Sabrina Carpenter’s recent controversies — including the provocative cover art for her upcoming 2025 album Man’s Best Friend — have sparked countless opinion pieces accusing her of being too sexual, attention-seeking, or even superficial. But these takes miss the mark.
Like Miley Cyrus before her, Carpenter has steadily grown from Disney child star to a confident, genre-bending pop artist with serious acting credits (The Hate U Give among them). And before this album saga even began, she’d already scored her first number one with “Espresso” — the biggest caffeine-themed hit since All Saints’ “Black Coffee” in 2000.
The anticipation at Hyde Park was electric even before Carpenter took the stage. A white set slowly came to life piece by piece, looking like something out of a Barbie dream world mashed up with a retro Disney fantasy. The crowd roared as a fake Channel 6 news broadcast flickered on giant screens. Dancers poured onto the massive stage before Carpenter finally appeared, strutting out in a sparkling red zip-up crop top with her name splashed across it and white boots — instantly owning the space as she launched into the punchy, 80s-flavoured “Busy Woman.”
After a string of cheeky faux commercials on screen, she kept the energy high with “Taste,” a soaring track blending stadium rock guitars with bright ’80s synth vibes. “Good Graces” followed, shifting into a moodier R&B groove — a warning shot to anyone looking to get close without respecting her boundaries.
She slowed things down for an acoustic take on “Sharpest Tool,” leaning into the heartbreak and self-reflection, before pivoting again to the playful doo-wop-inspired “Couldn’t Make It Any Harder.” Later, she flirted with a country edge on “Please Please Please,” showing off her knack for genre-hopping without ever losing the thread of her persona.
This show landed right in the middle of Pride celebrations, and it felt right that she paid tribute in her own playful way — belting out The Weather Girls’ “It’s Raining Men,” then pulling off a cheeky dance sequence on a bed with two men who ultimately ditch her for each other. It was fun, irreverent, and perfectly timed.
The infectious “Manchild” brought the crowd together in a big, goofy dance moment — a kind of chaotic line dance where everyone tried (and mostly failed) to keep up with Carpenter’s moves, but loved every second of it. She closed the night by teasing the crowd — “The louder you scream, the more I drink,” she joked, Espresso martini in hand — before erupting into “Espresso,” her UK chart-topper, as fireworks lit up the sky.
Wardrobe-wise, she swapped into a slinky little black dress and leaned into bold, suggestive choreography, but unlike Noah Kahan’s football-shirt antics, Sabrina’s outfit choices felt intentional and celebrated rather than distracting.
With catchy hooks, smart genre shifts, and a fearless sense of fun, Sabrina Carpenter delivered a set that was pure pop joy — the perfect headline act to celebrate London, Pride, and BST all at once. She proved she’s not just riding a wave of controversy; she’s commanding it.
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