InstagramRocco Ritchie is never far from Madonna's mind.
The Material Girl, 57, missed her custody hearing with Guy Ritchie in London Thursday, as she was set to perform a free concert for 1,400 fans in Melbourne that night. During the Tears of a Clown show, Madonna dedicated the song "Intervention" to her 15-year-old son as photos of Rocco were projected on a screen behind her. "I got to save my baby / Because he makes me cry / I got to make him happy / I got to teach him how to fly," Madonna sang. "I want to take him higher / Way up like a bird in the sky / I got to calm him down now / I want to save his life."
Madonna took a break from her Rebel Heart tour to kick off Tears of a Clown, a more intimate style of show. The concert was scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, but the "Like a Virgin" singer didn't hit the stage until 12:50 a.m. Friday, with the concert ending just before 3:00 a.m. Madonna apologized for the delay, telling fans that Tears of a Clown is still a "work in progress."
This wasn't the first time Madonna has tried to send Rocco a message onstage. When she performed in New Zealand recently, she dedicated "La Vie en Rose" to him. "There is no love stronger than a mother for her son. If I talk about him too much I might cry," she said, tears streaming down her face. "I hope he hears this somewhere and knows how much I miss him."
Rocco made his first appearance in London High Court Thursday. Due to his age, a judge ordered that all legal arguments made inside the courtroom must remain private. Rocco returned to High Court Friday without either parent present, as all three parties have hired their own legal representation. The proceedings will decide if Madonna should be allowed to withdraw her legal action in the U.K. to focus solely on her U.S. litigation. If Madonna and Guy cannot come to a custody resolution, a hearing in New York is tentatively scheduled for June 1.