Madonna's 'Rebel Heart' Still Beats For Detroit After All These Years

Madonna may be a global superstar without parallel, but she hasn’t forgotten her roots.

In this exclusive clip from her forthcoming Showtime special, “Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour,” the Material Girl reminisces about her early years in Detroit, Michigan, telling concertgoers that the city “made me what I am today.”

The video, which can be viewed above, also documents the singer’s private visit to Detroit’s Downtown Boxing Gym shortly before her hometown concert at the Joe Louis Arena last year. She later made several donations to the gym’s after-school tutoring program, which helps children and teens with academics and athletic training.

“What you need to grow is resistance, just like a seed has to push against the earth to become a great tree. The same thing goes for a human being,” Madonna said. Even though she famously left Detroit for New York to pursue stardom, she added, “I have nothing but gratitude.”

Showtime’s “Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour” combines colorful concert sequences with black-and-white backstage footage in the style of Madge’s iconic 1991 documentary, “Truth or Dare.” The dazzling concert features performances of hits like “Material Girl,” “Like a Virgin” and “True Blue,” as well as new material from her 2015 album, “Rebel Heart.”

Don’t miss “Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour” on Showtime Dec. 9 at 9 p.m.