Madonna's Signature Blond Hair Isn't Her Natural Color & We're Stunned

Madonna has wowed us with a wide array of hair colors over the years. We've seen the "Like A Virgin" hitmaker try almost every shade going, from pink locks, to a green-blue hue, to red, as this hair chameleon has truly tried it all. But there's one color Madonna never seems to stray too far from. Blond. Throughout her iconic, ever-evolving career, Madonna has always been "Hung Up" on blond hair. It's become a key part of her signature look, and she even named one of her tours after the tone: remember her 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour? But despite her penchant for lightening her mane, this beauty was not born blond.

We got a glimpse at her natural hair color when she attended the 2025 Met Gala, where she proved style only gets better with age. Madonna sported very light strands but had much darker roots, confirming that just like fellow pop star Gwen Stefani, she's not a natural blond. 

The "4 Minutes" hitmaker's throwback snaps also prove she was born brunette, with the most gorgeous rich, dark hue. In 2020, the star shared a photo of herself as a teen on Facebook, and we couldn't get over how stunning her natural shade was. Young Madonna had her rich brown locks styled in a center part, with glam waves cascading over her shoulders. Her hair appeared to have hints of red in it too, and she looked almost unrecognizable from the Madonna we've come to know and love. "I love this picture. Nostalgia and such a natural beauty," one person commented on the upload.

Madonna has returned to brunette a few times throughout her career, including at the 2013 Met Gala, where she styled her dark hair in a long bob with blunt bangs. The star posted snaps of herself with dark locks most recently in May 2025, on her Instagram Stories. The superstar's short, voluminous hair was a cool brown, almost black shade with vintage-style curls. And she had a poignant reason for (literally) getting back to her roots. "I missed my Mother so I channeled her," Madonna captioned the images (via Page Six). In this case, however, the star may not have been showing us her natural locks. She's a celeb who hasn't been afraid to wear wigs throughout her career. 

Madonna's hairstylist Andy Lecompte opened up about working with the iconic popstar to Refinery29, confirming she has some strong opinions on how she wants her tresses to look and has multiple influences — including herself. "There will be old films and actresses that she'll be inspired by and we'll create our own versions of them," Lecompte said. "When we were doing 'MDNA' promotion and her 'Girl Gone Wild' look, one of the references was the 'iconic Madonna with the short blond wig,'" he added.

We're not expecting this iconic music queen to stop experimenting with her tresses anytime soon, either, because her hair journey is so personal and expressive. "My physical transformations — like changing my hair — are usually a reflection of what's inspiring me at the moment. The change starts inward and moves outward," she once told Oprah.com.