Watch Madonna’s hologram-filled performance of ‘Medellín’ at the Billboard Music Awards
It's the attack of the Madonnas.
By Will Stroude
Words: Will Stroude
As her Madame X era gets underway, Madonna put in an awards show performance that’ll go down with the best of them at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas on Wednesday night (1 May).
Proving that she’s still at the cutting edge of music and technology almost 40 years into her career, the Queen of Pop performed alongside several eerily-realistic holograms of herself as she took to the stage with Colombian superstar Maluma for an arresting rendtion of new single ‘Medellín’.
The five-minute-long performance, which reportedly cost $5 million to produce, delivered the same Latin flair and lewks that define the recently-released music video – though some might be pleased to know that the toe-sucking scene was not recreated live on stage (or not, depending on your preference).
‘Medellín’ is the first track to be lifted from Madonna’s upcoming 14th studio album Madame X, which is set for release on 14 June and has seen the singer don the guise of a myterious international spy with multiple identities.
A second track from the record is rumoured to be dropping soon – possibly as soon as tmorrow – ahead of Madonna’s next big TV gig: a two-song set at the Eurovision Song Contest grand final in Tel Aviv later this month.
Watch Madonna and Maluma’s performance of ‘Medellín at the Billboard Music Awards and check out all the night’s big winners below:
Top Artist
Cardi B
WINNER: Drake
Ariana Grande
Post Malone
Travis Scott
Top New Artist
Bazzi
WINNER: Juice Wrld
Lil Baby
Dua Lipa
Ella Mai
Billboard Chart Achievement Award
Dan + Shay
Drake
WINNER: Ariana Grande
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
Dua Lipa
Top Male Artist
WINNER: Drake
Post Malone
Travis Scott
Ed Sheeran
XXXTentacion
Top Female Artist
Cardi B
WINNER: Ariana Grande
Halsey
Ella Mai
Taylor Swift
Top Duo/Group
WINNER: BTS
Dan + Shay
Imagine Dragons
Maroon 5
Panic! At The Disco
Top Touring Artist
Beyoncé & JAY-Z
Bruno Mars
WINNER: Ed Sheeran
Taylor Swift
Justin Timberlake
Top R&B Artist
H.E.R.
Khalid
WINNER: Ella Mai
The Weeknd
XXXTentacion
Top Rap Artist
Cardi B
WINNER: Drake
Juice Wrld
Post Malone
Travis Scott
Top Country Artist
Jason Aldean
Kane Brown
WINNER: Luke Combs
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Top Rock Artist
WINNER: Imagine Dragons
Lovelytheband
Panic! At The Disco
Queen
Twenty One Pilots
Top Latin Artist
Anuel AA
Bad Bunny
J Balvin
WINNER: Ozuna
Romeo Santos
Top Dance/Electronic Artist
Calvin Harris
Kygo
Marshmello
Odesza
WINNER: The Chainsmokers
Top Billboard 200 Album
Cardi B — Invasion of Privacy
WINNER: Drake — Scorpion
Post Malone — Beerbongs & Bentleys
Travis Scott — AstroWorld
XXXTentacion — ?
Top Soundtrack
13 Reasons Why: Season 2
A Star Is Born by Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
WINNER: The Greatest Showman
Top Hot 100 Song
Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin — “I Like It”
Juice Wrld — “Lucid Dreams”
WINNER: Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B — “Girls Like You”
Post Malone — “Better Now”
Travis Scott — “Sicko Mode”