With a hair flip, a wink, and a body suit so pink it could blind Barbie herself, Sabrina Carpenter officially ascended into pop royalty on Sunday night as she headlined Lollapalooza’s grand finale on the T-Mobile Stage. And baby, she did not come to play.
What unfolded was less a concert and more a cultural coronation. The 26-year-old “Manchild” hitmaker strutted into her first-ever Lolla headlining slot with all the charisma, cheek, and full-blown star power of a woman born to headline stadiums. It was a set so dripping in flirtation, musical precision, and high-camp theatricality, it left the crowd spellbound, screaming, and possibly reconsidering their sexualities.
From “Busy Woman” to “Please Please Please” A Setlist Built Like a Pop Renaissance
Carpenter opened with the triple punch of “Busy Woman,” “Taste,” and “Good Graces” an early warning to everyone in Grant Park that this was not going to be a set you could casually sway through. This was a headline performance meticulously crafted to hit both the soul and the social media algorithm.
Dressed in a dollcore meets diva pink bodysuit and golden curls that bounced like she had her own personal wind machine, Sabrina radiated main pop girl energy. She flipped her mic, tossed a wink, and danced like the stage was her playground. And it was. Each song bled into the next with cinematic polish, choreographed to perfection without ever feeling mechanical. It was polished chaos. Controlled anarchy. And the fans devoured every second of it.
Sabrina Carpenter x Earth, Wind & Fire: A Fever Dream We Didn’t Know We Needed
In what will surely go down as one of the most unhinged and utterly brilliant surprise moments in Lollapalooza history, Earth, Wind & Fire joined Carpenter on stage mid set for a disco drenched rendition of their iconic hits “Let’s Groove”and “September.”
The band’s brass section turned the entire park into Studio 54. Carpenter ditched the pink for a dazzling white fringe ensemble that practically flirted with the wind, letting every spotlight dance off its shimmering tassels. The performance was equal parts nostalgic and novel, proof that she’s not just a TikTok viral singer, but a show stopping entertainer.
A Sultry Mashup, a Viral Cuffing, and One Hell of a Performance
Then came the steamiest part of the night: a jaw dropping mashup of “bed chem” with Ginuwine’s “Pony.” The transition was so smooth, so audacious, it would’ve made Timbaland sweat. Carpenter oozed pop seduction with choreography that said “this is not a Disney girl anymore” and vocals that proved she never needed to be boxed in.
And in what’s now a signature move, she playfully “arrested” several members of K pop megastars TWICE, who were in the audience, handcuffing them with pink fuzzy cuffs for being “too hot.” The crowd lost their minds, cameras flashed, and the internet basically exploded.
Of course, she did her infamous “Juno” position giving camera ready face like she was born under a spotlight. Then, in a jaw clenching, emotionally charged moment, she belted out “Please Please Please” her pleading anthem of heartbreak and restraint, dripping with vulnerability and power.
A Cinematic Tease: “Man’s Best Friend” Gets Its Grand Debut
But Sabrina wasn’t done. In the final moments of her set, a teaser clip played across the massive LED screens, the first visual taste of her upcoming seventh studio album, Man’s Best Friend.
Fans got a glimpse of the full tracklist, which she had started teasing earlier this week with puppy themed social media posts. The teaser clip was a love letter to vintage romance cinema, drenched in 1960s femme fatale glamour, smoky eyeliner, romantic tension, and the promise of heartbreak. It was giving Sofia Loren. It was giving Brigitte Bardot. It was giving album of the year.
The crowd stood frozen, equal parts awe and anticipation. Then the lights dimmed. Sabrina Carpenter gave one final bow. And just like that, a new chapter in pop history was sealed.
When Does Sabrina’s Man’s Best Friend Album Release?
Sabrina’s Man’s Best Friend drops August 29, 2025 via Island Records. Its chart smashing lead single, “Manchild,”produced by Jack Antonoff, has already dominated the U.S., U.K., and Irish charts and is climbing across Europe and Asia.
Up next is the second North American leg of her Short n’ Sweet Tour, kicking off October 23 in Pittsburgh with major arena stops in New York, Nashville, Toronto and Los Angeles.
