Sabrina Carpenter brings a different vibe to BST and we're all for it
The pop princess fills Hyde Park with mostly women: mums with daughters, best friends in their thirties dressed in matching baby pink dresses and tweenagers, who were rehearsing the songs' viral TikTok dances before her grand entrance.
Dressed in a red sparkly playsuit, she sings the first notes of Busy Woman – a very apt song title for the 26-year-old who seems to have been touring since time began (Short 'n' Sweet tour began in September 2024 and ends later this year, but BST marks her final UK dates).
Sabrina has got the audience in the palm of her hands as she says her cheeky lyrics, 'If you don't want me, I'll just deem you gay' before winking at the camera, which is projected onto the giant screens on either side of the stage. It's high camp and delivered perfectly into her bejewelled microphone, setting the tone for the evening.
It's where the party begins, and it doesn't end for the next 90 minutes, with Sabrina's high energy mimicked by her enthusiastic fans.
She knows what she's doing when she follows the opener up with crowd pleasers, Taste and Complicated, before slowing things down for Slim Pickins. Her breathy, silky tones are particularly captivating in the low-tempo song, drawing us in with every word.
I've been a regular at BST for quite a few years, but I've never seen anybody make the headline spot into such a production. The theatrics, costumes, and special effects were of the same quality that you would expect in a stadium tour date. The kitsch 1950s-style adverts between songs are a particular highlight, with Sabrina taking on the role of salesperson for made-up products.
The biggest scream of the night was for a Manchild cleaning spray, which promises to alleviate the lives of boys who don't grow up. Although Sabrina can't actually perform miracles in that department, she provides free therapy by letting the audience scream out 'Won't you let an innocent woman be? Never heard of self-care. Half your brain just ain't there,' with her. The enthusiasm for her latest song shows that Sabrina's star power is only rising, so it's looking good for the Manchild album, which is coming out next month.
Between the hits, Sabrina takes time to converse with the audience and provide the elements that those chronically online were undoubtedly expecting. A key segment of her tour is arresting someone for being too hot. It's often a celebrity, but tonight, she decided to give a young woman from South London, who perhaps appreciated the honour more.
Busy Woman
Taste
Good Graces
Slim Pickins
Manchild
Coincidence
Sharpest Tool
Because I Liked a boy
It's Raining Men (Cover song)
Nonsense
Couldn't Make it Any Harder
Feather
Bed Chem
Juno
Please Please Please
Don't Smile
Espresso
She also used her trademark humour to poke fun at British weather with her own rendition of It's Raining Men. Seeing Sabrina do a The Weather Girls cover was not on my 2025 bingo card, but I'm glad it happened. More Trending
The all-singing, all-dancing and tambourine-playing (yes, she gets a tambourine out) show comes in the face of criticism for her raunchy cover art for Manchild. But it's quite clear her target audience is right behind her, and salutes her cheeky boundary-pushing art. She hasn't let the haters change her persona, and so, of course, a love heart-shaped bed comes out for Bed Chemistry.
For the eighth year, 150,000 festival goers will descend on Glasgow Green from 11-13 July to see the liked of 50 Cent, Gracie Abrams and Biffy Clyro, and you could be there!
Metro has teamed up with Rockstar Energy presents TRNSMT Festival to offer four VIP tickets to one lucky winner.
For a chance to win this massive music prize, simply enter your details here.
You have until midnight on Sunday 6 July 2025 to enter using the form below. Entrants must be 18+. Good luck! T&Cs apply*.
Click here if form is not loading.
* Open to legal residents of Great Britain (excluding Northern Ireland) aged 18 or over. Promotion opens at 18:01 BST on 2 July 2025 and closes at 23:59 BST on 6 July 2025. The promotion is free to enter; however internet access is required. Entrant must visit https://metro.co.uk/2025/07/02/win-vip-tickets-see-50-cent-gracie-abrams-biffy-clyro-trnsmt-festival-2025-23539991/ and when prompted by the form, submit their name, email, telephone number, date of birth and postcode. Acceptance of the terms and conditions is necessary to enter the promotion. There will be one (1) winner. The winner will win four (4) VIP weekend tickets for TRNSMT Festival, running from 11th – 13th July 2025 at Glasgow Green, in Glasgow ('Prize'). Proof of age and photographic ID are required for entry for all guests (the guests of the winner must be at least 16 years old at the time of entry). The Prize, including entry and attendance at TRSNMT festival, is subject to and governed by the Promoter's full ticket terms and conditions. 1 prize available. 1 entry per person. Full T&Cs apply, see here.
