The singer opened the 2026 ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles with an elaborate performance drawing on the visual world of her latest album, ‘Confessions II’.
Madonna opening the VMAs 2026 (featuring Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX) pic.twitter.com/yREADRC8G7
— Madonna Madgesty 🪩👑 (@MadonnaMadgesty) September 28, 2026
After an opening sequence featuring dancers performing scenes from the album’s accompanying short film, Madonna was revealed sitting on top of a piano as Carpenter played at the keys. The pair then launched into ‘Bring Your Love’, their collaboration from ‘Confessions II’.
Madonna later descended into the crowd, where dancers lifted her onto a table surrounded by a white-veiled choir, before the stage transformed into a recreation of the bathroom setting from her ‘Danceteria’ video.
Charli then emerged from one of the bathroom stalls to join her for ‘Danceteria Afterhours’, the pair’s new reworking of the ‘Confessions II’ track that was released last week.
The performance also featured a string of cameos, including Julia Garner, Debi Mazar, Sombr and Seth Rogen. Garner had previously been cast to play Madonna in the singer’s long-gestating biopic, before the project collapsed following a disagreement with Universal over its budget.
s: Coachella YouTube Livestream
