Madonna’s Celebration tour hit Dallas for its second night, and the Queen of Pop had a surprise in store for fans. She brought fellow superstar Erykah Badu onstage to judge the “Vogue” ballroom competition, much to the delight of the audience.
As dancers strutted across the makeshift runway, both Madonna and Badu gave perfect scores across the board. Madonna’s daughter, Estere, also wowed the crowd and closed out the segment with a memorable performance.
Badu took to social media to express her excitement, writing, “Madonna showed out! About Last Night. 4 decades of CREATIVE EXPRESSION!!!! I was with the original OG LAST NIGHT!!!!” She praised Madonna as a “symbol of freedom and inclusion,” highlighting her deliberate approach to art. Badu also thanked Madonna and her family for hosting her own family, including her daughter Puma Curry and sister Koryan Nayrok Wright.
The neo-soul pioneer shared footage from the audience, stating, “@madonna said come. So we gone.”
This collaboration between Madonna and Badu marked their first public appearance together since a private party in 2022 celebrating Burberry’s Ricardo Tisci-designed “Lola” handbag. However, despite the celebratory atmosphere, Badu faced backlash from fans for previous comments perceived as shady towards Beyoncé. The Hive flooded her social media with criticism, questioning her support for Madonna while seemingly disregarding Beyoncé.
Responding indirectly to the backlash, Badu posted a photo with the caption, “What is swag?” but refrained from further comment.
Madonna’s Celebration Tour has been known for its surprises, and the Dallas stop was no exception. In addition to Badu’s appearance, Madonna performed her iconic dance-floor classic “Vogue” with an interlude featuring a drag show runway. As her dancers strutted, Madonna held up scorecards, a nod to New York ballroom competition culture.
But on this special night, Badu joined Madonna in the judging duties, adding her flair to the proceedings. Clad in a floor-sweeping gold cape and leopard-print beret, Badu sat alongside Madonna, delivering perfect scores for each dancer’s performance.