'Parental discretion is advised' is cheekily displayed to warn crowds, before she writhes around with two male dancers, who end the song with a smooch.
And of course, there was only ever going to be one way to round off the evening – with a shot of Espresso. We may prefer our tea in Britain, but you wouldn't have guessed it as thousands screamed the caffiene hit. Same time tomorrow?
Sabrina Carpenter performs at BST Hyde Park again tonight.
Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Josie.Copson@metro.co.uk
Share your views in the comments below.
MORE: Sabrina Carpenter breaks major record set by Ed Sheeran
MORE: Sabrina Carpenter hits back at criticism of racy album cover with sassy remark
MORE: If Sabrina Carpenter's sexual lyrics offend you, she says you're to blame
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In the clip from their New Heights podcast, shared alongside the caption 'Posted at 12:12 on the 12th. Tay's 12th album is called . . . ' she said: 'This is my brand new album The Life Of A Showgirl.' The album artwork was blurred in the video, but she has updated all of her pages with the colour orange, having started teasing that would be the album's colour theme last year. She is now keeping the cover secret by obscuring it with an orange padlock on her website. Wearing orange outfits Taylor started dropping hints by wearing orange on night 12 of the European leg of her Eras tour, while performing in Lyon, France, last June. In November, she released her Eras Tour Book and was wearing orange on the 12th page. Then on Monday, her official management and social media team @taylornation posted 12 images of the star wearing orange outfits from the tour, with the caption: 'Thinking about when she said 'See you next era . . .'.' All I started thinking of was how do I hint at things, how far is too far in advance? Can I hint at something three years in advance? Taylor And the final image notably featured her with Sabrina, from when they performed together in New Orleans last October. Welcoming her on stage at the time, Taylor pretended to phone the Espresso singer and said: 'Put on some clothes and come down to the stadium.' Fans are now convinced Sabrina referenced that last week when she shared a photo of herself on Instagram with some washing and the caption: 'Go put on some clothes!' In yet another Easter egg posted last October, Taylor hinted at the date she would announce the project. A snap shared online saw her standing in Miami's Hard Rock Stadium with a sign for seated section 'A12' visible — which fans believe is a reference to yesterday's date, August 12. Taylor first played a showgirl in her 2022 video for Bejeweled, which also featured burlesque performer Dita von Teese. She had previously suggested she likes to plant clues three years in advance. During a 2021 appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, she said: 'All I started thinking of was, how do I hint at things, how far is too far in advance? 'Can I hint at something three years in advance? Can I even plan things out that far? I think I'm going to try to do it.' The new album is set to be a major return to the pop sound of her 2014 record 1989, and 2017's Reputation, both of which were created with hit Swedish producers and songwriters Max Martin and Shellback. Max is renowned for being one of the most successful songwriters ever, having worked on hits including Baby One More Time for Britney Spears, Katy Perry's I Kissed A Girl and Blinding Lights for The Weeknd, as well as Shake It Off, Blank Space and We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together for Taylor. Shortly after the announcement yesterday morning, billboards in New York and Nashville took users to a Spotify playlist which featured 22 songs by Taylor, all of which have been made with Max and Shellback. However, fans are yet to be told when they will actually be able to get their hands on the new album. It is available to pre- order through her website, where it states the record will ship before October 13, but adds: 'This is not the release date, official release date to be announced.' Taylor is believed to have completed the record earlier this year, and last month The Sun revealed she had shot a music video in Los Angeles. However, she has used a series of non-disclosure agreements for everyone involved in the album in a bid to keep details under wraps. 12 12 The record was created in secret and she has not been seen entering or leaving a recording studio since December 2023 — before The Tortured Poets Department was released. 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She wrote on her website: 'All of the music I've ever made now belongs to me. I've been bursting into tears of joy . . . ever since I found out this is really happening. 'To say this is my greatest dream come true is actually being pretty reserved about it. I can't thank you enough for helping to reunite me with this art that I've dedicated my life to, but have never owned until now. 'I almost stopped thinking it could ever happen, after 20 years of having the carrot dangled and then yanked away. 12 12 Trav hopes love 'lasts forever' TAYLOR SWIFT's boyfriend Travis Kelce said he hopes their relationship will 'last forever' as he showered her in praise in his most revealing interview yet. The NFL tight end cradled an alligator and wore a faux fur hat for the new issue of British GQ. 12 12 Travis, whose parents divorced after 25 years, said: 'The handful of my friends whose parents are still together and still thriving – those are situations I would love to have. 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