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“Uncomfortable To Watch”: Ariana Grande And Madonna’s Resurfaced Performance Sparks Fan Backlash
A clip of American singer-songwriter Madonna and Ariana Grande performing together at a live event has resurfaced online.
On Wednesday (January 7), a clip from the event resurfaced on X, and it quickly went viral, garnering 2.6 million views.
In 2016, Grande appeared at one of the concerts headlined by Madonna. Despite the pop icons sharing the stage, the video is garnering attention on social media because of its choreography, with some finding it “weird” and “nasty.”
Highlights
- A resurfaced 2016 clip of Madonna and Ariana Grande’s onstage interaction has gone viral, receiving renewed fan backlash.
- Some fans found the performance “uncomfortable” and “awkward,” while others defended it as a pre-planned part of Madonna’s live show.
- Ariana Grande previously addressed the moment, admitting she was overwhelmed by it but ultimately called it one of the highlights of her life.
“When Madonna did this to Ariana on stage,” read the text accompanying the footage.
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Madonna performed with Ariana Grande for a charity concert
Image credits: Getty/Kevin Mazur
Madonna is one of the best-selling female music artists of all time, known for her provocative persona. On January 24, 2016, she performed for a packed crowd in Miami as part of her Rebel Heart tour’s North American leg.
Image credits: arianagrande
Grande was chosen as the ‘Unapologetic B*tch’ of the night, a ritual named after Madonna’s 2015 song and common to most of her live performances on the tour, where she invited guests on stage, spanked them, and handed them a banana.
Image credits: Waheed13241
At one point during her performance, Grande joined Madonna as they danced and sang Unapologetic B*tch together. However, the resurfaced clip focuses on one particular moment from the duo’s time on stage where Madonna is seen pulling off Grande’s blazer.
Later, background dancers cornered Grande, who appeared uncomfortable with the choreography. The dancer bent over the Wicked: For Good actress as the 67-year-old pop star playfully spanked Grande, giving some fans the impression that the move was unplanned.
Netizens found the duo’s performance uncomfortable to watch
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The resurfaced clip received negative reactions online, with one user calling the performance “uncomfortable to watch.” Several users were in disbelief after watching the footage and found Madonna’s actions inappropriate.
Image credits: arianagrande
“No way this happened,” one netizen commented.
Another fan pointed out, “Madonna always does weird stuff!”
“Definitely didn’t sit right with me. That crossed into awkward real quick,” a third user wrote.
@ari.edditss Idk #arianagrande#ariana#butera#arianator#madonna#performance#collab#notcomfortable#safety#sad#littleari#grande♬ original sound – Ari.edditss
However, some fans defended the pop star’s actions, feeling it was all part of the choreography.
“Madonna brings up a guest every night and does the same thing. It was part of the show. Why are y’all being so weird?” one user pointed out.
Image credits: arianagrande
Another fan alleged that the guests in attendance were “advised about what she does,” suggesting the performance was pre-planned. Fans further argued that Madonna’s antics aligned with her onstage persona and the tone of her live shows.
Ariana Grande admitted she was overwhelmed to be performing alongside Madonna
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Image credits: madonna
Despite fan backlash, Grande herself had no issues with the spanking. In a 2016 appearance on On Air with Ryan Seacrest, the two-time Grammy winner opened up about sharing the stage with her idol.
Grande confirmed that she was aware of Madonna’s ritual, but it still took her a “minute to recover” from the moment that is going viral online after almost a decade.
“It was so exciting. It was one of the better moments of my life,” she said.
Image credits: Evan Ross Katz
In 2018, Grande released a music video for her song God Is a Woman, featuring a voice cameo from Madonna.
“I texted her, which is so cool. I can text Madonna!” Grande said in a 2018 BBC documentary revealing how the collaboration materialized.
Grande’s 2024 single Yes, And? was reportedly inspired by Madonna’s 1990 single Vogue, because of its references to ballroom culture.
Image credits: Getty/Kevin Mazur
In an October 2025 appearance on the Shut Up Evan podcast, Grande expressed that she was lucky her idols had been very kind to her. She revealed that the Queen of Pop was one of the first people to reach out to her during the earlier stages of her career and gave her “a warm welcome.”
“I was overwhelmed by it, because I love her so much,” Grande added.
“Madonna always does weird stuff!”: Netizens shared mixed reactions to the resurfaced clip
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