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Chicago Tribune
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Review: Sabrina Carpenter closes Lollapalooza with confectionary joy and perfect surprises
Our pool of genuinely funny music performers has never been large. Musicians get timid about humor, with reason. Audiences take earnest artists seriously and let time and taste catch up to anyone who takes their own importance with a grain of salt. That's one of the reasons why Sabrina Carpenter played so exuberantly in Grant Park on Sunday night. She closed Lollapalooza with real effervescent wit, even joy. Imagine! Looking goofy on stage! We had the introspection of Tyler, The Creator; the gated-community angst of Gracie Abrams; and the sunny rebellion of Olivia Rodrigo. But god, Sabrina Carpenter is fun. Her stage, festooned with a huge curling 'SC' traced in stage lights, not only paid homage to Chicago as the original home of 'Soul Train,' she and her dancers threw in their own version of a 'Soul Train' line dance. By the end of the, she was in a conga line. Within a few songs, she'd settled into a sort of samba twang for 'Slim Pickins,' with its great chorus: Midway through, nodding to Chicago cool again, she brought out Earth, Wind & Fire, along with its entire horn section, for an inspired bop through 'Let's Groove' and 'September.' I was not expecting chills in August, yet here we are. Carpenter — whose act fits nicely into the contemporary wave of ubiquitous young woman pop singers, though works subversively, even subtly, against the mold — loaded her set with the winks, bumps, put-downs and self-deprecations that dance across her albums. She's such a knowing throwback to '70s variety shows that her stage even mimicked TV studios, bundling the stage cameras into the kind of large swiveling stands associated with the days of live TV. In another life, Carpenter could have been Carol Burnett. Or Carole Lombard. Or maybe a Looney Tunes rabbit. But definitely a character. Sabrina Carpenter, at least on stage, her Lolla set confirmed, is a role, albeit with a heart. You could argue that of Rodrigo, Abrams, Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Charlie XCX, the wave of woman superstars that get lumped colloquially as 'the pop girlies.' But among this group, the Super Friends of Pop, only Carpenter reminds you she is a confection. A former Disney Channel star (of course), her playful nods to showbiz convention and cliche feel second nature — not unlike the way, say, Martin Short feels born to the stage. When she closed with the inevitable 'Espresso' — last year's song of the summer — and its nonsensical a teenager beside me, singing, threw in the song's quiet aside: 'Stupid.' It's there, in the studio version of 'Expresso,' a sardonic meta-quip from Carpenter about own writing, which can get so tangled in heated knots, it's just shy of camp in places, only to turn clever again. This might be Carpenter's finest quality, her ability to surprise without underlining any effort. At the lip of the stage, accompanied by an acoustic guitar, she managed to be intimate despite playing to the population of a small city: 'I know you're not the sharpest tool in the shed,' then plainly added: 'We had sex, I met your best friends.' Her knack for detail met noir-laced burlesque in 'because i liked a boy,' which opens, only to rage, A beat later, she's working those Groucho Marx eyebrows, singing: Carpenter is camp the way that Dolly Parton is camp, fully in charge of the tone without sacrificing brains. You take her seriously because she's funny, and shrewdly provocative. On her previous tour, she sang a song while seated on a toilet seat, which — and this is the best part — she would wipe down before she sat. Lollapalooza 2025: What we saw — and heard — at the 4-day music festival at Grant ParkFor Lolla, she framed the show as 'SC News Chicago,' incorporating satiric commercials between songs, a parody of 1-900 chat line ads for 'Bed Chem,' a commercial for 'Manchild Spray' before her recent hit, 'Manchild,' the song of this summer: The men in her songs are basically Wile E. Coyote, and she is the Roadrunner, addicted to the chase. She's not above declaring herself horny. But then going broad works at Lollapalooza. In fact, it may be the only way to perform here now — if only because Grant Park becomes so overcrowded during headliners like Carpenter that unless you're up front somewhere near the stage, you're watching this on screens the entire time or you'll have to wait for a clip on TikTok or Instagram to spot anything sly or understated. Once again, Carpenter understands the assignment. She asks 'It's 10 p.m., do you know where your girlfriend is?' then moments later notes how 'grateful' she is. She sends-up the corny tropes of a generation of hitmakers with a comforting bit of heart. She's all off balance, sincere but sincerely silly. She looked out on Lollapalooza Sunday — which, by day four, is basically 'Lord of the Flies' — surveyed the mess and laughed.
Metro
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Sabrina Carpenter brings a different vibe to BST and we're all for it
As the sun sets over another summer's day in London, it's not just the high temperature (and Central Line) keeping Londoners warm, it's Sabrina Carpenter at her absolute best for the British Summertime festival. 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 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 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
USA Today
14-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Gen Z's risk-averse behavior makes love elusive. Are we all going to die alone?
