Criticised for her MTV VMAs performance, Madonna reacts for the first time

Madonna has reacted on social media after her performance at the 2026 MTV VMAs, which drew numerous reactions from fans. The 68-year-old singer returned to the ceremony stage on Sunday, where she performed “Bring Your Love” together with Sabrina Carpenter, and later also appeared with Charli XCX.

Some fans criticised the performance, calling it “unfocused” and “chaotic”, while others claimed Madonna looked tired and out of breath during the performance. The singer did not respond directly to the criticism. On Wednesday, she posted several behind-the-scenes photos from the ceremony on Instagram. “I feel so good! Thank you to an amazing team of people who worked hard to realise my vision. I did it all for love,” she wrote.

Despite the divided reactions, Madonna had a successful evening, winning seven awards, including Artist of the Year, Best Collaboration and Best Album. During the ceremony, she also caused an awkward moment when, while receiving an award together with Charli XCX and Troye Sivan, she joked that she was not sure what she was receiving the trophy for.

Madonna’s return to the VMAs came more than two decades after her famous 2003 performance, when she kissed Britney Spears on stage. Her latest album, “Confessions II”, was released on July 3 and is the follow-up to the successful album “Confessions on a Dance Floor”.