Who'll surprise at the Grammys?

Madonna's no stranger to awards show controversy - here she is pashing Britney Spears at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards. What does she have up her sleeve for the Grammys? Picture: Splash Source: Splash News Australia

THE 56th annual Grammy Awards are set to be a star-studded affair this Sunday night.

Daft Punk, Taylor Swift, Imagine Dragons, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis and Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr all confirmed to perform.

Now, rumours are flying that two of the music industry's biggest female performers, Beyonce and Madonna, are set to join the line-up for a pair of top-secret performances.

The Los Angeles Times cites industry sources who say both stars are busy prepping surprise appearances at the Staples Centre ceremony. Longtime Grammys producer Ken Ehrlich refused to confirm or deny the rumours.

"Let's put it this way … we have a really great history that goes back to the early days of Destiny's Child," he said.

"I love working with [Beyonce]. She's incredible. She is so into what it is that she does and making sure that everybody who sees her walks away saying, 'wow.'

"Should she be on the show this year?" he continued. "I would think that the potential is there for that kind of moment."

While sources say Beyonce will take to the stage to perform one of her own hits, Madonna is expected to provide guest vocals for another of the night's performers. Our prediction? Perhaps Madge will join Daft Punk on stage - after all, she's already worked with both of the guests featured on their smash single Get Lucky (Nile Rodgers produced her Like a Virgin album, while Pharrell Williams was at the helm for 2008's Hard Candy).

Could Madonna join French dance duo Daft Punk on stage? Picture: Supplied. Source: News Limited

If Beyonce were to take to the stage, it would be her first televised performance since the surprise release of her self-titled fifth album more than five weeks ago. The album has already sold more than 1.5 million copies in the US, and currently sits atop Australia's ARIA Charts.

For Madonna, a Grammys performance would come after a less successful few weeks, following recent controversies regarding her use of Instagram.

The performance would come only a week after she was forced to apologise for using the N-word on Instagram when referring to her teenage son Rocco.

While Madonna isn't nominated for any awards this year, Beyonce could walk away with one trophy - she and husband Jay Z are nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for their song Part II (On The Run).