Madonna kicks off VMAs 2026 with risqué star-studded set
Madonna kicks off VMAs 2026 with a risqué opening set at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, marking her first live Video Music Awards performance in 23 years alongside Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX and other surprise guests on Sunday night.
The 68-year-old Grammy winner returned to MTV, opening the Snoop Dogg–hosted ceremony with an electric, star-studded medley that immediately set the tone for the awards. For more celebrity breaking news, BlasterPost is tracking the night’s biggest moments.
Key Takeaways
- Madonna opened the 2026 MTV VMAs with her first live VMA performance since 2003.
- She teamed with Sabrina Carpenter on “Bring Your Love” and Charli XCX on “Danceteria.”
- The show was hosted by Snoop Dogg at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
- Julia Garner, Debi Mazar, Sombr and Nigel Barker were among those spotted in the set.
- She is promoting her July No. 1 album, “Confessions II.”
What happened when Madonna kicked off the VMAs?
According to Page Six, Madonna took the stage in a black coat over a red dress and launched the night with help from her fellow pop stars.
She and Sabrina Carpenter — in a white button-down, black micro-shorts and a beret — performed their 2026 hit “Bring Your Love.” Charli XCX then joined the “Vogue” hitmaker for “Danceteria,” staged in a set designed to look like a public men’s bathroom, urinals included.
Other notable beats included dancers with lasers shooting from their nether regions. Actress Julia Garner, once linked to Madonna’s cancelled biopic, was spotted dancing beside Madge, with appearances by longtime friend Debi Mazar, Sombr, Nigel Barker and more.
Why does Madonna’s VMA return matter?
The Queen of Pop last performed at the VMAs in 2003, when she famously locked lips with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera during a mashup of “Like a Virgin” and “Hollywood” — still one of awards-show television’s most replayed moments.
Sunday’s return closes a 23-year gap and pairs Madonna’s legacy catalog energy with current chart names Carpenter and Charli XCX, signaling she is still shaping the pop conversation while promoting new music.
What else is Madonna promoting right now?
Madonna is currently pushing her 15th studio album, “Confessions II,” released in July and a Billboard No. 1. A Page Six source said she and producer Stuart Price “really hunkered down” in the studio, with the project described as turning mourning into music after personal losses in 2024.
Her VMA opener doubles as a high-visibility album campaign moment — and a reminder that Madonna’s first VMA appearance dates back to 1984, with another landmark “Vogue” turn in 1990.