Pink and Megan Thee Stallion delivered one of the most talked-about moments of the 2026 Tony Awards when they teamed up for a Broadway-inspired remake of the hit song “Lady Marmalade.”
Hosting the annual theatre awards ceremony at Radio City Music Hall in New York on Sunday, Pink opened the show with a playful performance titled “Leading Lady Marmalade,” a tribute to Broadway’s biggest stars and productions.
The performance reimagined the 2001 chart-topping hit that Pink originally recorded alongside Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim and Mya for the film Moulin Rouge!. While Pink adapted the lyrics to celebrate theatre’s leading ladies, Megan Thee Stallion stepped in to deliver a fresh version of Lil’ Kim’s iconic rap verse.
The opening number featured several surprise appearances, including Lea Michele, who recreated Aguilera’s famous high note before joking to the audience, “We don’t do it for the awards.”
Veteran actress June Squibb, the oldest acting nominee in Tony Awards history, also stole laughs from the crowd with a brief cameo. Playing along with the song’s famous lyrics, she quipped: “All the parts I’ve played, I’ve slayed them.”
Other Broadway stars featured in the performance included Dylan Mulvaney, Shoshana Bean, Neil Patrick Harris and several other theatre favourites.
For Megan Thee Stallion, the appearance marked a historic milestone, making her the first female rapper to perform at the Tony Awards.
The performance came months after the rapper was forced to cut short her role as Zidler in Moulin Rouge! following a health scare. Megan had been scheduled to appear in the production for eight weeks but was hospitalized after becoming seriously ill during a performance. She later told fans that exhaustion and pushing herself too hard had contributed to the incident.
Ahead of the ceremony, Pink said her goal as host was to create a fun and celebratory atmosphere.
“I told them my one caveat was that immediately as soon as I step onto the stage, I have to make fun of myself, and make it absolutely just about fun and celebrating everyone,” she told Broadway.com.
Elsewhere during the evening, Pink joined Queen Latifah, Julianne Hough, Whitney Leavitt, Dylan Mulvaney and Alex Newell for a special tribute celebrating 30 years of Chicago on Broadway. The group performed beloved songs from the musical, including “When You’re Good To Mama,” “Cell Block Tango” and “All That Jazz.”
The star-studded opening quickly became one of the standout moments of the night, generating widespread buzz across social media.
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