After the September 11 attacks , Madonna was in an introspective mood and started writing songs for her next studio album , '' American Life '' , with producer Mirwais Ahmadzaï . Recording started in late 2001 but was put on hold as Madonna shot for her film '' Swept Away '' in Malta , and also starred in the West End play '' Up For Grabs '' . In the meantime , Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer ( MGM ) was filming the twentieth James Bond film , '' Die Another Day '' , directed by Lee Tamahori . The previous film in the franchise , '' The World Is Not Enough '' ( 1999 ) was a box office success earning US$ 362 million worldwide . However , the eponymous soundtrack single by alternative rock group Garbage failed to gain commercial success in the United States . The music management at MGM went to look for a high-profile artist to write and perform the title song for '' Die Another Day ''
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Die Another Day (song)