Madonna shocked fans as she made a blockbuster return to the MTV Video Music Awards stage on Sunday, 23 years after her steamy kiss with Britney Spears made pop culture history.
The Queen of Pop, 68, who has emerged as the artist with the most nods with 11 nominations, showed off her toned frame in a Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello ensemble – but fans quickly slammed the star over her ‘utterly unfocused’ performance.
Madonna donned a black satin trench coat, a red leotard and knee-high boots as she performed hit Bring Your Love with collaborator, Sabrina Carpenter, 27.
The pop icon was seen draped in latex in a steamy visual, accompanied by the statement, ‘It’s mother!’ before dancers contorted themselves on stage – while lasers shot from their crotches.
Beginning her performance with her legs spread while sat on top of a piano played by Carpenter, Madonna exuded confidence as she belted out the anthem.
The star stripped off to the leotard before she was carried across stage onto a platform, where a choir belted out Bring Your Love.
Madonna shocked fans as she made a blockbuster return to the MTV Video Music Awards stage on Sunday, 23 years after her steamy kiss with Britney Spears made pop culture history
The star was bundled onto a moving platform by scantily-clad dancers – but fans quickly noted the star seemed ‘out of breath’ during the performance
Madonna donned a black satin trench coat, a red leotard and knee-high boots as she performed hit Bring Your Love with collaborator, Sabrina Carpenter, 27
The star writhed about as she was taken through the crowds before Charli XCX’s entrance.
Madonna joined Charli for a high octane rendition of Danceteria Afterhours remix – but fans watching on TV were left furious as the ceremony was delayed due to an overrunning football game.
The raunchy segment saw a scantily-clad Sombr make a shock cameo by a toilet cubicle, before Madonna was lifted into the air by a hunky dancer.
However fans flocked to social media to accuse Madonna of lip-syncing and share their fears after the star was seen seemingly out of breath onstage.
One fan wrote, ‘MTV & CBS really fumbled Madonna tonight. The delay was bad enough, but those HORRIBLE camera angles during her performance? Come on. She deserved so much better.’
Another wrote, ‘I wish I could’ve seen Madonna in her prime! Mama is TIRED and out of breath on this MTV #VMAs stage. And yes, I know she’s almost 70, so I’m not expecting 1985 Madonna, but whew!
‘I’ll still give her credit where it’s due: she released one of the best albums of the year.’
Others wrote, ‘Ima say something controversial. Madonna this is boring.’
‘madonna performance… wow… utterly unfocused and just a got damn MESS!!!!!!!’
The star struck sultry poses as she was carrried through the crowd
The star was joined in a bizarre leather urinal scene by Debi Mazar
The star straddled a dancer in a toilet cubicle
Seth Rogen also joined the hitmaker, while clad in a leather ensemble
Madge was joined by Julia Garner, whose name has been floated to play the hitmaker for years in a biopic
Madonna later joined British bombshell Charli XCX for a high octane rendition of Danceteria – but fans watching on TV were left furious as the ceremony was delayed due to an overrunning football game
Fans quickly called out the pop icon for her performance
‘Madonna doesn’t know how to hang it up. This is one of the weirdest and most cringe things I’ve ever seen. Why are the MTV Music Awards on CBS after football?’
Others praised the star for her ‘iconic’ performance, which also included cameos from Debi Mazar and Seth Rogen.
One fan wrote, ‘She’s 68, bravo to her for still being able to get up in stage and move it the way she did.’
Madonna and Carpenter later won best collaboration, beating out Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and Malice for Chains & Whips as well as Shakira and Burna Boy for Dai Dai, Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye’s Hard Part, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson’s Stateside and French Montana and Max B’s Ever Since U Left Me.
This marked Madonna’s first VMAs win since 1999.
Accepting the award, Madonna said, ‘I would like to briefly say how this collaboration came about.
‘Everybody who knows me knows how impatient I am’ adding that five days passed without her hearing back from Carpenter
‘I DM’d her’ she revealed, ‘She answered me back, and I don’t know, within a week we were in the studio together, It was fabulous.’
Madonna’s winning streak continued as she later scooped Artist of The Year.
During 2003’s MTV VMAs, Madonna had a prolonged kiss with Spears during their opening performance for the ceremony.
Spears opened the show by singing Madonna’s Like a Virgin, emerging out of a wedding cake while dressed as a bride, as Madonna did in her 1984 VMAs performance.
Other fans praised the star for the epic
Madonna and Carpenter later won best collaboration for Bring Your Love
Madonna famously performed at the first-ever VMAs in 1984, bursting from a gigantic wedding cake while dressed in a bridal gown for a rendition of Like a Virgin
During 2003’s MTV VMAs, Madonna had a prolonged kiss with Spears during their opening performance for the ceremony
Madonna’s VMAs coup comes after she earned a burst of critical acclaim and fan adoration for her latest album Confessions II, which was released July 3 and serves as a sequel to her 2005 smash hit Confessions on a Dance Floor
Soon after that, Aguilera joined Spears onstage for the song before Madonna appeared and launched into her single Hollywood. During the performance, Madonna leaned over and kissed Spears, before locking lips with Aguilera
During the broadcast only the image of Spears and Madonna was aired, followed by a reaction shot of Spears’ former flame Justin Timberlake.
