Madonna says she never intended to pay “tribute” to Aretha Franklin at the 2018 VMAs

Madonna has responded to the backlash she's received following her speech about Aretha Franklin. Madonna, who delivered the speech in question before handing out the Artists of the Year award to Camilla Cabello, posted the message on Instagram.

In the message, Madonna says MTV asked her to share an anecdote about her connection to Aretha Franklin but it was not intended to be a tribute.