Madonna’s tribute to Prince at Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards was bound to be controversial.
When word got out that Madonna would honor The Purple One last week, the choice was met with criticism from skeptical fans. Though Madonna and Prince were contemporaries and collaborators (and may have even briefly dated in the ’80s), their relationship was marked by a minor feud that left many feeling a Madonna-led homage was less than appropriate.
But despite a failed Change.org petition lobbying for a “proper tribute,” Madonna took the stage as planned Sunday evening.
Roots drummer Questlove introduced the performance with a poignant speech. “On April 21st, we lost Prince,” he said. “I say ‘we,’ because it affects us all, and no matter what kind of music we make, no matter how long we have made it, no matter our race, our color, our creed, our sexual orientation – all of us live in the land of music. And his departure from it was an earthquake.”
A stately purple throne rotated onstage to reveal Madonna, wielding a cane and wearing a Prince-inspired periwinkle suit accented with lacy ruffles. Madge’s opener, “Nothing Compares 2 U,” raised some eyebrows—though penned and recorded by Prince, the song is more closely associated with Sinéad O’Connor’s hit version.
She was then joined by surprise guest Stevie Wonder for a show-closing performance of “Purple Rain” that had the crowd at Las Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena on its feet and singing along.
Such an AmaaaaaaaaaaIng Moment for Me! Thanks to all who made it happen!!! 💜☔️🙏🏻. pic.twitter.com/vM9p0vzq8h
— Madonna (@Madonna) May 23, 2016
Backstage cameras caught Céline Dion loving the performance, but not everyone was so pleased.
Shortly after the performance aired, BET slammed Madonna in a promotional tweet for its own upcoming awards show. “Yeah, we saw that,” the post read. “Don’t worry. We got you.”
Other Twitter users echoed BET’s sentiment:
Wonder what @Prince thought about @Madonna tribute at the #BBMAs ? pic.twitter.com/EtRc4MLT86
— Kevin Frazier (@KevinFrazier) May 23, 2016
As fans aired their complaints, Questlove emerged to defend Madge, urging fans to withhold their ire in a long string of tweets:
because of P's well known love for the *poof* vanishing act. A lot of us are left feeling incomplete in the act of saying goodbye.
— ?st (@questlove) May 23, 2016
For starters it's hard to accept him no longer being here. & in the upcoming award season for '17 there will be a gang of tributes
— ?st (@questlove) May 23, 2016
Naturally there will be folded arms & shade thrown because the Purple Standard is hard boots to fill & a lot of us don't wanna come 2 grips
— ?st (@questlove) May 23, 2016
—w the fact that Prince–(an on the surface) face of health & invincible agelessness subcomb to something so….friggin basic
— ?st (@questlove) May 23, 2016
So w mourning will come sadness & anger. 1st week I cried. 2nd week I tried to atone for his sins w gettin 8-10 hrs of sleep he didn't get
— ?st (@questlove) May 23, 2016
Now anger is in the air w who (in our eyes) is allowed to mourn & how they are allowed to mourn.—none of us were prepared for his death
— ?st (@questlove) May 23, 2016
So I know there is gonna be ALOT of "feel a certain ways" about who you want to see do his music justice—but you gotta put that aside yall
— ?st (@questlove) May 23, 2016
Every Prince rendition will not be a life changing orgasmic xperience. Just to SING his work is brave enough. Again feeling are on high
— ?st (@questlove) May 23, 2016
And EVERYBODY wants and deserves a chance to say goodbye in their own way. But remember: there will be AMAs, SoulTrain, NAACP, mtv, GRAMMYS
— ?st (@questlove) May 23, 2016
And a gazillion other tributes. But the point is let's not get ugly w playing the "Prince would and wouldn't approve" game.
— ?st (@questlove) May 23, 2016
….& this isn't *just about* the Madge/Stevie tribute btw
— ?st (@questlove) May 23, 2016
Watch a clip of Madonna’s performance below and judge for youself:
