Madonna 'Burnt Herself Out' Trying to Compete With Taylor Swift Before Hospitalization
Pop icon Madonna's hospitalization came after she pushed herself to the brink in preparation for her highly anticipated Celebration Tour, it's been revealed.
As OK! previously reported, the 64-year-old singer collapsed and was admitted to the ICU for several days, prompting serious concern from friends and loved ones.
Madonna's pursuit to compete with younger stars like Taylor Swift and Pink has led to fears that she has jeopardized her health and well-being, sources said.
Swift, 33, and Pink, 43, have both embarked on headline-grabbing tours. Swift has been stunning audiences with her four-hour shows, while Pink astounds fans with aerial stunts hundreds of feet above her audience's heads.
"The countdown was well and truly on. Madonna had all her chips on one number, which was this tour," an anonymous source told The U.S. Sun. "She was working overtime, but she clearly burnt herself out and people around her have been politely reminding her that she is not 45 anymore, let alone 25."
"She needed to pace herself. Pushing herself so hard was extremely risky," they added.
The Queen of Pop attempted to match their showmanship, allegedly subjecting herself to hours of demanding rehearsals that slowly wore her down.
Those close to Madonna had been observing the toll her intense schedule was taking on her physical health and worried about a potential repeat of the tragic fate that felled Michael Jackson.
The source divulged: "Madonna was in good spirits before the incident, but some friends had encouraged her to take it easy and find time for rest because of the grueling schedule she had ahead of her."
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In her last outing before being hospitalized, Madonna was seen in black sweatpants and a long-sleeve t-shirt, trying to keep a low profile.
Madonna's intense preparations for her Celebration Tour were underway at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, where she had been putting in 12-hour days prior to her health crisis.
The tour, slated to start on July 15, has been postponed indefinitely.
The "Like a Virgin" singer's hospitalization was the result of a serious bacterial infection, believed to have developed from a month-long fever she had been trying to suppress while rehearsing rigorously.
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Despite this health scare, the singer is determined to continue with her tour as planned once she has regained her strength.
A source reassured fans, stating: "Her condition is completely curable, and she's working with a group of doctors to boost her immune system. She'll be back, I am 100% sure of it."
The U.S. Sun. reported on the sources' information.