“I had a choice between being strangled or falling. And I chose to fall.” Madonna’s performance at the 2015 Brit Awards was highly anticipated, as it had been 20 years since her last performance at Britain’s biggest music event. Her presence promised an “unforgettable night,” and it certainly was unforgettable, but for an unexpected reason. The Queen of Pop suffered a resounding fall just 30 seconds after she started singing, making it one of the most embarrassing moments in British history. Madonna herself described it as a “horror spectacle” and a “horrible nightmare” and even named the “culprit”: “Armani pissed me off! My precious coat was too tight!”
“An unforgettable musical evening”
After months of rumors, Madonna confirmed on her Twitter account that she would be at the Brits ceremony: “Hello to all my British Rebel Hearts. See you at the Brits on February 25.” The singer posted an image of the statuette (designed that year by artist Tracey Emin) with a black thread wrapped around its head, as a reference to the cover of her new album, Rebel Heart, which would be released a few days later.
Official cover of “Rebel Heart” / assigned
UK President Max Lousada said he was “thrilled” to bring Madonna back: “She’s an icon, she’s an innovator, and above all, she’s an artist. Having her as part of the show will guarantee an unforgettable night of music.”
20 years ago…
The first and only time Madonna performed on stage at the Brit Awards was on February 20, 1995, when she sang a remixed version (by Junior Vasquez) of “Bedtime Stories.” She wore a silver Versace dress and long hair extensions that fell below her waist. Two tall fans waved the singer’s blonde hair in the air, and the choreography was by her brother, Christopher Ciccone.
Photo of Madonna at the Brit in 1995 / Getty Images/Dave Benet
London’s historic Alexandra Palace was the venue chosen for the ceremony which Madonna inaugurated.
The Triumphant Return of the Pop Diva
But let’s return to the 2015 gala at the O2 Arena in London. Among the artists hosting the evening were Taylor Swift, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Kanye West, and Take That. This time, Madonna would be the last to perform, singing “Living for Love,” the theme of her album Rebel Heart. It would be the pop diva’s return to Britain in style after two decades of absence.
The statuettes had already been distributed and the big winners of the night – Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith – were already wearing their two trophies each when Madonna appeared on stage. The highlight of the night, the most anticipated act, was the artist wearing a spectacular outfit designed by Giorgio Armani: a red and black suit covered with a very long black cape.
The costumes of the singer and those of the dancers, with horns, were inspired by the Spanish bullfighting festival.
A Knot Too Tight
Within 30 seconds of taking the stage, after climbing the three red steps that led her to the stage, she tried to undo the knot that tied her cape, but it was too tight and she couldn’t. She continued to sing, and the dancers continued with the repeated choreography… it was time to remove the cape from her. And that’s what they did, but with the cape, they dragged Madonna down the stairs. The artist fell backwards. For a moment, everyone froze, including the artist herself.
As quickly as she fell, she got to her feet, dusted herself off, picked up the mic, and continued to sing “Pick me up and watch me fall” or “Take me to heaven and leave me to fall.” Ironically, these sentences were part of the lyrics of “Living for Love.” As if nothing had happened, the show had to go on, and it did.
“And I Chose Fall”
She did not hurt her butt. She suffered a minor whiplash injury after hitting her head during the fall. She described the incident as “horrible” and swore she would wear “no more capes.” On The Jonathan Ross Show for ITV, she said: “Everyone was worried, they were afraid the cape would slip off, so they tied it really tight. And there I was, walking like the queen. I had to reach the top of the stairs and pull the silk ribbon, but the knot wouldn’t come undone. My two beloved Japanese dancers practically strangled me… I could choose between being strangled or falling. And I chose to fall.”
“Armani Pissed Me Off!”
Shortly after, the singer wrote on her Instagram: “Armani pissed me off! My precious coat was too tight. But nothing can stop me… love lifted me off the ground.” The Italian designer defended himself, saying it wasn’t his fault. “This coat had a hook, and she wanted a knot, and she couldn’t untie it. That’s all that happened.” And he added: “Madonna, as we all know, is very difficult.”
Designer Giorgio Armani / Getty Images/Victor VIRGILE
“I made a horror show for the whole world”
The incident overshadowed everything else. The dramatic fall was the subject of memes that flooded the networks. Madonna’s video has gone viral. Global trending topic on Twitter. The singer confessed that she hadn’t seen it: “It was a horrible nightmare because I like to do amazing things. Seriously, I rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed so hard to create magic in the show. And what I did was quite the opposite. The truth is, I made a horror show for the whole world.