Sabrina Carpenter's Debut Grammys Performance Is Like Watching the Birth of Pop Royalty

If you think the last few years of awards show performances have been a bit of a snooze, then Sabrina Carpenter’s 2025 Grammys performance will hit you like a shot of espresso.

Tonight at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Carpenter made her Grammys stage debut with an electric medley of her two hit songs, “Espresso” and “Please, Please, Please.” Carpenter—who, earlier tonight, won her very first Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance—began her performance by descending down a staircase while singing an Old Hollywood rendition of “Espresso.” Once she hit the floor, however, Carpenter shed her tuxedo minidress to reveal a sparkly blue bodysuit covered in strings of crystals.

The song broke into a brief tap dance break, accompanied by a bevy of backup dancers. Migrating towards a front porch set, Carpenter exploded into a verse of “Please, Please, Please”—à la Sandy’s yearning “Hopelessly Devoted” ballad in Grease.

Finally, Carpenter finished her set by returning to “Espresso,” ascending the staircase once more with the burst of energy and cheekiness that fans have come to know and love her by. Make no mistake—if Carpenter was already a rising pop princess before tonight, then her Grammys debut has cemented her status as pop royalty. In Carpenter, you can find no better example of a pop star who is hungry for more and ready to claim what she deserves.

This year, Carpenter has earned Grammy nominations across six categories: Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Pop Solo Performance.

Upon the release of Short n’ Sweet in 2024, Carpenter became a mainstay in the Top 10 of the Hot 100 chart, establishing herself as a new force to be reckoned with in pop. While Short n’ Sweet is her sixth studio album, Carpenter reflected on the decade of hard work that she put in prior to the record’s release in order to get to this moment.

“I’ve always been true to myself and believed in my work since I was young,” she told People earlier this month. “I’ve realized that it’s always been about the small baby steps that you take over time to get you to this point.”

As for how she’s handling the critical acclaim she’s received in the past year and the subsequent recognition from the Recording Academy, she added, “I don’t think I have fully reflected yet, as I’m also trying to be present in the moment. But I’m just happy to see my songs connect with so many people from all walks of life. That’s why I love to write songs.”

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