Madonna made a surprise appearance at Ladyland and made pride celebration more memorable for her fans in Brooklyn. LadyLand, the queer music festival organized by New York City nightlife icon Ladyfag, has become a staple of the city's Pride Month celebrations ever since its debut in 2018.
With performances from artists like Eve, Kim Petras, Christina Aguilera, Honey Dijon, and Gossip, LadyLand has become a must-attend event. After several successful years at Brooklyn Mirage, the festival relocated in 2023 to Under the ‘K’ Bridge Park, a lush public park beneath the Kosciuszko Bridge in Greenpoint.
Despite initial confusion from attendees about the location, the park's spacious, navigable, and visually appealing environment proved to be the perfect venue for the festival. This year, LadyLand 2024 became the talk of the town when Madonna made a surprise entry, fresh from her Celebration Tour.
Speculation about Madonna's participation had been circulating, but it wasn’t until June 27 that her surprise appearance was confirmed on Instagram. However, the specifics of her role remained a mystery. Would she join Tokischa for their “Hung Up on Tokischa” collaboration, make a cameo during Arca’s set, or perhaps spin a track during Bob the Drag Queen’s DJ performance?
The answer came around midnight on the Fist Stage. Madonna, along with Arca, Bob the Drag Queen, Tokischa, and Sevdaliza, served as a judge for the Vogue Ball House Battle, a vogueing competition reminiscent of the "Vogue" segment of her recent tour. Her pre-teen daughter Estere also made an appearance, offering a pre-vogue DJ set. The judges flashed 10s for various houses, celebrating the art of vogueing and the spirit of Pride.
“Thank you New York City,” Madonna declared after the competition concluded. “Without you I am nothing.”
The celebrations continued as NYC's Pride March, the city's premier Pride Month event commemorating the Stonewall Riots, took over Manhattan on June 30.
