'This is exactly why Doves cry!' Madonna is savaged on social media for her Prince tribute at Billboard Music Awards with Stevie Wonder
- 57-year-old donned purple to belt out Nothing Compares 2 U onstage at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
- She was then joined by Stevie Wonder for an organ-heavy rendition of Purple Rain
- Within minutes of the performance, social media was awash with hilarious memes of Prince throwing shade
- Madonna responded to the criticism with a post on Instagram saying anyone was welcome to pay tribute to him
- BMAs producer Mark Bracco had said they 'could not be more excited' for Madonna to be on the show
- Prince and Madonna collaborated on duet Love Song while he is thought to have played guitar on Like a Prayer
Madonna divided critics and the internet alike for her tribute to the late, great Prince during the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday.
The 57-year-old Material Girl, who collaborated with the Purple One and allegedly had a brief relationship with him, paid homage by donning a Gucci lavender brocade and paisley suit and ruffled blouse while carrying a cane, and belting Nothing Compares 2 U onstage at the T-Mobile Arena.
She was then joined by another living icon - Stevie Wonder - for an organ-heavy rendition of Purple Rain.
Yet despite her personal and professional connection with the rocker, who tragically died last month aged 57, social media was quick to round on Madonna.
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Nothing Compares 2 U? The Queen of Pop herself, Madonna, headed up an emotional tribute to the late, great Prince during the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday
The Revolution: The 57-year-old Material Girl paid homage to the Purple One by donning a Gucci lavender paisley suit and ruffled blouse and belting Nothing Compares 2 U onstage the T-Mobile Arena
While the audience appeared to enjoy the duet, waving their purple-glowing bracelets in the air, those watching at home were less kind.
Among the angry was rapper Chuck Inglish, who tweeted: 'Madonna just sung purple rain. And it was horrible. 2016 is off the Percs.'
Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade chimed in, tweeting: 'If that's all Prince got..The rest of us are in trouble.'
Several turned pictures of an unamused-looking prince 'throwing eternal shade' in the direction of Madonna.
Twitter user SaVonni Yestanti asked: 'Really? We couldn't do better for Prince?'
Another user @moisturizeds added: 'Maddona is really ruining everything for me, while @TheNFL_Chica2 added: 'Let me be the first to say... she sounds awful'.
And Santiago Restrepo wrote: Dearly Beloved, we r gathered here today to see a horrific flat version of my music.'
Comedian Margaret Cho was kinder to the twice-divorced mother-of-four, writing: 'Crying. Great tribute. @Madonna and #StevieWonder are beautiful. #Prince.'
Madonna herself responded to the criticism on Monday morning, with an Instagram post saying: 'Anyone who wants to do a tribute to Prince is welcome to. Whatever your age Gender or skin Color. If you loved him and he inspired you then show it!!!! I love Prince 4 ever.'
Dearly beloved: Madonna was then joined by yet another living icon - Stevie Wonder - for an organ-heavy rendition of Purple Rain
Pop on a paisley printed blazer like Madonna
Madonna was tapped to perform a tribute to Prince at the Billboard Music Awards and it was only right that she honor the late great singer in a purple paisley suit. The bespoke number was by Gucci and the silk and lurex material gave the outfit an opulent vibe.
Madonna's single breasted blazer, pants and vest were tailored to a T, and layered over a white ruffled blouse made of Chantilly lace. We're sure Prince would have been proud.
You can't go wrong with a pretty printed blazer like this one for work or for play. Many top brands like Roberto Cavalli and Valentino have tapped into the trend this season so the time to buy is now.
Get the look below from Gigue, Balmain, Etro and Nine West. We wouldn't recommend wearing paisley from head-to-toe so instead team your jacket with a white tee, skinny jeans and some pointy toe pumps for a winning combination.
Bringing down the Rain: As the Superstitious hitmaker and the 66-year-old R&B crooner swayed side by side, the audience waved their purple-glowing bracelets in the air
Another in a series of tributes: Back on May 6, Stevie performed at a Prince memorial alongside Faith Evans, Aloe Blacc, and Eric Benet in front of Los Angeles City Hall
Anyone can do a tribute to Prince if they want: Madonna responded to the criticism inviting those who loved him and was inspired by him to pay homage to the singer
Back on May 6, Stevie performed at a Prince memorial alongside Faith Evans, Aloe Blacc, and Eric Benet in front of Los Angeles City Hall.
Before taking to the stage, the seven-time Grammy winner had shared two inspirational images of Prince with her 27M followers.
Way back in 1989, the Midwestern musicians collaborated on the Like a Prayer duet Love Song at his Paisley Park recording studio.
Prince was also rumored to have played guitar on three other tracks from her fourth studio album - Like a Prayer, Keep It Together, and Act of Contrition.
