In a move that shocked precisely the people who spent the week speculating about it, Madonna made a surprise guest appearance during Sabrina Carpenter's Friday night headline set at Coachella. The Queen of Pop joined the younger star for a duet medley, proving that some traditions, like festival cameos, are forever.
The performance kicked off after Carpenter finished her song Juno, with Madonna emerging to the iconic intro of Vogue. The pair, sporting matching blonde hair and lace corsets, performed the 1990 house hit before strutting across the stage to debut a new song, seemingly from Madonna's upcoming album. This followed her official confirmation on Wednesday of Confessions II, a sequel to her 2005 album Confessions On A Dance Floor.
Addressing the crowd, the 5ft 4in star noted it was the 20th anniversary of her first Coachella performance in the dance tent in 2006, where she debuted Confessions On A Dance Floor: Part I in America. "So you can imagine what a thrill it is for me to be back 20 years later... it's a like a full circle moment," she said, before engaging in some crowd astrology and joking that it was the first time she's performed with someone shorter than her, thanking Carpenter for the experience.
The collaboration marked Carpenter's second week headlining the festival, having been joined by comedian Will Ferrell the week prior. The festival, which draws more than 100,000 people daily according to Indio police, continues with Justin Bieber headlining Saturday and Colombian pop star Karol G on Sunday, all taking place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio where it has been held since 2002.