‘Queen of pop’ to perform tonight

US pop sensation and heart throb of millions, the super sexy Madonna is all set for her live performance in Moscow tonight, amidst millions and thousands of lovers.

The performance was scheduled for 11 September, but taking in account of the date, the fifth anniversary of the dreaded 9/11 tragedy, the show was postponed and Madonna’s fans had to wait for one more day.

The raging beauty arrived in Moscow on 11 September, and is all gung ho about her debut performance in the capital of Russia.

About 7,000 police men and soldiers will be present for the protection of the diva and for controlling the maddening crowd.

Moscow police Chief Vacheslav Koslov said that half of the officers will be on duty inside the concert venue, and the remaining 3,500 will be dotted at different places in Moscow.

Scheduled on 11 September previously, the concert was to take place on a hilltop near Moscow State University. Those plans were scrapped amid worries police could not handle the security.

The police were also worried that the University students, who could not afford the concert tickets, might go berserk and fall from their windows as they would strain to hear Madonna's music.

The new venue for Madonna’s Confessions show is Luzhniki Olympic complex, where she will sing amid 52,000 fans.

Madonna's Confessions Tour, kicked off in late May 2006, with her having to create additional dates to keep up with demand.

The tour, which is expected to gross $200 million, may become the biggest ever tour in history by a female artist according to Billboard magazine. However, it also sparked controversy when she used religious symbols such as the crucifix and crown of thorns in her performance of "Live to Tell".

Tushino airfield in northwestern Moscow was also chalked out as one of the venues, but the site was turned down due to the 2003 tragedy, where female Chechen separatists strapped with explosives killed 15 people during a summer rock festival.

Madonna is an American pop singer, musician, record and film producer, dancer, actor, and children's author. Referred to as the ‘Queen of Pop’, she is noted for her innovative music videos, elaborately mounted stage performances, and use of political, sexual, and religious themes and imagery in her work.

In 2000, The Guinness Book of Records credited Madonna as the most successful female recording artist of all time, with estimated worldwide sales of 120 million albums.

In the list of the 150 highest selling artists ever, Madonna appears at number 4, right behind the Beatles, Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley, with a total of 275 millions records sold worldwide from 1984 to late 2005.

As a singer, she has won great accolades; success in acting has been varied, but mostly heavily panned by critics. She was presented with a special Razzie award in the year 2000 as ‘Worst Actress of the Century’.

The hot and sultry beauty has always been in headlines due to her controversial acts on the stage. Protests were raised for tonight’s concert as well from the Russian Orthodox Church, which accuses the pop star of inappropriately exploiting Christian symbols.

Protesters have asked Madonna to drop the song where she has to wear a crown of thorns, hitched to a wooden cross.

The protesters, who went up to the extent of ripping up posters advertising the singer's upcoming concert, said that the song mocks and insults Christianity.

Despite the protests, Madonna's Confessions concert in Moscow has been sold out for weeks and a day’s wait more has made the audiences even more impatient to see their fav singer perform live.