VMAs 2020: Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande storm stage with ‘Rain on Me’

The coronavirus couldn’t rain on Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s parade at the 2020 VMAs Sunday night.

Gaga grabbed the spotlight, as only she can, alongside her “Rain on Me” collaborator during a performance of their single from Gaga’s dance-centric “Chromatica,” which was one of the most anticipated albums of the summer.

The song went on to win VMAs for Song of the Year, Best Collaboration and Best Cinematography.

Sporting a high-tech face mask, lots of leather and a splash of purple, Artist of the Year Lady Gaga did a quick-hit of her song “911” before segueing into an energetic rendition of “Rain on Me” with Grande, who wore a matching purple ensemble. Gaga then implored viewers to “every night celebrate yourself . . . mask up . . . be kind, be brave” before launching into her single “Stupid Love.”

The dancing duo, who this year tied for the most nominations at nine each, joined an A-list virtual lineup of performers including The Weeknd, BTS, Doja Cat, wrecking-ball fan Miley Cyrus and Maluma. However, singers Roddy Ricch and J Balvin — who had been on tap to perform — pulled out of the show for unknown reasons on Aug. 21.

Grande, 27, has previously performed five times at the VMAs. Her most recent visit was in 2018, when she joined dozens of dancing women at a long table — an apparent homage to Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” — for a sultry version of “God Is a Woman,” from her album “Sweetener.” In 2016 she memorably joined up with Nicki Minaj for a neon-lit workout to their collaboration “Side to Side.” Far less theatrical was her first appearance, in 2013, when the understated newbie performed “Baby I” and “The Way” outdoors with a faux Brooklyn Bridge as her backdrop.

The 34-year-old Gaga is, of course, known for getting attention on the VMA stage. She last hit the show in 2013, when she opened with a string of wig- and costume-changes during a performance of “Applause,” the debut single from her third album, “Artpop.” And before that, in 2011, the “Born This Way” singer dressed as a slick-haired, sideburned and chain-smoking male alter-ego, Jo Calderone, to kick off the event. Before launching into the downtempo “You and I,” she gave a rambling monologue dissing herself — “She’s f–king crazy!” she yelled into the mic at one point — as stunned audience members including Katy Perry, Bruno Mars and Katie Holmes looked on.

Then there was 2010, when Gaga didn’t actually perform but her multiple costume changes included the infamous meat dress that she wore to accept the video of the year award for “Bad Romance” from another famously outrageous dresser, Cher. (Gaga won eight Moon Person awards on 13 nominations that year.)

Perhaps that iconic appearance was foreshadowed by her wild VMAs debut in 2009, when she performed a mashup of “Poker Face” and “Paparazzi” — off of her first album “The Fame” — that ended with pretending to hang her bloodied self onstage, an allusion to being killed by fame.

She’s clearly alive and kicking — and still famous.

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