LOS ANGELES Madonna returned to the MTV Video Music Awards stage in dramatic fashion Sunday night, opening the 2026 ceremony at the Peacock Theater with Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX.
The performance marked Madonna’s first VMAs performance in 23 years, giving the Los Angeles audience a major pop culture moment from an artist whose history with MTV stretches back more than four decades.
Madonna performed new material from Confessions II, including a collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter before Charli XCX joined the elaborate production. The stage transformed into a stylized nightclub setting complete with choreography, dramatic lighting and surprise appearances.
The performance also featured cameos from Julia Garner, Seth Rogen, Debi Mazar, Sombr and producer Andrew Watt. Garner’s appearance was particularly notable because the actress had previously been attached to portray Madonna in a planned biographical project.
Madonna’s Los Angeles comeback continued beyond the performance. She took home Artist of the Year and multiple additional awards during the ceremony, while her collaboration with Carpenter earned Best Collaboration.
For a VMAs ceremony packed with major names, Madonna’s return served as one of the night’s defining moments and once again placed Los Angeles at the center of the music world’s biggest conversations.
