Madonna Returns to Open the VMAs After 23 Years, Shares Stage with Charli XCX

Madonna opened the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), marking her first appearance on the VMAs stage in 23 years. According to Stereogum, the opening was a shared performance rather than a solo spot, with Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX joining her on stage.

What happened at the VMAs opening

Madonna kicked off the 2026 VMAs as the opening performer, sharing the stage with Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX. It's her first time back on the VMAs stage since 2003.

The pairing with Charli XCX carries some backstory: the two were previously read by outside observers as having friction between them, a situation that was reported to have ended with a collaborative remix and a pack of cigarettes. That tension was said to have been resolved earlier this year.

Confessions II and Madonna's 2026

2026 has been a heavy year of activity for Madonna. She released Confessions II, a follow-up to her 2005 album Confessions On A Dance Floor. The long-anticipated, closely watched record has been well received — Stereogum readers voted its track "Danceteria" to the top of the site's "Song Of The Summer" poll.

Her influence has also shown up in work by younger peers: Troye Sivan, a close friend of Charli XCX, sampled Madonna's "Music" on his new single "Party."

A year of high-profile stages

Beyond the VMAs, Madonna has appeared at Coachella, the World Cup final, and in New York's Times Square this year. The VMAs opening is the latest stop on that list.