“Lucky Star” is a song by American singer Madonna from her 1983 self-titled debut album. Written by Madonna and produced by Reggie Lucas, the track was originally intended for DJ Mark Kamins, a friend of the singer and resident at the New York nightclub Danceteria. After the success of her first single, “Everybody” (1982), Sire Records approved the recording of a full album. Tensions between Madonna and Lucas over the production style led to his departure from the project; she then enlisted her boyfriend at the time, John “Jellybean” Benitez, to remix and complete several tracks, including “Lucky Star”.
Musically, the song is a medium-paced dance track with disco influences. Its lyrics use double entendre to compare a lover’s body to stars in the sky, with a simple refrain that echoes the nursery rhyme “Star Light, Star Bright”. It was first released as a double-A-side with “Holiday” in August 1983, and later as a stand-alone single: in Europe in September 9, 1983, and in the United States on August 8, 1984. The single reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Madonna’s first top-five hit. Critics praised its optimistic energy and catchy sound; retrospective reviews have referred to it as one of the standout singles of her early career.
The song’s music video, directed by Arthur Pierson, features Madonna dancing in a white studio space with her brother Christopher Ciccone and friend Erika Belle. Scholars and critics noted the video’s self-referential tone, describing Madonna as both subject and object, projecting herself as the titular “lucky star”. The visual also helped cement her image and style, popularizing her layered accessories, lace gloves, and crucifixes among young audiences. Madonna has performed “Lucky Star” in four of her concert tours, the last being 2015–2016’s Rebel Heart Tour. It has been referenced in films and TV shows, including Pulp Fiction and Modern Family, and covered or sampled by artists such as Chris Colfer, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Eva Noblezada.
