It seems the power of leaks can no longer be denied. In the same week that found Sony Pictures pulling all screenings of The Interview due to a hacking scandal, the Queen of Pop saw herself bowing down to similar pressure (albeit on a smaller scale) but not by cancelling her new album release. Instead, the unofficial leak of her forthcoming full-length has pushed Madonna to preview six of the eventual nineteen tracks from the record, which will be titled Rebel Heart.
On her website, the Detroit-native artist writes:
“I was hoping to release my new single ‘Living for Love’ on Valentine’s Day with the rest of the album coming in the spring. I would prefer my fans to hear completed versions of some of the songs instead of the incomplete tracks that are circulating. Please consider these six songs as an early Christmas gift.”
The songs, which are all available now for immediate download on iTunes and other digital music retailers, include the aforementioned “Living for Love,” as well as “Devil Pray,” “Ghosttown,” “Unapologetic Bitch,” “Illuminati,” and the Nicki Minaj-featuring “Bitch I’m Madonna.” The tracks are available a la carte or as part of an album pre-order.
Production work on the album is being handled by Kanye West, Diplo, Blood Diamonds, Billboard, Dahi, as well as Madonna herself. More songs will be made available on February 9, with the full record scheduled to be released on March 10 through Interscope.
Stream the six tracks released from Rebel Heart below: