconic album but, in a post shared to Facebook yesterday (Tuesday March 17), said it is “NOT going to happen”.
“Look, why don’t I just lay it out, cos I get asked constantly,” he wrote. “I have an album ready that imho is indeed the successor to [‘Ray Of Light’].”
“Everything about how it was made and how it sounds yells that from the first few bars,” he added. “And I reached out. And there has been heard. Nil response. A week later. I speak with many close to her, including fam, but have not had a single syllable back in over two decades.”
He went on to add that he has previously hinted he is still “pals” with the singer so “not to ignite a firestorm of speculation”, and that he wishes not to come across as “bitter because in my life and art now I’m finally where I want to be and the very opposite of bitter.”
“No idea whatsoever what’s in her head,” he continued. “I believe she is very happy, she looks fabulous and full of life in recent pics I’ve seen, although I don’t really follow. Zero zero absolute zero hard feelings. Are you kidding, I will always love that woman. For real. She made my career,” he wrote.
Orbit then went on to add that he’s writing a book that will chronicle his experience in the music industry.
Last year, Orbit praised a leaked album of Madonna’s unreleased songs and shared his “dream” of the pair working together again, and earlier this month, he shared that his Grammy trophies had been damaged in transit by DHL.
Madonna is expected to release new music later this year – confirming in September that she had returned to Warner Records and was gearing up to drop a new dance album called ‘Confessions On A Dance Floor Part 2’.
The return to Warner came nearly 20 years after the singer first parted ways with the label, having been signed with them for the first 25 years of her career.
A second part to her 2005 ‘Confessions On A Dance Floor’ album was first hinted at by Madonna in early 2025, when she said that she was working on it as a “Valentine’s day gift” for fans.
No official release date has been set yet, although it is expected to arrive later in 2026 and will see her reunite with the producer of the original ‘Confessions…’ album, Stuart Price. It has been listed as one of NME’s most anticipated albums of the year.
It will mark her first LP since 2019’s ‘Madame X‘, which was her 14th studio record.
NME spoke to Madonna around the release of ‘Madame X’, and she discussed the experience of being extremely famous. “It has its pluses and minuses,” she told us. “The great thing about being famous is that you have a voice and you can spread messages and fight for people who don’t have the ability to fight for themselves, and share your wealth with people who need help.”
Since then, she’s completed a huge world tour, celebrating the hits from throughout her career. The UK dates of her 2023 ‘Celebration’ tour featured multiple sold-out stops at The O2 in London – which were given a five-star review by NME. It described the opening gig as showcasing “a series of spectacular set-pieces referencing iconic highlights from Madonna’s reign”.
There is a biopic about the singer on the way too, and while no release date has been shared yet, it has been confirmed that Julia Garner will be taking on the lead role, and Deadpool & Wolverine filmmaker Shawn Levy will be involved.
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