Lady Gaga made a triumphant return to the stage at today’s MTV Video Music Awards following a hiatus whilst she was recovering from hip surgery.

The singer opened the awards ceremony in style by performing her new single Applause, her first live performance of the song.

Gaga started the performance dressed head to toe in white with a canvas surrounding her face, a nod to her new album ARTPOP.

By the end of the performance, Gaga had stripped down to a sea shell bra and thong, as worn by the singer in the music video for Applause.

Gaga revealed before taking to the stage that she feels immense pressure to top herself year after year as she attends the VMA awards.

"Every year MTV wants me to one-up myself and they make sure to let me know that," she said.

Gaga is of course famous for wearing a dress made from meat to the awards back in 2010 thus setting the bar high for herself.