Madonna remembers Seymour Stein, ‘one of the most influential men in my life’

Madonna remembered late record executive Seymour Stein, who helped launch her career in 1983 after signing her to Sire Records in an emotional tribute.

Stein passed away at his home in Los Angeles on Sunday after a long battle with cancer. He was 80 years old.

Madonna turned to Instagram and shared pictures with Stein alongside a note, reflecting how Stein, the man who signed her and “changed my world”.

“Seymour Stein Has Left Us! I need to catch my breath,” the Material Girl singer wrote. “He was one of the most influential men in my life!! He changed and shaped my world.”

Madonna, 64, recalled the first time she was introduced to Stein, saying: “I couldn’t get the words: ‘Hell yes!’ out of my mouth fast enough! “Unfortunately,” she explained, “Seymour was in the hospital for a heart ailment,” so Madonna travelled to the hospital where she found the label owner with a cannula in his nose and saline drip in his arm.

“I was carrying my giant boombox ready to play my cassette for him immediately! He smiled and laughed when he saw me and asked me if I was related to the Virgin Mary!!” she wrote. “He signed me to his record label that day!! This moment changed the course of my life forever. And was the beginning of my journey as a musical artist… For this I will be eternally grateful!”

Madonna said she was “weeping as I write this”, adding: “Dearest Seymour you will never be forgotten!! Thank you!... Shine on!!!”

Over his five-decades-long career, Stein signed and worked with top acts including Depeche Mode, Ice-T, Lou Reed, the Pretenders, the Smiths, and many more artists who released their top hits on Sire.