Disaster: But Madonna's cape - which she later confessed was too tight - brought her crashing back down to the stage below
The gasp of
shock ran around the O2 arena like a typhoon. On the London stage, in
front of a packed audience plus millions more watching on television at
home, Madonna fell flat on her back.
Performing
as the headlining act at the Brit Awards, the 56-year-old singer had
the kind of wardrobe malfunction that can end a career, not enhance it.
Her
spangled, hooded cape, an outlandish bit of kit complete with a 30ft
train carried behind her by maidservants wearing horns, somehow pulled
her backwards as she tried to mount a podium.
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Wardrobe
malfunction: Madonna had to be pulled off stage after falling during her
headline performance at the BRIT Awards in London
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Graceful ascent: The
performance was going smoothly for Madge, as she elegantly climbed the
stairs for the highly-anticipated finale
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Disaster: But Madonna's cape - which she later confessed was too tight - brought her crashing back down to the stage below
Complsed: After a long pause, the legendary musician pulled herself together and continued to perform
The horror! There was barely a soul in the audience without a hand clapped over their mouth in dismay.
Was
she strangled? Had she broken her back? At first it looked desperately
serious, but Madonna the trouper somehow got up and managed to complete
her song, with nothing more than a wry smile at her misfortune.
Her
entire appearance at the show had been slightly unreal. As comperes Ant
and Dec kept reminding everyone, it was 20 years since her last
performance at the Brit Awards but all of a sudden there she was, right
in front of our ravenous eyes.
And if she returned as determined as ever to shock and awe, well – she succeeded. Ouch – that looked as if it hurt.
Still,
the show must go on. Dressed like a kinky matador, straddling men in
bull masks and wielding a whip. Madonna made a point of shaking her
booty as if it was a call of duty.
Which in a way, it is. Atten-shun, ladies and gentlemen! Madonna's privates are on parade once more.
Well
not quite. Her matador pantalons were suprisingly discreet for this
crème de la femme who is usually seen in one of those demi-leotards
where you can see not just her breakfast, but what she had on a picnic
two summers ago.
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Hitting the deck: The dancers didn't appear to help her back on her feet but did grapple with her cape to get it off
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Dusting herself off: Madonna brushed down her hair and got back up to carry on with her performance
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Defiant: The warrior princess, dressed in an extravagant matador-inspired outfit, held her horns triumphantly above her head
Carrying on: Slightly worse for wear, Madonna picked herself back up after a long pause and carried on defiantly
With
the exception of pop geriatrics Take That, Madge was the oldest star on
the bill by about two decades, but once she recovered from her fall,
she exhibited the energy of an unleashed she-beast, ragingly ready to
gast the flabber of anyone watching.
What
controversy did she have up her fishnet sleeves this time? Past stage
outrages have included snogging Britney Spears, twerking with Miley
Cyrus, thrashing around in a slutty bride costume, flashing her nipples,
random nudity, showing support for Russian activists Pussy Riot and
brandishing a handgun.
This
time, the only titivation was a mild piece of self-frottage half way
through singing her new single, Living for Love. After the shock of her
entrance, perhaps her heart just wasn't in it.
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Hooked up: Madonna Instagrammed a picture of the Armani cape that was designed especially for her stage performance
Love really lifted me up: Despite the cape bringing about her downfall, Madonna was quick to thank the designer
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Theatrical entrance: Madonna arrived shrouded by her elaborate black and red cape on stage with aides pulling it behind her
Still,
as she danced around in her high heels, one did wonder how she manages
to keep up. She has a 22-year-old boyfriend, a single at the top of the
iTunes charts, a new studio album out on release and this week, she is
on the cover of Rolling Stone, looking younger than she did when she was
like a virgin.
For many she may be entirely resistible, but she sure is irrepressible.
After
the show, she posted a photo of her outfit on Instagram with the
caption: 'My beautiful cape was tied too tight! But nothing can stop me
and love really lifted me up!'
Earlier,
under a ceiling filled with stardust lights and Tracey Emin neon signs,
guests nibbled on roast beef and drained bottles of champagne.
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Glamorous duo: Supermodel Cara
Delevingne (left) presented the award for International Male Solo
Artist while singer Ellie Goulding awarded the International Female Solo
Artist award to Taylor Swift
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Superstar: British singer-songwriter
Ed Sheeran (pictured) walked away with two BRIT awards - British Male
Solo Artist and Best Album of the Year
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American girl: US artist Taylor swift won the award for International Female Solo Artist over the likes of Beyonce
They
included Harriet Harman in black sequins and ubiquitous model de jour
Cara Delevingne, who also presented an award and made a lame joke about
being the 'meat in the sandwich' that curled up at the edges before it
died onstage.
Past
Brits shows may have been marred by bad behaviour, but the class of
2015 was pure sleek showbiz. Record company executives glowed in the
company of their star acts while smart, corporate, millionaire pop stars
such as Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran behaved impeccably.
Would
Taylor, like Madonna, still be performing and exciting fans as her
sixth decade approached? Hard to imagine, even if last night the
audience was screaming for all the wrong reasons.