The 2021 VMAs kicked off with a surprise appearance from Madonna, perhaps the artist responsible for the most iconic moments in Video Music Award history. Madame X introduced Justin Bieber’s performance of “Ghost,†featuring the Kid LAROI. Bieber hadn’t performed at the VMAs in six years, and fans were intrigued/elated/destroyed by his choice to debut “Ghost†at the event. The song is speculated to be about Selena Gomez, who is too busy solving murders with Marty Short for this drama. Madonna was also there to tease her new Paramount+ concert film, Madame X, premiering October 8. The camera held on Mads’ yoga-toned ass as she walked off, reminding everyone who’s the real champ of MTV.
Madonna’s VMA performances of “Like a Virgin†and “Vogue†are lessons in self-hagiography. And her li’l kissy-kissy with Britney and Christina will live on forever in the annals of queerbaiting history. And who could possibly forget the time Courtney Love hurled her makeup at Madonna and Kurt Loder until he invited her up to crash Madonna’s extremely poised interview?