Niki Haris and Donna De Lory were far more than voices in the background. Together, they became an essential part of Madonna’s sound, stage presence and visual identity during one of the most influential periods in pop history.

In this revealing joint interview, Niki and Donna tell Steve Blame how they met, why their voices blended so naturally and what they brought to Madonna’s spectacular live performances.
They revisit the Who’s That Girl Tour, Blond Ambition, The Girlie Show, “Vogue,” “Like a Prayer” and Madonna: Truth or Dare—released internationally as In Bed with Madonna. They also discuss the discipline behind Madonna’s performances, the physical demands of the shows and the moments when they had to defend their own identities.

Niki recalls refusing to cut off her hair, while Donna explains how they supported one another through the costumes, choreography and pressures surrounding one of the biggest productions in pop music.

The conversation also reaches far beyond Madonna. Niki and Donna discuss their musical families, their fathers’ influence, jazz, gospel, session work, solo careers and the enduring friendship that developed through singing together.

This is the story of two remarkable artists whose voices, movement and personalities helped shape an unforgettable chapter in pop history.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Preview
01:30 Growing up in musical families
01:48 Donna’s father, Al De Lory
03:46 Niki’s father, Gene Harris
07:00 Niki’s childhood and finding her identity
10:00 Following successful musician fathers
12:30 Music as a calling
15:00 Escaping their fathers’ musical shadows
18:10 Recognising themselves as artists
20:12 Recording and performing with their fathers
24:50 Donna’s early musical influences
30:00 The voices that influenced Niki and Donna
34:30 How Donna met Madonna
35:00 Singing with Madonna for the first time
36:00 Why their voices blended so perfectly
40:00 Experiencing Madonna’s stadium production
45:00 How Madonna changed live pop performance
49:00 Body image, costumes and performance pressure
54:30 Setting boundaries with Madonna
55:00 “Like a Prayer” and the burning crosses
57:00 The battle over their hair
01:00:00 Niki saves Donna’s Blond Ambition hairstyle
01:02:00 Supporting each other behind the scenes
01:04:30 What Niki and Donna brought to Madonna
01:07:00 What Madonna gave them in return
01:09:30 Their friendship after the tours
01:10:00 Performing together again
01:13:00 Their contribution to pop culture
01:15:00 Final thoughts

If you enjoy these independent interviews, you can support the channel using the Super Thanks button beneath the video.

Subscribe to Pop: The History Makers for more revealing conversations with the artists, musicians, writers and producers who created pop history.

#NikiHaris #DonnaDeLory #Madonna #BlondAmbition #TruthOrDare #InBedWithMadonna #Vogue #MadonnaInterview #MusicInterview #PopHistory #PopTheHistoryMakers #SteveBlame