May 12, 1998 // Madonna's "Ray of Light" video was premiered on MTV Live.

Madonna stated that when she makes an album, she "puts [her] soul on it", but a music video is a lot more working with a director. With the Ray of Light album, she wanted to have videos with a fresh expression, and she wanted new directors to replace of the old ones she had worked with for years. She felt that Jonas Åkerlund has a special way of working. She commented that she and the director "met on the telephone, and he sent me a whole bunch of treatments I didn't like. But he kept at it and didn't give up". The singer also mentioned that the video is basically "a day in the life of the earth to show that we are rushing forward to the end of the 1900s century at full speed. I think Jonas made an excellent interpretation of the song, although he forced me to dance like crazy for two days. He's a tough director". Åkerlund stated that "It was damn good! Madonna was pleased with the quick result and [is] a dream to work with — it was probably the easiest job I've done in years!" Additionally, he said:

"I had two ideas that did not fit the song. She said no even though I had a very clear idea of how she would look in the video. I worked up on another idea and brought together a featured band for her to see. I did it all in front of me. [...] In retrospect, it feels good, the video we have done much better suited to the track than the first ideas. She [Madonna] has an incredible track on everything she is doing. Style, music, business — she has a metal track of every single thing and won't give up until she is completely satisfied. And on music videos there is nothing she does with one hand on her back — she's engaged to one hundred percent".

Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_of_Light_(song)