Madonna pays tribute to brother Christopher Ciccone

Madonna has paid tribute to her brother Christopher Ciccone, who has died aged 63, describing him as “the closest thing to me for so long”.

Her brother, who was the pop star's tour director and danced in her early music videos, including Lucky Star, died of cancer in Michigan on Friday.

In a heartfelt post on InstagramThe 66-year-old singer wrote that their bond was hard to explain but it “grew out of an understanding that we were separate”.

He added: “Society is going to give us a hard time for not following the status quo.

“We held each other's hands and we danced through our childhood madness, actually dancing was a kind of superglue that held us together.”

The singer explained that “discovering dance in our small Midwestern town saved me”, and then “it also saved him” as a gay youth.

She wrote: “When I finally got the courage to go to New York to become a dancer, my brother followed, and again we held each other's hands, and we danced through the madness of New York City.”

He added that the pair “devoured art and music and film like hungry animals” in the city and were “at the center of the explosion of all these things”.

“We danced together on stage early in my career and eventually, he became the creative director of many of my tours.”

He added: “My brother was by my side, he was a painter, a poet and a visionary, I admired him.

“She had impeccable taste. And a sharp tongue, which she sometimes used against me but I always forgave her.

“Together we rose to the highest heights, and sank to the lowest lows.

“Somehow, we always found each other again and we danced hand in hand.”

The pair broke up in 2008 following the release of his autobiography, Life With My Sister Madonna, in which he wrote about his love life and what it was like to work for him.

Speaking about the reunion before her death, Madonna added: “The last few years have not been easy.

“We didn't speak for a while but when my brother got sick, we found our way back to each other.

“I tried my best to keep him alive as long as possible.

“He was in so much pain at the end, again, we held hands, we closed our eyes and danced together.

“I'm glad she's not suffering anymore, there won't be anyone else like her. I know she's dancing somewhere.”

Ciccone was also an artist and interior designer and directed music videos for stars including Dolly Parton and Tony Bennett.

Madonna's stepmother Joan also recently died of cancer and the star's older brother Anthony died earlier last year.