The Ray of Light Global Remix Challenge has been started by music icon Madonna, Warner Music Group, and Beatport. Producers can now upload their rendition to Beatport’s Label Radar website after remixing Madonna’s 1998 song utilizing official stems from Madonna and William Orbit until September 25, 2025. Beatportal, Beatport’s editorial destination for worldwide DJ culture, will announce the winner on October 15.
The competition falls in line with the release of “Veronica Electronica,” a long-awaited side project to “Ray of Light” with recently edited club remixes by William Orbit, Peter Victor Calderone, Sasha Rauhofer, and BT. Originally scheduled for 1998, the project was put on hold because of “Ray of Light’s tremendous success, which earned Madonna four GRAMMY® Awards, including “Best Dance Recording” which hit global sales exceeding 16 million copies.
For Madonna, “Ray of Light” signaled a major musical departure from pure pop toward an electronic, ambient-infused sound. British producer and composer William Orbit was at the heart of that change.
“My appreciation for the art of remixing has been passionate since I started making music. The ability to propel boundaries and do the unexpected is something I can relate to as an artist. I look forward to hearing everyone’s interpretation – don’t hold back” – Madonna
“Today marks the launch of an exhilarating new chapter in our Global Remix Challenge,” said Emilie Birks, VP of Marketing at The Beatport Group. “Madonna’s ‘Ray of Light’ is a seminal masterpiece, and this initiative unites an icon with a worldwide community of producers ready to redefine the track’s legacy.”
How to Enter:
- Download the official stems from Ray of Light via Beatportal.
- Redeem a free Excite Audio Bloom Drum Machine Lite plugin (value $29) using code rayoflight at checkout.
- Submit remixes through LabelRadar.
Key Dates:
- Launch: August 28, 2025
- Deadline: September 25, 2025
- Winner Announced: October 15, 2025, on Beatportal
Grand Prize: worth $12,000 +
- Signed Ray of Light vinyl from Madonna
- iLoud Micro Monitor Pro by IK Multimedia
- Minimal Audio ‘Everything Minimal’ Bundle
- Pure Tube microphone by Lewitt
- DT 1990 PRO MKII Headphones by Beyerdynamic
- SonicBundle by UVI
- And more
About the Global Remix Challenge: Beatport’s Global Remix Challenge invites producers to reimagine iconic tracks from world-class artists. Past editions have featured Tiësto, The Blessed Madonna featuring Kylie Minogue, and more. Previous winners, like Sparkee (whose remix of Tiësto’s “The Business” has over 3.8M Spotify streams), have used the challenge as a career springboard.
About LabelRadar: An award-winning platform that connects artists directly with labels, allowing them to submit demos, collaborate globally, and work with official stems from top-tier artists.
About Madonna: Madonna is the most influential and successful female artist in music history, with a career spanning over four decades. A cultural trailblazer, she has continually pushed boundaries through her artistry, songwriting, reinventions, and fearless self-expression. Since the release of her self-titled debut album in 1983, Madonna has sold over 400 million records worldwide, landing her as the best-selling female recording artist of all time in the Guinness Book of World Records. Her cutting-edge music videos, and unmatched live performances have set the standard, shaped pop culture for generations and remains one of the highest-grossing solo touring acts in history. Throughout her career Madonna has been lauded as a visionary earning seven Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes, as well as a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame among countless other honors.
