We could be about to see a metaphorical murder on the dance floor as Madonna not-so-subtly shades Charli XCX ahead of their respective album releases.
‘If your Dance floor feels dead. Maybe you’re playing the wrong music,’ the queen of pop, known to hold a grudge, wrote on Instagram.
Her photo dump included snaps of her on a neon-lit dancefloor, wearing knee-high lace-up boots and a floaty white skirt.
Her caption was immediately picked up by Charli stans as a reference to the Brat singer’s recent interview comments and latest song.
‘I think the dance floor is dead, so now we’re making rock music,’ she said to British Vogue earlier this year, which turned out to be an Easter egg for her new single.
Charli’s track Rock Music dropped last week, still leaning heavily into her dance and electronic roots but carried by power chords on guitar, suggesting she’s leaving the dance floor behind.
The lyrics are introspective and slightly sarcastic, singing about the pain she’s put her body through just to perform.
Madonna, on the other hand, has been embracing dance wholeheartedly with her new album Confessions II – which is a follow-up to her 2005 record, Confessions on a Dance Floor.
In her ‘manifesto’ for this new record, she declared ‘the dance floor is a ritualistic space’, adding ‘to rave is an art form’.
It doesn’t sound like Madonna thinks the dance floor is dead at all.
‘OH THE CHARLI SHADE,’ thepimentuck commented on the post, with x_ghetto_goth declaring: ‘I’m Team Madge on this one!’
Leonardomonteiroooo tagged Charli and joked: ‘Mom said your music is wrong.’
However, a little competition isn’t always a bad thing, with Charli’s entire Brat era built around being shady to haters and other artists.
‘I think Charli would love being shaded by Madonna. I certainly would,’ said CiaranC on Reddit.
Ultimately, the artists referencing each other sparks interest and drums up attention for their music. Something Charli sorely needs right now.
Rock Music debuted at 36 on the UK singles chart and an abysmal 86 on the Billboard Hot 100 – a far cry from her dizzying Brat summer.
Charli even took to social media to defend this new era, which maybe isn’t quite resonating with fans, writing: ‘if you get me, you get me and if you don’t, you don’t. and thats ok.’
She continued: ‘Excited for you all to hear this new music. I can only ever make what feels true to me. I’m not thinking about anything else while I’m making it.
‘Not reception or audience or anything else. Just my connection with it and whether it feels honest to me.’
After some response from fans, she then added: ‘I’m not trying to repel people away or convince people into liking me. I’m doing what I feel is truthful to me.
‘I think existing as a human being in 2026 is really hard for a multitude of different reasons. My solace is art but sometimes that doesn’t even really feel safe in this day and age. Maybe you feel the same idk? Just giving you my thoughts. love you xx.’
Charli’s next album doesn’t have a release date yet but she’s begun teasing next single SS26, set to drop tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Madonna’s Confessions II is set for release on July 3, with Bring Your Love and I Feel So Free already out.
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