Madonna won seven awards at the 2026 MTV VMAs this week, adding to her already impressive 19 trophies. (Her total of 26 awards puts her just behind Beyoncé and Taylor Swift for the record for the most Video Music Awards.)

At just two years shy of 70, she did what she has always done: she sent intentional shockwaves through her fandom and the press. One media expert claims her speech at the show demonstrates that she knows exactly what she’s doing, as always.

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However you view Madonna’s music and the constant reinvention of her image through clothes, makeup, and props, you can’t ignore how incredibly savvy she is. After opening the award show (which she hadn’t done in 23 years), she swept up her trophies with ease.

Madonna shows us how it’s done

Jen Gottlieb, a media expert and co-founder of Super Connector Media, shared an Instagram post with a succinct breakdown of why Madonna’s speech at the VMAs was actually quite impactful. She explains, while cutting back and forth........

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