Madonna's 'chaotic' VMA speech leaves people confused after she forgot her award
Madonna stole the show at the 2026 MTV VMAs, sweeping the ceremony with seven wins, including Artist of the Year.
However, it was the pop icon's chaotic acceptance speeches that left both the live audience and viewers at home speechless.
Taking the stage at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles yesterday (September 27), the legendary hitmaker appeared to have enjoyed a few drinks before stepping up to the microphone.
While accepting the award for Best Dance, she summoned presenters Charli XCX and Troye Sivan to stand beside her.
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Clearly feeling the effects of such a huge night for her, the veteran singer then appeared to forget what she was actually doing on stage.
“I’m kind of unclear what this award is for. I guess it’s for the short film?” Madonna asked the crowd.
Charli quickly stepped in to save the day as she reopened the golden envelope to politely remind Madonna exactly which award she had just won.
“Well, I feel good surrounded by people who like dance - Charli and Troye,” Madonna continued.
“I came to life on the dance floor. I found my community on the dance floor. I fell in love with people on a dance floor. And I lost many people I loved on the dance floor.”
She added: “Aside from soccer, football - whatever you wanna call it. Dance brings everybody together, okay? We are all equal on the dance floor.”
But her bizarre interactions didn't stop there, as Madonna also joined Sabrina Carpenter on stage to accept the prize for Best Collaboration.
Seemingly taking a light-hearted dig at the 'Espresso' songstress' management team, Madonna didn't hold back when speaking about the frustrating process of organizing 'Bring Your Love'.
“Everybody who knows me knows how impatient I am,” she said.
“When five days passed, and I still didn’t get connected with Sabrina and hear back from her about whether she wanted to do a song with me, I DM’d her.
“She answered me back, and within weeks we were in the studio together. It was fabulous.”
In a bid to save the moment from becoming too awkward, Carpenter joked: “My team is [expletive] themselves backstage.”
Naturally, Madonna's acceptance speeches sent social media into a frenzy.
Posting the video of her Best Dance speech online, one user captioned their post: “Oh my god Madonna is [expletive] faced. She even had to call the announcers back over to hold her up.”
Another user shared: “Is Madonna ok? Someone should probably cut her off.”
A third added: “Headlines exaggerated AF. She looks and sounds fine. Just awkward.”
Echoing the previous user's comment, one person penned: “She’s so awkward - I love her.”
To be fair to Madonna, if I scooped seven VMAs, I would be partying equally as hard!
VMA winners 2026
Video of the Year
WINNER: Taylor Swift – ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Republic Records
Ariana Grande – ‘hate that i made you love me’ – Republic Records
Bruno Mars – ‘I Just Might’ – Atlantic Records
GENER8ION – ‘STORM’ starring Yung Lean – Iconoclast Music
Madonna – ‘Confessions II – The Film’ – Warner Records
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Tears’ – Island
Artist of the Year
WINNER: Madonna – Warner Records
Ariana Grande – Republic Records
Bruno Mars – Atlantic Records
Morgan Wallen – Big Loud/Mercury Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Island
Taylor Swift – Republic Records
Song of the Year
WINNER: BTS – ‘Swim’ – BIGHIT MUSIC
Ella Langley – ‘Choosin’ Texas’ – Columbia Records
HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI – ‘Golden’ – Republic Records/Visva Records
Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Bring Your Love’ – Warner Records
Olivia Dean – ‘Man I Need’ – Island
PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – ‘Stateside’ – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
RAYE – ‘WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!’ – Human Re Sources
Best New Artist
WINNER: Sienna Spiro – Capitol Records
Bella Kay – Atlantic Records
