Madonna wins seven awards and mentions Sabrina Carpenter at 2026 VMAs
- Madonna won seven awards at the 2026 MTV VMAs on Sunday, marking her first performance at the event in 23 years.
- While accepting the Best Dance award alongside Troye Sivan and Charli XCX, Madonna told the audience she was unclear as to what the honor was for.
- During the speech, Madonna instructed Sivan and XCX to get over here and stop standing so far away, stating there is safety in numbers.
Madonna won seven awards at the 2026 MTV VMAs on Sunday, marking her first performance at the event in 23 years. The singer appeared multiple times throughout the show at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, which was hosted by Snoop Dogg, and sparked social media discussion following a series of unconventional onstage remarks and interactions with other artists, according to Page Six.
Madonna’s Best Dance Award Acceptance
While accepting the Best Dance award alongside Troye Sivan and Charli XCX, Madonna told the audience she was unclear as to what the honor was for. Charli XCX clarified that the award recognized the Confessions II film.
During the speech, Madonna instructed Sivan and XCX to get over here and stop standing so far away, stating there is safety in numbers. She thanked filmmakers Solomon Chase and David Toro for their work on the project and noted that she feels good when surrounded by people who like to dance.
The acceptance began with Madonna removing her leather jacket and making a joke about removing a laser from her behind that had been there all night. She later asked the audience if they understood the joke, referencing her opening number for the evening.
Onstage Interaction with Sabrina Carpenter
Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter opened the show with a performance of their song Bring Your Love. Later, while accepting an award for Best Collaboration, Madonna discussed the origins of the track and claimed she had to send Carpenter a direct message after five days of not hearing back from her team.
Carpenter responded by laughing off the comment but stated that her team replies and that they were s–tting themselves backstage due to the joke. Carpenter acknowledged that she personally responds faster and suggested a direct line to her is the best way to communicate.
Page Six reported that some social media users characterized the moment as ouch or suggested Carpenter appeared shocked by the audacity. Other users claimed Carpenter intervened to end the speech by calling out Madonna’s name as the singer continued to speak.
Performance History and Collaborations
The 2026 VMAs marked the first time in more than two decades that Madonna performed at the ceremony. In addition to the opening number with Carpenter, she performed Danceteria with Charli XCX.
Representatives for both Madonna and Carpenter did not respond to requests for comment from Page Six.