Madonna has strongly criticized manufactured pop acts and the stream of TV talent searches. She said the pop world had become "homogenized" and accused record chiefs of working out how wannabes can be marketed rather than finding true talents. In an interview with the May edition of music magazine Q, Madonna said she could not understand the direction the music world was taking. In the UK acts spawned by talent shows Pop Idol and the two Popstars series have enjoyed a number of huge successes. And in the US, where Madonna is currently based although she still has a home in the UK, American Idol 2 is again enjoying a large audience. Madonna said: "I arrived at a different time - before the time of Svengalis holding talent searches; finding a girl that looks right and can carry a tune and then figuring a way to market her."

Referring to Pink, Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears, she said: "I'm not saying those girls can't grow into something, but I really don't know where we're going with the world." Madonna, 44, was also critical of young hopefuls' craving for celebrity for its own sake, rather than finding acclaim for their abilities. "It's the allure of this beautiful life. Drive this car, you're going to be popular," she said. "It's a very powerful illusion and people are caught up in it, including myself - or I was."