--- title: Madonna Shocks 2018 Met Gala With Surprise Performance description: Madonna took attendees of the 2018 Met Gala to church with her very on-brand performances of 'Like a Prayer' and 'Hallelujah.' canonical: https://time.com/5268913/madonna-2018-met-gala-performance/ author: Cady Lang article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-05-08T16:10:09.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:47:17.994Z og:title: Madonna Shocks 2018 Met Gala With Surprise Performance og:description: Very immaculate and on-brand og:url: https://time.com/5268913/madonna-2018-met-gala-performance/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf31b14e4a8cf631b/69892fd2096a9490396a258c/madonna-2018-met-gala-performance.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2000 og:image:height: 1125 og:image:alt: Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala - Inside og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Madonna Shocks 2018 Met Gala With Surprise Performance twitter:description: Very immaculate and on-brand twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf31b14e4a8cf631b/69892fd2096a9490396a258c/madonna-2018-met-gala-performance.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Let Madonna Take You to Church With Her Crazy Surprise Met Gala Performance > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=e810af92-6c71-418b-a725-fa9f5e233a3c&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=e810af92-6c71-418b-a725-fa9f5e233a3c&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=e810af92-6c71-418b-a725-fa9f5e233a3c&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=e810af92-6c71-418b-a725-fa9f5e233a3c&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Madonna's 2018 Met Gala Dress Is Just Like a Prayer [Watch (HLS stream): Madonna's 2018 Met Gala Dress Is Just Like a Prayer](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/etI7rPaq.m3u8) (0:30)  _Published 2018-05-08. Leave it to Madonna to really commit to the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination theme of the 2018 Met Gala. The Material Girl, no stranger to a good religious sartorial moment, sported a regal black Jean Paul Gaultier gown._  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang May 8, 2018 4:10 PM UTC  NEW YORK, NY - MAY 07: Madonna performs during the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/MG18/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue) NEW YORK, NY - MAY 07: Madonna performs during the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/MG18/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue) Kevin Mazur/MG18—Getty Images for The Met Museum/  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang May 8, 2018 4:10 PM UTC If there’s anyone who could really embody the [2018 Met Gala theme, _Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination_](http://time.com/5256466/met-gala-2018-details-theme-date/), it’s [Madonna](http://time.com/5258401/madonna-2018-met-gala-dress/), whose [own obsession with her Catholic upbringing](http://time.com/5263190/catholicism-and-fashion-moments/) has undeniably shaped both the pop culture and fashion landscape. However, Madge, who appeared on the 2018 Met Gala red carpet in a dramatic gothic ensemble by Jean Paul Gaultier and accessorized with a black veil, crown of crosses, and plenty of jeweled rosaries, took the theme to a whole another level when she treated Met Gala attendees to a surprise performance of “Like a Prayer,” the notorious song that’s most closely linked to her religious associations. The Material Girl appeared on the steps of the Met Museum’s Great Hall, incognito in a monk’s cloak and flanked by a choir of singing monks before taking off her hood and performing the song. Later, she gave a rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” to close the night, a fitting end to a night that celebrated saints and sinners. Watch Madonna’s performance below. ## Transcript [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [ BLANK_AUDIO ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5268913/madonna-2018-met-gala-performance/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5268913/madonna-2018-met-gala-performance/"},"headline":"Let Madonna Take You to Church With Her Crazy Surprise Met Gala Performance","datePublished":"2018-05-08T16:10:09.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:47:17.994Z","description":"Very on-brand","url":"https://time.com/5268913/madonna-2018-met-gala-performance/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Met Gala 2018"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf31b14e4a8cf631b/69892fd2096a9490396a258c/madonna-2018-met-gala-performance.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Cady Lang","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/cady-lang/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf31b14e4a8cf631b/69892fd2096a9490396a258c/madonna-2018-met-gala-performance.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala - Inside","caption":"Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala - Inside","creditText":"Kevin Mazur/MG18—Getty Images for The Met Museum/","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5268913/madonna-2018-met-gala-performance/","name":"Let Madonna Take You to Church With Her Crazy Surprise Met Gala Performance"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Madonna's 2018 Met Gala Dress Is Just Like a Prayer","description":"Leave it to Madonna to really commit to the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination theme of the 2018 Met Gala. The Material Girl, no stranger to a good religious sartorial moment, sported a regal black Jean Paul Gaultier gown.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/etI7rPaq/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2018-05-08T02:22:52.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/etI7rPaq.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5268913/madonna-2018-met-gala-performance/","duration":"PT30S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5268913/madonna-2018-met-gala-performance/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```