Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Leeds trio change their names in honour of Madonna

Yorkshire Evening Post

from the left are Lianne Dawson, Gemma Mitchell and Emma Dawson
from the left are Lianne Dawson, Gemma Mitchell and Emma Dawson
DON'T bother asking this trio of pop fans Who's That Girl, because you'll get the same answer – Madonna!
The west Leeds lasses are so Hung Up on the queen of pop that they have all changed their names in homage to the star.

Yes, to most people she may be the Beautiful Stranger who's always in Vogue, but to these Wortley ladies, Madonna is everything.

And to prove it, twins Lianne and Emma Dawson are now officially called 'Lianne Madonna Vogue On The Cover Of A Magazine McHale Dawson', and 'Emma Madonna Confessions On A Dance Floor McHale Dawson.'

And their best friend has ditched plain old Gemma Mitchell in favour of 'Gemma True Blue Strike A Pose Carroll McHale Dawson Me Me Mitchell.'

The idea might sound Crazy For You, but to these devotees, it's a True Blue statement of admiration.

And the threesome are hoping the wacky stunt will work Like A Prayer and prove they are Madonna's biggest fans. The former Wortley High School pupils, all 23 and best friends since they were teenagers, decided to change their names after Gemma was stumped over what to buy her pals for their recent birthday.

The twins said 'buy us a name' change and the rest is history.

The girls combined various Madonna songs and lyrics as well as their family names and are now bound forever by their passion for the evergreen Material Girl.

"We absolutely love Madonna," Emma said.

"We have been to see her as much as we can and we have got every single album and DVD she has ever made.

"Our mum is not surprised that me and Lianne have decided to change our names by deed poll, but we haven't told our Nan yet.

"Our friend Gemma decided that she would pay for us both to have our names changed, but she loved the idea so much she decided to change her name too.

"We have all had problems changing our names on Facebook, as our new names are simply too long, but we are going to stick with them.

"Most of our friends don't know yet but I don't think they will be too surprised as everyone knows that we are obsessed with Madonna – in a nice way that is!"

The girls hold regular Madonna nights with their friends when they play the singer's DVDs and listen to her songs.

But it's not just her music they are enamoured with.

"She's a fantastic businesswoman and everything she puts her mind to she makes into a success," Gemma said.

The trio are going to see their idol in July in London and Manchester, and they are hoping advance word of their devotional act might reach the star's ears before then.

They are also hoping to use their new found fame to help support the Raising Malawi charity. The poverty-stricken African country is the birthplace of the singer's adopted son David Banda.

Jamie Jackson, chief executive of Legal Deed Service, which the girls used for their £10 name switch, said: "We are always
getting hilarious name changes, but we have never had three Madonna fanatics contact us with such crazy monikers.

"I am sure that the lady herself would be flattered!"

Log on to www.raisingmalawi.org to find out more about the charity or to donate.

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