Marilyn Monroe continues to influence Madonna, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish and great pop music stars
Marilyn Monroe remains one of the most powerful images in world pop culture. Even decades after her death, the actress remains a visual, artistic and symbolic reference for singers, fashion designers, music videos, magazine covers and musical performances.
In the year in which she would turn 100 years old, on June 1, 2026, Marilyn returns to the center of cultural discussions as a figure who has surpassed cinema. She went from being just a star of the Golden Age of Hollywood to transforming herself into a true visual code: platinum blonde hair, striking lipstick, glamorous dresses, calculated sensuality and a mix of strength, shine and vulnerability.
This influence clearly appears in pop music. Madonna was one of the artists who most spoke to this legacy. In the video for "Material Girl", released in 1985, the singer recreated the atmosphere of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend", a number immortalized by Marilyn in the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The difference is that Madonna transformed Hollywood glamor into a message of autonomy, provocation and control of one's own image.
Gwen Stefani also incorporated elements associated with Marilyn Monroe. Platinum hair, red lipstick and an aesthetic inspired by old Hollywood glamor became hallmarks of his career, both in No Doubt and in his solo phase. In Gwen, the reference gained a more modern reading, mixing classic femininity, pop attitude, ska and punk.
Christina Aguilera revisited this universe mainly in the Back to Basics phase, when she delved into references from jazz, soul, cabaret and retro aesthetics. The old Hollywood diva look, combined with the artist's vocal power, helped reinforce the connection with this imaginary of glamor that Marilyn helped to immortalize.
Lady Gaga also took her influence to another field: that of theatrical performance. Throughout her career, Gaga has used platinum blonde, visual exaggeration and classic star aesthetics as part of an artistic construction marked by characters, fashion and criticism of fame. In her work, Marilyn appears less as a copy and more as a stage language.
Billie Eilish made a different move. When she appeared blonde and with a look inspired by classic divas on the cover of British Vogue, in 2021, she caused a radical change in the way the public saw her. At the Met Gala, her Oscar de la Renta dress was highlighted by Vogue as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe. In Billie's case, the reference opened up space to discuss image, maturation and public expectations about young women in music.
Sabrina Carpenter also updates this repertoire for a generation connected to social media. The singer has already appeared in rehearsals with pin-up aesthetics and references associated with Marilyn and Madonna, using glamor with lightness, humor and pop awareness.
Britney Spears connects with Marilyn through a more symbolic path. Both represent the weight of being transformed into a public image. Just like Marilyn, Britney lived under intense media exposure and had her personal life consumed, judged and exploited by the public.
Taylor Swift, in turn, approaches this legacy through the theme of fame. Although not directly dependent on Marilyn's aesthetic, her songs often deal with exposure, narrative control, vulnerability, and private life turned into spectacle.
Marilyn Monroe was born as Norma Jeane Mortenson in Los Angeles on June 1, 1926. She became one of cinema's biggest stars with films such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Seven Year Itch and Some Like It Hot. But her cultural permanence shows that she went far beyond acting.
One hundred years after her birth, Marilyn continues to function as a mirror for different generations. For some artists, it represents glamour. For others, vulnerability, criticism of fame, sensuality, autonomy or performance. It is precisely this multiplicity that keeps his image alive in pop culture.