CORTIS – BIGHIT MUSIC
Magnus Ferrell -Visva Records/Republic Records
Malcolm Todd – Columbia Records
Myles Smith – RCA Records
Stella Lefty – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
Best Collaboration
WINNER: Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Bring Your Love’ – Warner Records
Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice – ‘Chains & Whips’ – Roc Nation Distribution
French Montana x Max B – ‘Ever Since U Left Me’ – Coke Boys Records
PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – ‘Stateside’ – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
Shakira and Burna Boy – ‘Dai Dai’ – Sony Music US Latin
Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye – ‘Hard Part’ – Def Jam Recordings
Best Pop
WINNER: LISA – ‘Dream’ feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi – Lloud Co./RCA Records
Ariana Grande – ‘hate that i made you love me’ – Republic Records
Charli xcx – ‘SS26’ – Atlantic Records
Olivia Rodrigo – ‘drop dead’ – Geffen Records
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘House Tour’ – Island
Tate McRae – ‘Nobody’s Girl’ – RCA Records
Taylor Swift – ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Republic Records
Best Hip-Hop
WINNER: Cardi B feat. Kehlani – ‘Safe’ – Atlantic Records
Don Toliver – ‘E85’ – Cactus Jack/ Atlantic Records
Drake – ‘Janice STFU’ – OVO/Republic Records
Megan Thee Stallion – ‘LOVER GIRL’ – Hot Girl Productions
Travis Scott – ‘DUMBO’ – Cactus Jack/Epic Records
Tyler, The Creator – ‘SUGAR ON MY TONGUE’ – Columbia Records
Best R&B
WINNER: Bruno Mars – ‘I Just Might’ – Atlantic Records
Chris Brown – ‘It Depends/Obvious’ – RCA Records
Dave and Tems – ‘Raindance’ – Neighbourhood Recordings/Capitol Records
Justin Bieber – ‘YUKON” – Def Jam Recordings
Kehlani – ‘Folded’ – Atlantic Records
Mariah the Scientist and Kali Uchis – ‘Is It a Crime’ – Epic Records
Best Alternative
WINNER: Olivia Rodrigo – ‘the cure’ – Geffen Records
Geese – ‘Taxes’ – Partisan Records/Play It Again Sam
mgk and Fred Durst – ‘FIX UR FACE’ – EST 19XX LLC/Interscope Records
Noah Kahan – ‘The Great Divide’ – Mercury Records
SOMBR – ‘Homewrecker’ – SMB Music/Warner Records
Tame Impala – ‘Dracula’ – Columbia Records
twenty one pilots – ‘Drag Path’ – Fueled By Ramen
Best Dance
WINNER: Madonna – ‘Confessions II – The Film’ – Warner Records
Bebe Rexha and Faithless – ‘New Religion’ – Bebe Rexha Music LLC/EMPIRE
Harry Styles – ‘Aperture’ – Columbia Records
Lady Gaga and Doechii – ‘RUNWAY’ – Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
PinkPantheress + Zara Larsson – ‘Stateside’ – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
Slayyyter – ‘DANCE…’ – RECORDS/Columbia Records
Tate McRae – ‘Nobody’s Girl’ – RCA Records
Best Latin
WINNER: Bad Bunny – ‘NUEVAYoL’ – Rimas Entertainment
Anitta with Shakira – ‘Choka Choka’ – Republic Records/UMLE
Fuerza Regida – ‘TU SANCHO’ – Rancho Humilde/Street Mob Records/Sony Music US Latin
KAROL G – ‘Papasito’ – Bichota Records/Interscope Records
Rosalía ft. Yahritza Y Su Esencia – ‘La Perla’ – Columbia Records
Ryan Castro, Kapo and GANGSTA – ‘LA VILLA’ – AWOO Corp./ Sony Music US Latin
Shakira and Burna Boy – ‘Dai Dai’ – Sony Music US Latin
Best K-Pop
WINNER: BTS – ‘SWIM’ – BIGHIT MUSIC
BLACKPINK – ‘JUMP’ – YG Entertainment
CORTIS – ‘REDRED’ – BIGHIT MUSIC
KATSEYE – ‘PINKY UP’ – HYBE x Geffen Records
LE SSERAFIM (feat. j-hope of BTS) – ‘SPAGHETTI’ – SOURCE MUSIC
LISA – ‘Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi’ – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
Best Country
WINNER: Ella Langley – ‘Choosin’ Texas’ – Columbia Records
Kacey Musgraves – ‘Dry Spell’ – Lost Highway/Interscope Records
Lainey Wilson – ‘Somewhere Over Laredo’ – Broken Bow Records
Luke Combs – ‘Back in the Saddle’ – Columbia Nashville
Shaboozey – ‘Cowgirl’ – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
Stella Lefty – ‘Boston’ – Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost
Tucker Wetmore – ‘Brunette’ – Back Blocks Music/MCA/Mercury Records
Best Direction
WINNER: Taylor Swift – ‘Opalite’ – Republic Records