The sapphic moment has gone on to be one of the most memorable in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards.
After their public make out session, Spears and Madonna went on to collaborate on the hit single Me Against The Music.
Madonna’s VMAs coup comes after she earned a burst of critical acclaim and fan adoration for her latest album Confessions II, which was released July 3 and serves as a sequel to her 2005 smash hit Confessions on a Dance Floor.
Madonna’s Confessions II (The Film) is also up for dance video of the year, against such competition as Aperture by Harry Styles, Runway by Lady Gaga and Doechii and New Religion by Bebe Rexha and Faithless.
The other nominees in that category are Dance… by Slayyyter, Stateside by PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson and Nobody’s Girl by Tate McRae.
Madonna and Taylor Swift, 36, will be vying against each other for the evening’s top honor, video of the year, with Swift up for The Fate of Ophelia and Madonna for Confessions II (The Film).
MTV Video Music Awards 2026 NOMINEES
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me
Bruno Mars – I Just Might
Gener8ion (starring Yung Lean – Storm
Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)
Sabrina Carpenter – Tears
Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande
Bruno Mars
Madonna
Morgan Wallen
Sabrina Carpenter
Taylor Swift
Madonna has the most nominations of the year with 11
SONG OF THE YEAR
BTS – Swim
Ella Langley – Choosin’ Texas
Huntr/x – Golden
Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter – Bring Your Love
Olivia Dean – Man I Need
Raye – Where Is My Husband
BEST NEW ARTIST
Bella Kay
Cortis
Magnus Ferrell
Malcolm Todd
Myles Smith
Sienna Spiro
Stella Lefty
BEST COLLABORATION
Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and Malice – Chains & Whips
French Montana and Max B – Ever Since U Left Me
Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter
PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson – Stateside
Shakira and Burna Boy – Dai Dai
Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye – Hard Part
BEST POP
Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me
Charli XCX – SS26
Lisa – Dream
Olivia Rodrigo – Drop Dead
Sabrina Carpenter – House Tour
Tate McRae – Nobody’s Girl
Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia
Taylor Swift is trailing just behind the Queen of Pop with nine nods to her name
BEST HIP-HOP
Cardi B featuring Kehlani – Safe
Don Toliver – E85
Drake – Janice STFU
Megan Thee Stallion – Lover Girl
Travis Scott – Dumbo
Tyler, The Creator – Sugar on My Tongue
BEST R&B
Bruno Mars – I Just Might
Chris Brown – It Depends/Obvious
Dave & Tems – Raindance
Justin Bieber – Yukon
Kehlani – Folded
Mariah The Scientist and Kali Uchis – Is It a Crime
BEST ALTERNATIVE
Geese – Taxes
MGK and Fred Durst – Fix Ur Face
Noah Kahan – The Great Divide
Olivia Rodrigo – The Cure
Sombr – Homewrecker
Tame Impala – Dracula
Twenty One Pilots – Drag Path
BEST DANCE
Bebe Rexha and Faithless – New Religion
Harry Styles – Aperture
Lady Gaga and Doechii – Runway
Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)
PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson – Stateside
Slayyyter – Dance…
Tate McRae – Nobody’s Girl
BEST LATIN
Anitta and Shakira – Choka Choka
Bad Bunny – NUEVAYoL
Fuerza Regida – Tu Sancho
Karol G – Papasito
Rosalía – La Perla
Ryan Castro, Kapo and Gangsta – La Villa
Shakira and Burna Boy – Dai Dai
Ariana Grande has landed a total of seven nominations
BEST K-POP
Blackpink – Jump
BTS – Swim
Cortis – Redred
Katseye – Pinky Up
Le Sserafim – Spaghetti
Lisa – Dream
BEST COUNTRY
Ella Langley – Choosin’ Texas
Kacey Musgraves – Dry Spell
Lainey Wilson – Somewhere over Laredo
Luke Combs – Back in the Saddle
Shaboozey – Cowgirl
Stella Lefty – Boston
Tucker Wetmore – Brunette
BEST DIRECTION
Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love me
Bruno Mars – I Just Might
Gener8ion – Storm
Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)
Sabrina Carpenter – House Tour
Taylor Swift – Opalite
Sabrina Carpenter is tied with Grande, having scored seven nods
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me
A$AP Rocky – Punk Rocky
Lisa – Dream
Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)
Shaboozey – Cowgirl
Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia
BEST EDITING
Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me
Bruno Mars – I Just Might
Lisa – Dream
Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)
Sabrina Carpenter – House Tour
Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Gener8ion – Storm
Harry Styles – Dance No More
Katseye – Pinky Up
Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)
Tate McRae – Nobody’s Girl
Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me
Jisoo and Zayn – Eyes Closed
Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)
PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson – Stateside
Raye – Click Clack Symphony
Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia
BEST ART DIRECTION
Charli XCX – SS26
Lady Gaga and Doechii – Runway
Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)
PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson – Stateside
Sombr – My Body Isn’t Ready
Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia
Swift has a chance this year to break her dead heat with Beyonce, with whom she is tied for most VMAs ever at 30
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