WASHINGTON — Madonna has hit the road for her 'Celebration' tour, and alongside her, a DMV native is taking the stage, helping to be bring the music to life with his talent.
Matthew Jamal, 24, from Silver Spring, whose main instrument is the double bass, decided to take on the challenge of playing cello for Madonna's shows. A challenge he accepted when offered — and will continue to do during the whole tour.
How did Jamal get the gig? Well, it's a story of chance and opportunity. Jamal told WUSA9's Wisdom Martin that he was connected to Madonna through a photoshoot for Vanity Fair where he didn't know who the spread was for.
"They [Luigi & Iango] had seen my work in fashion, had heard my music, and they wanted an instrumentalist to come and be a part of this story," Jamal said. "And I went to their house, I met them, and that's when they told me it was for Madonna. And they asked me to bring the cello."
So he did just that, and they immediately wanted him to play for her as she came out -- so he improvised. "She liked what she heard. She asked me a bunch of questions, asked me what's the biggest audience I've played for and what my experience was in music and who my influences were and et cetera. And at the time, I actually hadn't heard that many Madonna songs. I knew a couple. She was like, 'Oh, we're going to have to change that.'"
And change it has, with her setlist full of songs such as "Like A Prayer" and "Vogue."
After their initial interaction, Madonna's team reached out to him and asked him to audition for the tour and bring all the instruments he knows how to play -- this includes bass, double bass, electric bass, and now cello.
To be a part of the tour, Jamal said he had to teach himself cello, and that the team he is on the road with have been working hard since February. The tour was originally supposed to start in July, but there was a pause, and a new start date.
"Now to be playing in D.C., where I was born, where I grew up, feels really special," Jamal said. "And to have my mom and my grandma. My grandma hasn't seen me perform in a long time, and my sister, too. So this is going to be a really special night for me."
Jamal said he feels grateful and blessed to be performing in front of thousands of people, alongside the Queen of Pop. He got his start playing on the streets of D.C., but playing with Madonna has the same energy.
"Nothing has changed," he said, expressing the feeling he gets when he performs.
Madonna and Jamal will be hitting the stage at Capital One Arena for two nights in a row on Dec. 18 and 19.