Louie Louie, Madonna's 'Borderline' Babe, Dies at 63
A talented solo singer in his own right, he went Top 20 with 'Sittin' in the Lap of Luxury'
March 21, 2026
How very sad I was to learn that Louie Louie, Madonna’s love interest in her indisputably classic “Borderline” music video, has died at just 63 years old.
His brother Ray Cordero reports on Facebook:
“Louis Edmond Cordero 🎹 LOUIE LOUIE 🎼 7-10-1962 ❤️🩹 3-20-2026 An amazing brother, son, friend, partner, musician, producer, band leader. He left us all to soon. His songs will live on along with such great memories. Viva Heaven my beloved brother.”
The Puerto Rican-American musician was more than just Madonna’s on-screen boy toy, he released four albums: The State I’m In (1990), which hit the Billboard 200; Let’s Get Started (1993), Louie Cordero (1996) and Dance Love Work (2002).
I’m not sure if people realize that the Top 20 hit “Sittin’ in the Lap of Luxury” from 1990 was from the same guy who romanced Madonna in “Borderline,” but it was, and it was representative of his musical output.
He also released the singles “I Wanna Get Back with You” (which bubbled under at no. 69 in 1990 and was beautifully sung in Spanish), “Rodeo Clown” (1990), “The Thought of It” (1993), “Brother Louie” (1993), “Walk with Me” (1993), “Don’t Say You Love Me” (1996), “Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got)” (1996) and “Mad Love” (2002), the latter of which was his final release.
I remember seeing him opening for Erasure!
And he was also on Arsenio! at least twice, not to mention acting in 1991’s House Party 2.
You’ll see beautiful images of the “Borderline” shoot in Andy Caulfield’s Madonna — Amor (NJG, 2024), and Louie Louie is in some.
My condolences to his family, his friends and his fans. ⚡️