A feud between Justin Bieber and Madonna reportedly erupted backstage at the Superbowl as the two superstar egos battled it out to be top dog.
Joshua Haigh
Madonna and Justin Bieber reportedly clashed behind the scenes of their World Cup performances.
Pop superstars Madonna, BTS, Shakira and Justin Bieber performed on Monday at the World Cup final in a half-time show to rival the Superbowl.
However, according to an insider, there was major “tension” backstage as egos clashed over who would walk away “playing second fiddle” to the other.
“Neither wants to walk away feeling like they played second fiddle,” a source told the Daily Mail. “Their different approaches created real tension behind the scenes,” they added.
“Madonna has no intention of being upstaged,” the insider continued. “She respects Justin and wants the show to be a massive success, but she won’t let it become ‘The Justin Show.’ If she feels he’s steering things in a direction that’s too safe, she won’t be – and hasn’t been – shy about pushing back.”
Social media was awash with backlash for the show, with many calling out Bieber and claiming he put on a “lazy” performance.
However, an insider insisted that this was entirely intentional.
“His mindset is simple,” the source said. “Don’t overcomplicate it, don’t take unnecessary risks, and absolutely don’t have a performance that becomes a story for all the wrong reasons.”
“Finding the balance between Madonna’s instinct for spectacle and Justin’s desire to play it straight has been the biggest challenge of the entire production.”
Reaction to the show was divided, with some praising the production while others slammed the performances for going on for too long.
Former English soccer star Wayne Rooney had some harsh words on the BBC broadcast, saying he thought it was “crap.”
“I’m just happy we can go back to football,” former Ghana international Kevin-Prince Boateng said on SBS afterwards.
Meanwhile, it’s been a huge month for Madonna after she made a triumphant return to the top of the charts with her new record.
Over 20 years after Confessions on a Dance Floor ruled the charts, Confessions II similarly debuted in the top spot.
The album scored first week sales in the US of 134,000 and marks the first time Madonna has ruled the album charts in the 2020s
