Madonna took the stage at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday for her first performance at the ceremony in 23 years, opening the show with Sabrina Carpenter on “Bring Your Love.” Charli XCX then joined for a remix of “Danceteria,” performed on a graffiti-laden bathroom stage set.
The “Danceteria” performance featured guest appearances from Sombr, Julia Garner, Debi Mazar, Seth Rogen, Andrew Watt, Tony Ward, and Fab 5 Freddie. Mazar and Freddie are referenced in Madonna’s lyrics.
Madonna leads the night with 13 nominations, primarily for her short film accompanying her album Confessions II, the sequel to her 2005 album Confessions on a Dance Floor. The film is nominated for Video of the Year, Best Direction, Cinematography, and Choreography. Madonna is also nominated for Artist of the Year, competing against Taylor Swift (11 nominations), Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Sabrina Carpenter, and Morgan Wallen.
The “Bring Your Love” collaboration between Madonna and Carpenter earned nominations for Song of the Year and Best Collaboration. The track debuted live during Carpenter’s Coachella headlining set.
Other performances scheduled for the evening include Gunna, Lisa, Raye, Shaboozey, Gener8ion, Sienna Spiro, and Yung Lean. Kacey Musgraves will perform a tribute to Dolly Parton, marking Parton’s first VMAs appearance in five years. Raye, Sombr, and Teddy Swims will perform a tribute to George Michael.
See Charli XCX live
Upcoming Charli XCX events with tickets available:
- Sep 28, 2026 — Capital One Arena, Washington, District Of Columbia · Get tickets
- Oct 6, 2026 — State Farm Arena – GA, Atlanta, Georgia · Get tickets
- Oct 14, 2026 — Viejas Arena At Aztec Bowl, San Diego, California · Get tickets
- Oct 17, 2026 — The Kia Forum, Inglewood, California · Get tickets
- Oct 18, 2026 — The Kia Forum, Inglewood, California · Get tickets
Tickets are sold by GetUrTix. Code GTIX20 takes 20% off the ticket price at checkout — no minimum, no expiry.
Source: Rolling Stone Music
