Nicki Minaj changed forever after teaming up with Madonna

Working with Madonna for the pop superstar's Super Bowl spectacular has changed Nicki Minaj for life - and now she's determined to stage eye-popping shows as the new Material Girl.

The Super Bass hitmaker admits she has never seen anyone work so hard and tirelessly and Madonna made her take a look at her own career and work ethic and she has vowed to become more of a perfectionist diva.

Nicki Minaj says, "Meeting Madonna changed my life, working with Madonna changed my life, rehearsing with Madonna for two weeks changed my life. When you meet these amazing women, you have to realize that a lot of work goes into this."

And the hip-hop star credits her mentor with inspiring her bizarre Grammy Awards performance of Roman Holiday, during which she appeared to levitate high above the Staples Center stage in Los Angeles on Sunday (12Feb12).

She tells Los Angeles DJ Ryan Seacrest, "I didn't go to any parties, I didn't do anything. This performance was it and this is the first performance I'm proud of in my entire career.

"I saw Madonna... sacrifice and how she rehearses and rehearses... Everyone there (at the Super Bowl) was like, 'Oh my God, we've got it!' She was like, 'No, I want you to know this choreography in your sleep.'

"It inspired me so much... to give it my all and put that work in in terms of rehearsals and in terms of bringing my vision to life and in terms of, 'Hey, I'll pay for this performance myself because it means so much to me.'"