Soon after the announcement of Madonna's tribute broke, a Change.org petition protesting Billboard's choice garnered almost nine thousand signatures.
'I think everybody is entitled to their opinion and everyone can have their own opinion,' defended BMAs producer Mark Bracco to the New York Daily News on Thursday.
'But I will say that we are honored and could not be more excited for Madonna to be on the show and to pay tribute to someone that was her friend and her peer and her colleague.'
'Channelling the brilliant Prince Rogers Nelson!' Before taking the stage, the seven-time Grammy winner had shared two inspirational images of Prince with her 27M followers
Irritated fans: Yet, despite Madonna's personal connection to the eccentric star, social media savaged her performance with outraged memes
This is not a love story: Prince was also rumored to have played guitar on three other tracks from her fourth studio album - Like a Prayer, Keep It Together, and Act of Contrition
Another read: 'So yall just gone let Madonna ruin my tribute like this? with a picture of Prince's face
One read: Prince be like: Put some damn respeck [sic] on my name!!! alongside a stage snap of him
Going too far? A snap divided into four showed a series of hilarious reactions from the iconic singer
Oh go easy on her... Another appeared to show Prince seriously giving Madonna some shade following her performance
Hint hint: Another showed a cartoon image of Prince posing with his fingers on his chin
Throwing eternal shade: Another appeared to speak for Prince when they said he would not be impressed with Madonna's performance
In Living Color joke: Soon after the announcement of the Unapologetic B***h singer's tribute broke, a Change.org petition protesting Billboard's choice garnered nearly 9K signatures
'Prince was 'her friend, her peer, and her colleague': BMAs producer Mark Bracco defended their choice Thursday saying they were 'honored and could not be more excited for Madonna to be on the show'
Not appealing to the masses? Another viewer posted this snap, writing: 'That tribute was all just wrong'
A series of tweets showed that her performance was wholly ill-received according to the social media site
Yet not all is lost: Some viewers absolutely loved Madonna's musical offering
One fan shared this meme reading: 'This is exactly why doves cry'
Awkward: Some posted obscenities with a picture of Madonna as she lay down on silver silk sheets as they mocked her further
Oh no: Some fans imagined what Prince's reaction would be, had he been around to see the performance
Not a fan, either: The memes came thick and fast as viewers protested about the tribute performance
This Instagram user was more understanding with a simple: 'She tried'
No approval: Another showed the late singer with his eyes closed shut with the caption, Oh Madonna, no sis'
Wide-eyed stare: Many used a series of Prince related memes to criticise her controversial performance
They're not letting up: Some used the lyrics of Prince's song titles to throw further shade on Madonna
Prince died suddenly at his Paisley Park home in Minnesota on April 21 with no recognized children or will even though he has en estate thought to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Emerging details surrounding his final day suggest several desperate attempts were made to save him. Autopsy reports determining the cause of death are still pending.
A staff member reportedly called his former manager for advice on April 20 as his health declined following an overdose five days before, a source told the Tribune.
She enlisted the help of opioid addiction specialist Dr. Howard Kornfeld less than 12 hours before his death, according to the Star Tribune.
Prince also received intravenous treatment at a local hospital and saw a physician at Paisley Park the day before he died, sources said.
Previous photos showed the singer looking 'frail and nervous' outside a Walgreens around 7pm on that day.
The singer may have died from a fatal drug combination, with sources claiming investigators are curious to know if the star had Percocet and Buprenorphine in his system. It is believed a combination of the two suppresses breahting and the prescence of the two can amplify th eeffect on one another.
Meanwhile several people have come forward claiming to be heirs to his estate. Last week two women came forward, Brianna Nelson, who said she was the daughter of Duane Nelson, Prince's older half-brother who died in 2011; and Jeannine Halloran who said she had an 11-year-old daughter with Nelson.
In addition, Carlin Williams, a 39-year-old prison inmate jailed for gun possession in a stolen car claims he is Prince's son.
"Madonna is his peer" they said
— reggie (@1942bs) May 23, 2016
"She's the best person for it" they said
"She will do him justice" they said. pic.twitter.com/09jBTwYcoG
The fact that #BBMAs ended the night by having @Madonna do that pitiful @prince tribute. Thank God for #StevieWonder pic.twitter.com/Qm9UAjMlLS
— Karys S. Belger (@_MissPerspectiv) May 23, 2016
Madonna, girl... pic.twitter.com/gWSYmNsbtv
— A Love Bizarre (@FeministaJones) May 23, 2016
I can't watch madonna do this tribute, its making me sick, I wanna throw up pic.twitter.com/vKHAExvOLg
— Cali (@LordeCali) May 23, 2016
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by JMD 2099