Secret (Madonna song) dedicating it to a "special guest" in the audience, which was assumed by media to be her ex-husband Sean Penn, who was in the audience. The singer admitted she had not practiced the performance, and according to "Vancouver Sun", it "came across as charitably, unpracticed (if well-intentioned)". Credits and personnel adapted from "Bedtime Stories" album liner notes. Secret (Madonna song) "Secret" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna from her sixth studio album, "Bedtime Stories" (1994). It was released on September 27, 1994 as the lead single from the album by Maverick Records. The singer originally recorded the song
Secret (Madonna song) and explained that she was "drawn to the rawness of [McDaniel's] film". Madonna wanted to tone down her image and according to McDaniel: Before meeting with Madonna, McDaniel first listened to the song and found it inspiring. When asked by the singer about her references for the video, McDaniel presented her with pictures from her favorite 1970s photographer, Bill Burke, who took pictures of people considered as freaks or inbred. Another reference was the photography book, "East 100 Street" by Bruce Davidson, which showed pictures of people in Spanish Harlem. Madonna let the director live in her New York apartment