When Sabrina Carpenter crooned about the lack of worthwhile men on 'Slim Pickins,' she became an oracle for a generation luckless in the dating department: 'If I can't have the one I love, I guess it's you that I'll be kissin'.' Even when she lowers her standards she still comes up dissatisfied. It seems like no matter how hard she tries, she just can't get love right ‒ as is the case for a lot of Gen Z. Members of Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, seem to have a unique problem finding and keeping romantic partners. When explaining our woes, we tend to name the same culprits: social media, dating apps, anxiety, etc. These are the main things my friends lamented when I asked their thoughts on modern dating. I also notice that we often get very solipsistic about dating and fail to acknowledge how the world around us isn't conducive to romance. America is politically fraught, and our polarization has seeped into our pursuit of love. For one, boys and girls aren't getting along politically as young women are more progressive and young men are more conservative. Inflation and other economic factors leave us with little money for dates and other expenses that come with dating. All that paired with this generation's overall feelings of hopelessness, nihilism and existential dread put love on the back burner. Your Turn:He watches Fox, I watch CNN. Secret to our relationship? Know when to stop talking. | Opinion Forum Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. With Gen Z experiencing a world so far removed from that of any previous generation, I couldn't help but wonder: Why has love become so elusive for Gen Zers? And is it possible for us to find love at what seems to be the end of the world? Gen Z's risk-averse nature leaves us in certain 'situationships' Gen Z's heightened anxieties about the world around us have led many to adopt rather risk-averse behaviors: We're having less sex; we're drinking less. These behaviors aren't bad on their own, but when examined with our increased mental health diagnoses they can become indicative of greater concerns. Gen Z's aversion to risk trickles into the way we pursue (or don't pursue) relationships. Love is inherently scary; allowing someone to know the deepest parts of you requires vulnerability. To circumvent this, we keep people at arm's length, finding ways to commit that don't trigger our fears of rejection and isolation. Enter "situationships." The New York Times defines a situationship as 'a romantic or sexual relationship in which both parties do not communicate clearly to define their status. Unlike those who are 'friends with benefits,' neither party in a situationship is certain of what the other is to them. In the United States, half of people ages 18-34 have been in a situationship, according to research from YouGov. Situationships help to assuage our fears surrounding the risks that come with committing to someone. Because there are technically no labels, no one is owed loyalty or fidelity. It gets even more insidious as those in situationships act as though they are in committed relationships: There's an emotional and physical connection, there are introductions to friends and family, and there are intimate details shared. Opinion:The state of politics makes dating hard. Thankfully I'm queer in New York. To much of Gen Z, the blurred lines of situationships are easier to handle than the rigidity of traditional relationships. But what makes situationships uniquely different is that oftentimes there is an emotional imbalance. One is perfectly satisfied with the laissez-faire approach while the other is left pining for the relationship to progress into something more meaningful. They stick around hoping that, if they continue to give their partner enough love and affection, their partner will eventually love them the way they desire ‒ something that very seldom comes to fruition. In examining my friends' dating experiences, I've come to learn that situationships hardly ever progress into something more. It seems like Gen Z wants terribly to be in committed relationships ‒ it's all we talk about on TikTok ‒ but few are actually putting in the work to make that happen. Situationship culture inherently views others as disposable and requires an unhealthy amount of emotional detachment. In a generation so consumed by the digital world, it's easy to dehumanize others. Instagram story like-alationships Gen Z is obsessed with our own perception. According to a 2023 Statista survey, 61% of dating app users in the United States are those ages 30-49, whereas only 26% of people ages 18-29 use online dating services. Gen Z's dating app exodus can be blamed partly on our hesitancy to admit our feelings out of the fear of rejection or being perceived as cringe. In Gen Z's dating world, the biggest faux pas is to be seen trying. It's why situationships ‒ and Instagram story like-alationships ‒ have become so commonplace. Moreover, our increased connectivity has turned dating into a game of who can want the other less. We make our affection known through strategic Instagram story likes and DMs, and every text is thoroughly planned out to appear interesting enough just to keep their attention. He took an hour to text you back? You take two or else risk coming off too needy. Opinion:Am I my Spotify Wrapped? Spotify's algorithm makes me question its validity. The disposability to situationships is also bolstered by this digital connectivity. The dating scene is no longer limited to those in our schools, workplaces or immediate areas like it was for our parents. Our new ability to connect with anyone from anywhere has created an illusion of choice that disincentivizes commitment. Why be exclusive with one person when someone else even better could slide into your DMs? Gen Z may be risk-averse, but we are not love-averse It's pretty trite to complain about how social media promotes false realities. I feel like most people realize that the flowery love lives most influencers choose to show is only part of a more nuanced, complicated picture. But it seems that so many Gen Zers look to the internet for help traversing romance. Relationship content runs rampant online. It's an entire industry with people giving pedantic and unrealistic advice that doesn't reflect the complexity of human nature. Not every relationship is picture-perfect. Not every love story is ripped from the pages of a fairytale. It seems like so much of my generation is unwilling to exhibit the patience needed to sustain healthy relationships. My friend Hollyann Purvis, a New York resident, put it best: 'Gen Z feels frustrated when the instant gratification we get day to day on technology doesn't translate to interpersonal relationships right off the bat.' Love is worth the wait and the potential of rejection. It's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. Isn't that what they say? Gen Z may be risk-averse, but we are not love-averse. We desperately want to be in happy, fulfilling relationships even if we get in our own way. Kofi Mframa is a columnist and digital producer for USA TODAY and the USA TODAY Network.
