Madonna is preparing a full-circle moment in her career. The pop icon will release a new dance album in 2026, marking both a musical return to the genre that fueled her 2005 smash Confessions on a Dancefloor and a business reunion with Warner Records, the label that helped turn her into one of the most successful recording artists in history.

The as-yet-untitled project is her first studio album since 2019’s Madame X and is being described as a spiritual follow-up to Confessions. The singer has already confirmed that she’s been back in the studio with Stuart Price, the producer who helped craft the pulsing electronic landscapes that powered Hung Up, Sorry, and other fan favorites nearly two decades ago. In interviews earlier this year, Madonna teased that a “Confessions 2” was officially in development.

For longtime fans, this announcement signals a deliberate creative choice. Confessions on a Dancefloor was one of Madonna’s most acclaimed late-career works, uniting critics and fans alike with its seamless club-ready mix and its embrace of global electronic influences. Its lead single, “Hung Up,” became one of the biggest hits of her career, topping charts in over 40 countries. A sequel promises to revisit that energy, potentially positioning Madonna back at the heart of dance music culture after years of more experimental ventures.

While details such as tracklist, collaborators, or exact release timing remain under wraps, the confirmation that Price is once again on board suggests continuity with the formula that made the 2005 record endure as a fan favorite.

Equally significant is the business side of the move. Madonna will release the album through Warner Records, the company she first signed with in 1982. Under the Warner umbrella, she released the run of albums that made her a household name, from Like a Virgin (1984) to Ray of Light (1998). During that period she also founded Maverick, an imprint that became home not only to her own projects but to other successful artists.

Her relationship with Warner formally ended after Hard Candy in 2008, when she pivoted to a wide-ranging deal with Live Nation and Interscope. That partnership produced her three most recent albums: MDNA (2012), Rebel Heart (2015), and Madame X (2019).

Madonna’s formal return to Warner was first announced in 2021, though at the time it was framed primarily as a catalog arrangement. The deal ensured her full discography would once again live under a single roof and included an expansive reissue campaign. Since then, Warner has rolled out projects such as Finally Enough Love, a 2022 remix anthology celebrating her 50 No. 1 dance singles, and Veronica Electronica, a long-shelved Ray of Light companion project finally released in 2025.

In a statement accompanying the announcement, Madonna reflected on the history she shares with Warner and what the reunion means for her today. “From being a struggling artist in New York City to signing a record deal to release just three singles, it seemed at the time my world would never be the same again and in fact, that couldn’t have been truer,” she said. “Since the beginning Warner Records has been a real partner with me. I am happy to be reunited and look forward to the future, making music, doing the unexpected while, perhaps, provoking a few needed conversations.”

Her comments highlight both nostalgia and ambition: a nod to her beginnings, but also an insistence that she continues to see herself as a provocateur and cultural force.

Warner Records executives Tom Corson and Aaron Bay-Schuck described Madonna’s return as both symbolic and strategic. “Madonna isn’t just an artist, she’s the blueprint, the rule breaker, the ultimate cultural juggernaut,” the pair said. “For decades, she has not only defined the sound of global pop music, but also reshaped culture itself with her vision, innovation, and fearless artistry. This signing represents a historic, full-circle moment, one that brings her back to the label where it all began and reaffirms her unparalleled influence, setting the stage for an exciting new era of creativity and impact.”