(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Madonna is said to be "smitten" with her toyboy lover Brahim Zaibat.

The 53-year-old has been telling friends that she is head over heels in love and wants everyone to know, according to Star magazine.

The couple have reportedly been dating for just under 12 months but the Material Girl is now ready to have her romance more high-profile.

"She's proud of Brahim and sees no reason to keep their relationship on the down-low," an insider revealed.

"After nearly a year together she wants to acknowledge him as her boyfriend.

"They celebrated her birthday in the Hamptons and they acted like giddy teenagers."

Madonna's romance is not the first that she has had with a man several years her junior but she apparently feels like it is different this time around.

"She never acted like this way before," the friend said. "She is genuinely smitten. She says she hasn't felt this kind of passion since she was in her twenties!"

The 24-year-old French dancer has also bonded with Madonna's children especially her youngest two, David, five, and Mercy, five.

"Madonna is amazed by how quickly the kids have bonded with Brahim. They adore him!"

Brahim is also said to be unaffected by the pop star's celebrity.

"He isn't deferential toward her and couldn't care less about her fame," the friend added. "He treats her like a woman, not a celebrity."

Madonna believes their 29-year age difference is inconsequential.

"She says Brahim is like someone she met in another lifetime," the friend explained. "Everything between them just clicks." (C) Cover Media