Hold up: Britney has to go next? Fans felt awful for Britney Spears that she had to perform after Beyoncé’s epic medley performance at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, August 28. Watch Brit’s performance in the video above.
As the Beyhive knows, Beyoncé absolutely shut down the show at Madison Square Garden in NYC. In what was essentially a mini-concert, she belted out some of her biggest hits from her album Lemonade, including “Formation,” “Pray You Catch Me,” “Sorry” and “Don’t Hurt Yourself.” The electrifying performance went on for 16 minutes and received a standing ovation.
Spears, meanwhile, was backstage getting ready for her own set — her first VMAs performance in nearly a decade — when it all went down. Fans quickly put two and two together and tweeted their apologizes to the pop star.
“Britney has to follow Beyoncé? Ouff,” actress Debra Messing tweeted. A second added: “What cruel god books Britney Spears after Beyoncé? #VMAs.”
Other viewers jokingly prayed for Spears and even brought up her highly publicized breakdown in 2007. A commenter wrote: “BRITTANY SPEARS BACKSTAGE SHAVING HER HEAD BALD AGAIN IF SHE GOTTA PERFORM AFTER BEYONCE.” (Watch Beyoncé’s performance in the video below.)
Spears, 34, announced on August 16 that she would be making her triumphant return to the VMAs stage after nine years. (In 2007, Spears awkwardly danced to her song “Gimme More” at the show.) On Sunday, she was introduced by Kim Kardashian and performed her song “Make Me … ,” which is off her ninth studio album, Glory. Clad in a sexy yellow ensemble, she and her backup dancers showed off some killer choreography and she was joined on stage by G-Eazy.
Ahead of the big night, the “Clumsy” singer admitted that she was a bit nervous. “I think there’s something in the air at the VMAs. It’s, like, electric. I can’t really explain it,” she said during 103.5 KTU’s Cubby and Carolina in the Morning radio show on Friday. “Every time I’ve performed there, it’s always been one of those really big, nerve-racking experiences, and the people that come — those celebrities — are just so much fun and different. … I still get very nervous.”
Read more reactions about Beyoncé and Spears below.
At least Britney got to go to a Beyoncé concert tonight ?
— Caity Weaver (@caityweaver) August 29, 2016
“So Britney you’re up after Beyonce it’ll be fine”
— Slade (@Slade) August 29, 2016
Beyonce giving us a whole experience and Britney’s gonna come out dancing like this #VMAs pic.twitter.com/pEdyskF9yB
— Poppers & AnkleSocks (@Sage_Stacked) August 29, 2016
Why did they give Beyoncé 30 mins in the middle of the VMA’s it totally overshadowed Britney ?
— Juliette (@julably) August 29, 2016
I actually feel bad for britney mtv did her so dirty making her do her dance routine after beyonce and rihanna’s performance
— ♡ (@superscut) August 29, 2016
VMAs always doing other artists dirty when it comes to Beyonce. First Britney and now Rihanna. Let the vanguard winner have their moment
— Tiffany (@wildbeest55) August 29, 2016
So everybody thought it was gonna be Britney night on the #VMAs but NO! It’s Beyonce, bitch!
— ✨Charlie ? (@chuwrley) August 29, 2016
Seeing Britney perform right after Beyoncè was like seeing Britney perform right after Beyoncè. #VMAs
— Fortune Feimster (@fortunefunny) August 29, 2016
Britney Spears going on after Beyonce is like having soup after a steak dinner.
— Gary Owen (@garyowencomedy) August 29, 2016
https://twitter.com/Dreeming33/status/770140797421445120
It really was so rude to put Britney’s comeback performance after Beyoncé. She did good, she just had an impossible act to follow:(
— ♕ A̶N̶G̶E̶L̶ ♕ (@IBeenCrowned) August 29, 2016
They should of never put Britney right after Beyoncé. Cmon now #VMAs
— AMEN (@ReapWhatUTweet) August 29, 2016
Britney Spears is probably sad she went after Beyoncé lol
— Teena Thach ✨ (@teena_thach) August 29, 2016