Madonna breaks silence after panned MTV VMAs 2026 comeback performance

Madonna has taken to social media for the first time after her MTV VMAs 2026 comeback performance was torched by fans as 'utterly unfocused.'

The 68-year-old Queen of Pop opened the music award show on Sunday with a medley of new songs as viewers blasted it and branded it as 'confused.'

And now the artist - born Madonna Louise Ciccone - has finally taken to Instagram to post about the performance on Wednesday by posting a raucous gallery of behind-the-scenes snaps from the event.

She opted to ignore the criticisms as she wrote: 'Landed on The Moon and it Feels So Good! [rocket ship emoji]

'Thank you to an inctedible team of hardworking people who helped me realize my Vision! I did it all for Love.!!!!! [Seven trophy and one heart hands emojis]'

The seven trophy emojis were an acknowledgement that she won seven Moon Persons at the event as she also went on to tag all the people who were involved in her performance including Sabrina Carpenter, Charli xcx, Seth Rogen, Debi Mazar, and Julia Garner.

Madonna had shocked fans as she made a blockbuster return to the ceremony, 23 years after her steamy kiss with Britney Spears made pop culture history.

She showed off her toned frame in a Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello ensemble - but fans quickly slammed the star for making a 'mess' of her performance.

Madonna donned a black satin trench coat, a red leotard and knee-high boots as she performed her hit Bring Your Love with her collaborator, Sabrina Carpenter, 27. 

The pop icon was seen draped in latex in a steamy visual, accompanied by the statement, 'It's mother!' before dancers contorted themselves on stage - while lasers shot from their crotches.

Beginning her performance with her legs spread while sitting on top of a piano played by Carpenter, Madonna exuded confidence as she belted out the anthem.

The star stripped off to the leotard before she was carried across the stage onto a platform, where a choir belted out Bring Your Love. 

The singer writhed about as she was taken through the crowds before Charli xcx's entrance.

Madonna joined the British star for a high-octane rendition of Danceteria Afterhours remix – but fans watching on TV were left furious as the ceremony was delayed due to an overrunning football game. 

The raunchy segment saw a scantily clad Sombr make a shock cameo by a toilet cubicle, before Madonna was lifted into the air by a hunky dancer. 

However, fans flocked to social media to accuse Madonna of lip-syncing and share their fears after the star was seen seemingly out of breath onstage. 

One fan wrote, 'MTV & CBS really fumbled Madonna tonight. The delay was bad enough, but those HORRIBLE camera angles during her performance? Come on. She deserved so much better.'

Another wrote, 'I wish I could’ve seen Madonna in her prime! Mama is TIRED and out of breath on this MTV #VMAs stage. And yes, I know she’s almost 70, so I’m not expecting 1985 Madonna, but whew!

'I’ll still give her credit where it’s due: she released one of the best albums of the year.'  

Others wrote, 'Ima say something controversial. Madonna, this is boring.'

'Madonna performance... wow... utterly unfocused and just a got damn MESS!!!!!!!'

'Madonna doesn’t know how to hang it up. This is one of the weirdest and most cringe things I’ve ever seen. Why are the MTV Music Awards on CBS after football?' 

Others praised the star for her 'iconic' performance, which also included cameos from Debi Mazar and Seth Rogen. 

One fan wrote, 'She's 68, bravo to her for still being able to get up on stage and move it the way she did.' 

The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Madonna for further comment and has yet to hear back. 

Meanwhile later on in the evening, she once again sparked concern among fans as she appeared to forget why she was onstage as she scooped the MTV VMA for Best Dance at the 2026 ceremony.

The Queen of Pop took home seven honors on the night, yet seemed confused as she took to the stage.

Madonna joined Charli xcx and Troye Sivan to accept the prize for Confessions II - The Film - yet her acceptance speech took an awkward turn when she quipped: 'I'm kind of unclear as to what this award is for?'

The awkward moment unfolded as Madonna took to the stage and declared, 'First of all, I want to get this thing out of my a**. It's been there all night', before reaching behind her.

'My microphone is too short!', she then cried out.

She pulled Sivan and Charli into her, saying, 'Safety in numbers. I'm kind of unclear as to what this award is for. I guess it's for the short film?' before Charli opened the announcement card to jog her memory.

Madonna continued, 'I feel, like, good surrounded by people who like to dance, Charli, Troye', before adding, 'You guys didn't get the joke about the laser up my a**, did you?

'It was up there all night before I took it out.'

The singer added: 'Dance is where everything happened for me in my life. If you love to dance, stand up... we're all equal on the dance floor.' Madonna then left the stage. 

Madonna and Carpenter also won best collaboration, beating out Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and Malice for Chains & Whips as well as Shakira and Burna Boy for Dai Dai, Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye's Hard Part, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson's Stateside and French Montana and Max B's Ever Since U Left Me. 

It marked Madonna's first VMAs win since 1999. 

Accepting the award, the singer said, 'I would like to briefly say how this collaboration came about.

'Everybody who knows me knows how impatient I am,' adding that five days passed without her hearing back from Carpenter.

'I DM’d her,' she revealed. 'She answered me back, and I don’t know, within a week we were in the studio together. It was fabulous.'

Madonna's winning streak continued as she later scooped Artist of the Year, Best Cinematography, Best Choreography, Best Long Form Video and Best Album.

During 2003's MTV VMAs, Madonna had a prolonged kiss with Spears during their opening performance for the ceremony.

Spears opened the show by singing Madonna's Like a Virgin, emerging out of a wedding cake while dressed as a bride, as Madonna did in her 1984 VMAs performance.

Soon after that, Aguilera joined Spears onstage for the song before Madonna appeared and launched into her single Hollywood. During the performance, Madonna leaned over and kissed Spears before locking lips with Aguilera.

During the broadcast, only the image of Spears and Madonna was aired, followed by a reaction shot of Spears's former flame Justin Timberlake.

The sapphic moment has gone on to be one of the most memorable in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards.

After their public makeout session, Spears and Madonna went on to collaborate on the hit single Me Against the Music.

Madonna's VMAs coup comes after she earned a burst of critical acclaim and fan adoration for her latest album Confessions II, which was released July 3 and serves as a sequel to her 2005 smash hit Confessions on a Dance Floor.