Ariana Grande – ‘hate that i made you love me’ – Republic Records
Bruno Mars – ‘I Just Might’ – Atlantic Records
GENER8ION – ‘STORM starring Yung Lean’ – Iconoclast Music
Madonna – ‘Confessions II – The Film’ – Warner Records
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘House Tour’ – Island
Best Art Direction
WINNER: PinkPantheress – ‘Stateside + Zara Larsson’ – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
Charli xcx – ‘SS26’ – Atlantic Records
Lady Gaga and Doechii – ‘RUNWAY’ – Lil Monsters/Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records/Capitol Records
Madonna – ‘Confessions II – The Film’ – Warner Records
SOMBR – ‘My Body Isn’t Ready’ – SMB Music/Warner Records
Taylor Swift – ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Republic Records
Best Cinematography
WINNER: Madonna – ‘Confessions II – The Film’ – Warner Records
A$APRocky – 'PUNKROCKY'– A$AP Worldwide/RCA Records
Ariana Grande – ‘hate that i made you love me’ – Republic Records
LISA – ‘Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi’ – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
Shaboozey – ‘Cowgirl’ – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
Taylor Swift – ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Republic Records
Best Editing
WINNER: Sabrina Carpenter – ‘House Tour’ – Island
Ariana Grande – ‘hate that i made you love me’ – Republic Records
Bruno Mars – ‘I Just Might’ – Atlantic Records
LISA – ‘Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi’ – Lloud Co./ RCA Records
Madonna – ‘Confessions II – The Film’ – Warner Records
Taylor Swift – ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Republic Records
Best Choreography
WINNER: Madonna – ‘Confessions II – The Film’ – Warner Records
GENER8ION – ‘STORM starring Yung Lean’ – Iconoclast Music
Harry Styles – ‘Dance No More’ – Columbia Records
KATSEYE – ‘PINKY UP’ – HYBE x Geffen Records
Tate McRae – ‘Nobody’s Girl’ – RCA Records
Taylor Swift – ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Republic Records
Best Visual Effects
WINNER: Ariana Grande – ‘hate that i made you love me’ – Republic Records
JISOO X ZAYN – ‘Eyes Closed’ – Warner Records
Madonna – ‘Confessions II – The Film’ – Warner Records
PinkPantheress – ‘Stateside + Zara Larsson’ – Warner Records UK/Atlantic Records
RAYE ft. Hans Zimmer – ‘Click Clack Symphony.’ – Human Re Sources
Taylor Swift – ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Republic Records
Best Group
WINNER: BTS
BLACKPINK
CORTIS
FLO
Fuerza Regida
Geese
KATSEYE
Twenty One Pilots
Best Long Form Video
WINNER: Madonna – Confessions II – The Film – Warner Records
Charli xcx – Music, Fashion, Film – Atlantic Records
Ella Langley – Choosin’ Texas – Columbia Records
GENER8ION – STORM starring Yung Lean – Iconoclast Music
Best Album
WINNER: Madonna – Confessions II – Warner Records
Drake – ICEMAN – OVO/Republic Records
Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving – Island
Olivia Rodrigo – you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love – Geffen Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend – Island
Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl – Republic Records
Song of Summer
WINNER: Ariana Grande – ‘Hate That I Made You Love Me’ – Republic Records
Bruno Mars – ‘Risk It All’ – Atlantic Records
Charli xcx – ‘Camera’ – Atlantic Records
Ella Langley – ‘Choosin’ Texas’ – Columbia Records
KATSEYE – ‘Hootie Frutti’ – HYBE x Geffen Records
Latto ft. Doja Cat – ‘Okayyy’ – Steamcut / RCA Records
Morgan Wallen – ‘Been By Now’ – Big Loud / Mercury Records
Olivia Dean – ‘So Easy (To Fall in Love)’ – Island
Olivia Rodrigo – ‘Stupid Song’ – Geffen Records
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘House Tour’ – Island
Slayyyter – ‘Brand New Chanel$’ – RECORDS/Columbia Records
sombr – ‘Homewrecker’ – SMB Music / Warner Records
Stella Lefty – ‘Boston’ – Sandlot / Atlantic Outpost
Tame Impala and JENNIE – ‘Dracula’ – Columbia Records
Taylor Swift – ‘I Knew It, I Knew You’ – Walt Disney Records / Republic Records
Topics: Madonna, Sabrina Carpenter, Music
Joe Yates