Madonna Defies Ageism with Coachella Photos

heralded her 'moment in history' with Sabrina Carpenter on Monday evening - after facing calls to retire following their performance at the Music and Arts Festival. 

The pop legend joined Carpenter on stage at the event, held annually in , for renditions of Like A Prayer and Vogue - enormous hits for Madonna upon their release in 1989 and 1990, respectively. 

But the singer, 67, appearing onstage in a silk basque and stockings, performed to a surprisingly impartial crowd - with many seemingly unfamiliar with the lyrics. 

Audience footage currently circulating online capture a show lacking in atmosphere, with only a handful of fans singing to Like A Prayer, while most silently record Madonna's surprise cameo on their phones.  

Despite the muted response, Madonna celebrated her performance with Carpenter by sharing a series of backstage shots alongside a variety of photos taken during their brief duet.

Captioning the post, she wrote: 'Still flying high since Friday night at Coachella! Thank you to Sabrina and everyone who made it possible To Bring Confessions II back to where it began - was such a thrill!

A moment in history, I will never forget! I FEEL SO FREE.' 

Madonna fans had previously rushed to defend the singer from backlash and calls to retire after she was criticised online for taking the stage in racy purple lingerie, branding them 'ageist and misogynistic.' 

One fan wrote on X: 'Madonna is doing great.. only ageist, misogynist, insecure people who have issues with women of a certain age, still doing what they , are bothered... if you don't like her, just look away, don't stream her songs, don't buy her concert tickets. She is doing ok without you'.

A second added: 'Madonna is an icon a legend a superstar she looks amazing her performance is amazing she can keep up with a 25-year-old performer.'

Elsewhere, a third posted: 'Thought I'd check in on X but all people are doing is tearing down Madonna. Leave the Queen alone!!! She's earned the right to live her life as she wants to'.

While another commented: 'I mean, she still is selling out shows, so not everyone thinks she should retire. I thought she did amazing. I can only hope to look that good at 67. Legends are legends until they die. No Madonna fans think she should retire lol'.

Madonna made her entrance towards the end of Carpenter's Coachella set, and 20 years after her own 2006 performance which was a historic success.

She emerged from beneath the stage to sing a duet of portions of her 1990 hit Vogue and her 1989 hit Like a Prayer while heavy vocals played in the background.

Moving to a part of the stage that extended into the crowd, she said, 'Wow, thank you… Sabrina, thank you so much for inviting me on your show.'

Madonna also had a message for the audience, telling them, 'Let’s try to be together. Let’s try to avoid disagreements. And to that point, the great thing about music is that it brings people together.'