MADONNA ROARS BACK: Icon Opens VMAs After 23-Year Absence With Carpenter, XCX...

Madonna returned to the MTV Video Music Awards stage for the first time in 23 years at the 2026 ceremony, opening the show from Los Angeles with a medley that included her Confessions II collaborators Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX. The performance marked her fifth VMAs appearance and landed during a career momentum spike: her Confessions sequel dominated the summer, she'd reconciled with artistic peer Charli XCX through a remix, and she arrived at the ceremony leading with 13 nominations. The night proved victorious, with Madonna taking home seven awards including Artist of the Year and Best Collaboration for "Bring Your Love."