Madonna teams with Charli XCX on single ahead of 11-nomination MTV VMAs return

Club history on record

Madonna and Charli XCX released "Danceteria Afterhours", a collaborative rework of "Danceteria" from Madonna's July album Confessions II. Co-produced by Madonna, Andrew Watt, Cirkut, and Stuart Price, the recording blends the personal nightlife histories of both artists across different eras. Madonna's verses reference the early 1980s at Manhattan club Danceteria, which opened in midtown before moving to 21st Street in 1982. The venue served as the site of her first live performance and where DJ Mark Kamin first played her "Everybody" demo to a crowd, alongside contemporaries including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Fab 5 Freddy, Debi Mazar, and the Rock Steady Crew. Charli XCX provides new verses documenting her own path through club culture, starting at age 15 playing London DJ sets in unusual outfits and continuing to 2015 Los Angeles sessions with producers A.G. Cook and SOPHIE.

Building the 'Confessions II' era

The collaboration follows promotional activity that included a Saint Laurent Club Confessions party during Paris Fashion Week. It represents the second collaborative add-on to Confessions II, following the August release of "Love Sensation (Afterhours Mix)" featuring Kylie Minogue. Confessions II was released on July 3, 2026, and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, giving Madonna her first chart-topping album of the 2020s and making her the first artist to top the chart in four separate decades. Rolling Stone reviewer Rob Sheffield characterized the 64-minute record as her best work in 21 years, noting that it flows like a continuous DJ set. The track arrives after social media interactions in May, when Madonna posted comments about dancefloor energy following Charli XCX's lyrics about the death of the dancefloor on the song "Rock Music" from Music, Fashion, Film.

Returning to the awards stage

On Sunday, September 27, Madonna will open the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, her first appearance on the ceremony's stage in 23 years. Madonna enters the telecast as the leading nominee with 11 nods, marking her first time holding the most nominations since 1998, when "Ray of Light" earned Video of the Year. Her 2026 nominations stem from the visual short film crafted for Confessions II, which received nominations in categories including Video of the Year, Best Direction, Best Cinematography, and Best Choreography. Producer Van Toffler confirmed that her opening number will feature special guests.

Van Toffler addressed Madonna's history with the brand:

“Well, look, we can deny it as much as we want, but Madonna is the M in MTV. I knew it the day I started there. She is the queen of MTV. She makes great videos. She's provocative. She always pushed us, and this year's performance will be no exception.”

Production and lineup in Los Angeles

The ceremony will be broadcast live from the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles, marking the show's first West Coast staging since the 2017 broadcast at the Forum. Produced by Toffler, the chief executive of Gunpowder & Sky who returned to helm the VMAs in 2025, the two-hour production will air in prime time on CBS and conclude by 6:30 p.m. local time. Rapper Snoop Dogg will host the broadcast, which includes the presentation of the Video Vanguard Award to Nirvana, joining past honorees such as Justin Timberlake and Missy Elliott. The telecast features a music video premiere from Taylor Swift, tribute performances dedicated to Dolly Parton and George Michael, and live sets from Lisa, Raye, and Sienna Spiro.