Madonna's Twin Daughters Estere And Stella Are Growing Up Fast
Move over, Blue Ivy Carter! Some new celeb kids are in town, and they're burning up the stage. It seems like yesterday that Madonna introduced her twin daughters, Estere and Stella Mwale, to the world. However, they're already preteens, and just like their famous mom, they're wowing the crowds.
Madonna finally put her health scares behind her and got the all-clear to embark on her international sell-out Celebration Tour. She's taking her family along for the ride, but they're not just tagging along; Madonna's instilling her work ethic in them and ensuring they pay their way. As noted by Vulture, when Madonna kicked off her tour at London's O2 arena on October 14, five of her six kids hit the stage with her. The only offspring missing was Rocco Ritchie, Madonna's son with Guy Ritchie, but the others more than made up for his absence.
Estere proved she's a chip off the old block by voguing in a black and gold catsuit paired with thigh-high patent stiletto boots. Madonna, in a trademark corset and fishnets, and Lourdes Leon, in a little black dress, showed their approval by holding up cards with a 10 score on them. Later, Stella joined her mom for a performance of "Don't Tell Me." Then, David Banda was up, strumming the guitar for "Let's Go Crazy" and "Mother and Father." Finally, Mercy James played piano while Madonna sang "Bad Girl." It seems like the Ciccones are the new Osmonds, only different.
Keeping it in the family
Estere and Stella Mwale aren't your regular 11-year-olds, but then, regular 11-year-olds don't have a global superstar for a mom. When Madonna's twin daughters took to the stage for the opening night of her Celebration Tour, it wasn't just their unexpected appearance that rocked the crowd; their performance skills also left them dazed.
Estere's voguing moves sent social media into overdrive. And although there was plenty of applause, not everybody was giving the two thumbs up — more than a few people were quick to share their disapproval. "I'm surprised people aren't seeing how very inappropriate this is. We've failed as humans," one tweeter opined. "Madonna has failed. Lifted the child from the continent of Africa to make her a showpiece!" grumbled another.
Still, Madonna's no stranger to controversy, and she's never been one to lose sleep over people's opinions, so it's no surprise that her kids won't be retiring anytime soon. According to Billboard, at least four of the five will appear with their mom every night of the tour. And the proud mom isn't just showcasing their performance skills; she's also giving props for their unwavering support. Madonna shared with the audience that the love of her kids helped her get through her medical woes. "My children were there — and my children always save me every time," she said. "I have got to be there for my children – I have to survive for them," she continued.
Material mom
Madonna is vocal about her love for all of her kids, regularly posting pics and videos and raving about their talents. However, she's always had an extra special relationship with her four adopted children, David Banda, Mercy James, and twins Estere and Stella Mwale. When she brought David home in 2006, the singer was forced to battle a tsunami of criticism over her decision to adopt from Malawi, which hit her hard.
Madonna opened up about the adoption controversy in an interview with Oprah. "I didn't realize that the adoption was causing any controversy until I came back," she said. "There were a million film crews in the airport and press camped outside my door. I don't read newspapers or watch television, but all of my friends have let me know what everybody's talking about and what's going on in the news. So it didn't really hit me until I got back to England. It's pretty shocking."
However, in true Madonna style, she managed to tune out the criticism and focus instead on being the best mom possible. To celebrate Estere and Stella's 11th birthdays, Madonna posted an adorable video of the girls from early childhood up to the present, set to Gary Jules' version of Mad World. "It is indeed a Mad world that we live in," she captioned the clip. "And where would we be without the innocence and imagination of our children to remind us that Magic is all around us and anything is possible!"