7 of the Best Met Gala Musical Performances: Rare Look at Concerts Inside the Event

While the Met Gala is typically looked at as one of the biggest nights in fashion, some rare musical performance have taken the spotlight in recent years.

Once the red carpet ends, attendees are welcomed inside the museum for a dinner party. As celebrities mingle in their bodacious garments, they are occasionally serenaded by their peers with rare concert sets. Stars like Lady Gaga, Madonna, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and more have hit the stage inside the event for exclusive shows.

Footage is rare due to the highly-private nature of the Met Gala. However, take a look at seven of the best musical performances at fashion's annual soiree.

Lady Gaga

While Lady Gaga has had several notable appearances at the Met Gala, her 2010 debut featured a set inside the private event. The singer performed two of her greatest hits, "Bad Romance" and "Alejandro," as she wore a catsuit and boots by Armani Privé.

Prior to the performance, it was reported that there was backstage tension after Gaga refused to walk the event's red carpet due to stage fright. She allegedly almost skipped out on her performance until "close friend" Oprah Winfrey comforted her.

When asked about the incident, Gaga denied that she was too nervous to walk the press line, instead insisting that she did not want the "visually horrid" red carpet to ruin her outfit.

"To be honest with you, I don't give a f- about red carpets, and I never do them," she said at the time. "I don't like them. First of all - how could any of these outfits possibly look good with an ugly red carpet under them?"

In 2016, Gaga joined record producer Mark Ronson for an electric performance of "Burning Down the House" at an afterparty. Limited footage of their duet exists from the private celebration, but Gaga can be seen in a white shirt and blazer as she plays the electric guitar during a short snippet.

While not a musical performance, the singer had an iconic entrance at the 2019 event. The 16-minute display featured several outfits, props, and backup dancers.

Cher

While Gaga did not perform at the 2019 Notes on Camp edition, fellow pop diva Cher more than made up for her absence.

The "If I Could Turn Back Time" singer performed a series of ABBA hits, which were picked from her Dancing Queen album she dropped after starring in the Mamma Mia! sequel.

While footage from her set is limited, actress Tracee Ellis Ross took to social media to share videos from the "Believe" singer's performance and speech. During her rendition of "Waterloo," the camera panned to Harry Styles, who seemed to be enjoying the spectacle.

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Madonna

At the 2018 Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination installation, Madonna took over the MET stairs with an epic performance.

Fitting in with the religious theme of the event, the musical legend performed her hit song, "Like A Prayer." She was backed up by the prestigious Clarion Choir, who provided backing vocals while she entered. The performance also included snippets of "Beautiful Game" and "Hallelujah."

Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars got the party started in 2011, stepping up for a fiery performance after dinner had finished.

Before the "24K Magic" singer performed, opera singer Vittorio Grigolo surprised the audience by singing "Nessun Dorma" from the Puccini opera Turandot. After he finished, Mars hopped in for a version of his hit song "Runaway Baby," bringing the audience to their feet as he and his band grooved to the single.

Lizzo

While she typically has her flute on hand for red carpet appearances, Lizzo took over last year's ball with a medley of her greatest hits.

Instead of performing from a stage, the singer hopped up on a table while her dancers performed around her. She sang her beloved songs like "Truth Hurts," "Cuz I Love You," and "Good as Hell" while attendees looked on. While wearing on of her Yitty body suits, Lizzo donned boots from Piferi while she sported Fendi bangles, Swarovski rings, and vintage Saint Laurent earrings, Vogue reports. She has teased on Instagram that she will be inattendance for this year's event.

Justin Bieber

After walking the red carpet with his wife, Hailey, Justin Bieber serenaded the crowd with an acoustic performance in 2021.

Met Gala patrons cheered as he put on a black ski mask to sing "Lonely," dedicating the song to his wife. The brief set also included a performance of "Hold On," off his most recent album, Justice, and his classic hit "Baby." The rare appearance is one of Bieber's final musical performances within the last few years.

Rihanna

Although she is constantly making waves on the red carpet, Rihanna actually treated attendees to a performance during the 2015 Met Gala.

The Grammy-winner sang her fan-favorite "Bitch Better Have My Money" single while ditching her red carpet look for a red bustier, leather gloves, and baggy pants while she was backed up by a full band.

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