Madonna Recalls Being Told Her ‘Career Was Over’ at First VMAs While Winning Artist of the Year in 2026
"I want you to know I spent the last year and a half finding myself," the superstar said during her speech.
Madonna made history at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) by being named Artist of the Year. The Queen of Pop earned this accolade against a strong field of competitors, including Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, and Morgan Wallen. The 2026 VMAs took place on September 27 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Upon accepting her Moon Person award, Madonna began her speech with self-deprecating humor. She thanked her fingers for always being there for her, a humorous remark that earned some laughter from the audience. Madonna then reminisced about her first VMAs in 1984, recounting a mishap during her performance. Her stiletto shoe had fallen off, and she had to dive onto the stage to regain her composure.
The dress she wore during that performance had the unfortunate side effect of exposing her butt cheek, a trend that was not popular at the time.
Madonna recounted an incident from that early VMAs event when her manager allegedly told her that her career was over after her performance mishap. However, that was not the case, as Madonna went on to become one of the most nominated artists in VMAs history, with a total of four decades of appearances at the event. She closed her speech by sharing her thoughts on Confessions II, the follow-up to her 2005 hit album Confessions on a Dance Floor.
The new album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 this summer, solidifying Madonna's continued relevance in the music industry.
Madonna went on to thank her collaborator, Stuart Price, for his role in shaping her music. She emphasized the importance of finding and believing in oneself, both as an artist and in life. Her hope for the audience was that they would spend the next years of their lives doing the same. Her collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter on the song "Bring Your Love" earned them the award for Best Collaboration at the 2026 VMAs.
Charli XCX, Julia Garner, sombr, and Seth Rogen joined Madonna on stage to kick off the show with a medley of Confessions II tracks.
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