The show goes on for Madonna

Madonna soldiered on with her US tour this week, appearing onstage in Boston, Massachusetts just hours after news of her divorce was confirmed by her publicist.

The star's representative Liz Rosenberg released a statement to the press on Wednesday afternoon stating that the singer and her director husband Guy Ritchie were heading for a divorce after seven and a half years of marriage.

But Madonna left her marital problems behind her as she stepped onstage at Boston's TD Bank North Garden later that evening, as part of her 'Sticky & Sweet' world tour, performing her usual high-energy set to the 30,000-strong audience.

She made just one reference to her personal life throughout the two-hour set, hinting at her strained relationship with Ritchie.

After introducing the song 'Miles Away' - which she previously said was inspired by the filmmaker - and dedicating it to the "emotionally retarded", she added: "You may know a few people like that. God knows I do."

The song, about the difficulties of maintaining long-distance relationships, includes lines like: "When I'm gone you'll realise/That I'm the best thing that happened to you".