Madonna opens 2026 VMAs with Carpenter, Charli XCX after 23 years
Madonna opened the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards with Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX, her first appearance at the event since 2003. The three singers kicked off the show together with a three-song medley. Reports published on 28 September confirmed the opening slot Reuters.
The set drew entirely on Madonna’s album Confessions II. The songs were “One Step Away,” “Bring Your Love” and “Danceteria” Rolling Stone. All three performers stayed on stage across the medley, trading verses and choruses.
Carpenter paired with Madonna for “Bring Your Love.” Carpenter wore a black beret and played piano while Madonna performed on top of the instrument. It was a straight duet, voice to voice, with the piano at the centre of the staging.
Charli XCX then joined Madonna for “Danceteria.” The stage was rebuilt to recall the Danceteria club in New York City in the early 1980s, complete with a men’s bathroom set. Dancers and extras filled the space like a crowded club night.
That closing section was packed with guests. Debi Mazar, Fab Five Freddie, Julia Garner, Tony Ward, Sombr and Seth Rogen all appeared on stage. Producer Andrew Watt also appeared, dressed as artist Keith Haring.
The design added one more direct reference. Lou Reed’s face, taken from the Mick Rock photograph used for his 1972 album Transformer, was displayed while the performers sang the “doo de doo” hook from “Walk on the Wild Side.” The Hollywood Reporter listed the performance under the title “Danceteria Afterhours” The Hollywood Reporter.
What makes this stand out is the timeline. Twenty-three years separated Madonna’s VMAs appearances. This time she used the slot to bring two younger pop stars into a set built around new material and a very old room.
