Madonna shocks fans, brings Kylie Minogue on stage for epic Celebration Tour performance

Minogue honored Madonna's 2000 MTV EMAs tribute to her by wearing a glistening shirt with the Queen of Pop's name on it.

Madonna has officially anointed Kylie Minogue into her royal court, as the Queen of Pop stunned fans by bringing Minogue — widely touted around the world as the Princess of Pop — on stage for an epic performance at Thursday night's Celebration Tour stop in Los Angeles.

The 65-year-old singer-songwriter shocked the audience at the Kia Forum when she paused to announce that Minogue, 55, would join her for two songs: covers of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive," and Minogue's 2001 worldwide smash "Can't Get You Out of My Head."

"I would like to introduce a very special guest who is going to come up here and sing with me. Her name is Kylie Minogue," Madonna told the audience, which erupted with applause as Minogue took the stage and embraced Madonna. "Now this is what we call survival, okay?"

Minogue — who wore a shirt bedazzled with Madonna's name, in a clear nod to Madonna's 2000 MTV EMAs performance where she wore a similar shirt that bore Minogue's name — then turned to her peer and said, "Here we are!" before they launched into the songs.

The choice to cover Gaynor's classic could hold several meanings, as the Celebration Tour contains a rousing section that highlights Madonna's endurance through her four-decade career, and ends with her noting that the most controversial thing she's ever done is "stick around."

The tribute could also be a nod to Minogue and Madonna's respective health scares, as Minogue survived an initial breast cancer diagnosis in 2005, while Madonna overcame a life-threatening bacterial infection in 2023 that she said nearly killed her.

"MADONNA It’s been a long time coming!!! LOVED being with you!!!!" Minogue tweeted about the moment. "Celebration Tour AND it is now International Women’s Day …. THANK YOU and LOVE LOVE LOVE."

Madonna and Minogue have answered questions about each other since the start of their respective careers, with both often indicating interest in working with one another.

"Its really my celebration of other girls in pop music, basically. I had to give a big up to Britney and then a big up to Kylie," Madonna said after the 2000 EMAs performance, which also saw her honor Britney Spears on stage. "I think they're the cutest."

Minogue is the latest special guest to join Madonna on stage during the Celebration Tour, which typically features a new special guest each night as a co-judge during the "Vogue" ballroom section — though many of the guests do not get the chance to perform music alongside Madonna.

Past "Vogue" guests have included Amy Schumer, Kelly Ripa, Julia Garner — planned star of Madonna's delayed, self-directed biopic — and RuPaul's Drag Race queens Plane Jane, Detox, Symone, and Sapphira Cristál,

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