Nile Rodgers 'had no idea Madonna was white' before working together on Like a Virgin

express.co.uk:

Madonna, 64, is the talk of music today as she announced her Celebration Tour, with the singer doing 35 concerts around the world.

Nile Rodgers, 70, solely produced Madonna's 1984 hit Like a Virgin, with the musician recalling their first meeting exclusively to Express.co.uk.Express.co.uk asked Nile how Like a Virgin came about, with the musician recalling their first meeting in a club.When the pair met Madonna was in a relationship with DJ JellyBean Benitez, Nile's friend and also the producer of Madonna's first album.Nile recalled: "I was going to see another artist entirely and Madonna happened to be the other artist's opening act."I knew of Madonna because her boyfriend at the time was a DJ named Jellybean Benitez and I knew Jellybean."I had no idea Madonna was white because Jellybean was Puerto Rican so I just assumed Madonna was Puerto Rican."When he came out, I was like 'wow, that's Jellybean's girlfriend, holy cow'."Nile then remembered going backstage to speak with Madonna, with the singer then asking Nile for his help.He continued: "So I went backstage and started talking to her and according to Madonna she made her mind up right there on the spot that I was the guy she wanted to work with just from that chance meeting."Madonna was just starting and there's a photograph of me and Madonna at a Duran Duran concert at Madison Square Garden."We're just sitting in the audience, nobody knew who she was."But you won't believe this, just a few months later she was headlining at Madison Square Garden."Madonna announced today her 40th-anniversary world tour with a very raunchy video, winking to her 1991 documentary film Truth or Dare.Kicking things off in Vancouver, Madonna will visit multiple cities in the United States.