Top 10 Greatest Sabrina Carpenter Live Performances

“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (2003-)

Carpenter made her first appearance on Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show in March 2018. It also marked the television debut of the single “Alien,” which would reach #1 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart. Although DJ Jonas Blue accompanies her, all eyes are on Carpenter. Perhaps we should say Carpenter(s), as a mountain of TV monitors capture her from multiple angles. For all the Sabrinas on screen, the performance carries a sense of isolation and separation, which ties into the song’s central themes. At the same time, Carpenter owns the stage as if she were the queen of her own planet. She beams with confidence, yet these feelings of alienation are so complex that the only way to unpack them is through song.

“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (2014-)

While Carpenter had been in the business for over a decade, 2024 was a major turning point for her. “Please Please Please” became her first single to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, in addition to topping several other charts. She introduced the song to TV audiences with her performance on “The Tonight Show.” Recreating her “Short n' Sweet” album cover, Carpenter sports a lipstick kiss on her shoulder. Although she isn’t the only one on stage, the spotlight on Carpenter emphasizes the internal arguments we often have when dating someone others don’t approve of. Carpenter can only hope this relationship isn’t a mistake. Even if it is, she’ll rise above it just as she rises atop that piano.

“Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special” (2025)

Paul Simon was among the first musicians to perform on “SNL.” Carpenter is one of the more recent artists who went viral on “SNL.” On a night that celebrated the past, present, and future, the show’s 50th anniversary special appropriately commenced with a duet that blended two generations in harmony. “Homeward Bound,” which Simon previously performed on “SNL” with the late George Harrison, sets the perfect tone for a show many talents have come and gone from over the decades. Whenever they return, though, it feels like home. The same can be said for audiences who’ve been tuning into “SNL” for years. Carpenter wasn’t alive when “SNL” debuted. Neither were her parents. Yet, Carpenter has forever carved out a place in the show’s storied legacy.

Samsung Summer of Galaxy (2022)

Samsung’s Summer of Galaxy event provided a platform for Carpenter to promote several songs from her fifth studio album, “Emails I Can’t Send.” The standout performance was “Because I Liked a Boy,” one of Carpenter’s darkest, yet most hauntingly honest songs. The lyrics explore the singer’s feelings for a boy and the online hate they ignited. Carpenter bares her soul, unpacking the vulnerability and heartbreak she has experienced. Through this performance, Carpenter reclaims her voice, turning it against the haters who shamed and threatened her. Carpenter not only empowers herself, but also the audience, who join in the ballad. Celebrities may be the biggest social media targets. Yet, anyone online can be harassed for something as simple as liking a boy.

Live on the Honda Stage at the iHeartRadio Theater LA (2016)

Carpenter’s second studio album, “Evolution,” signified her artistic growth as she moved away from teen pop to a more mature sound. In addition to performing the album’s lead single, “On Purpose,” Carpenter debuted “Thumbs” at Los Angeles’ iHeartRadio Theater. You could sense the audience’s excitement hearing this song for the first time as Carpenter’s vocals are backed up with rhythmic finger snaps. If you aren’t snapping along, you’ll definitely be twiddling your thumbs and bouncing off the floor. The performance keeps gaining momentum as the melody crawls its way into your head. The only cure is to dance it off with your thumbs spinning in the air. We can’t think of higher praise for this performance than a big thumbs up.

Live from Wango Tango (2018)

“Singular: Act I,” Carpenter’s third studio album, produced the single “Almost Love,” which topped the Dance Club Songs Billboard chart. The dance floor lit up at Wango Tango where Carpenter performed the song days ahead of its official release. Before Carpenter appears on stage, her backup dancers set the mood against an aesthetic that screams Ancient Greece with a modern twist. Just like the statues in the background, Carpenter practically turns us to stone with her entrance. The performance is anything but lifeless, though, quickly influencing spectators to dance along. As the title suggests, the song is about romantic feelings that were never fully realized. Yet, the love was felt among the crowd as Carpenter unveiled her new single to adoring applause.

“67th Annual Grammy Awards” (2025)

Along with “Please Please Please,” Carpenter defined 2024 with “Espresso,” another Billboard Hot 100 hit. Carpenter sang both at the 2025 Grammys where she won Best Pop Solo Performance for “Espresso” and Best Pop Vocal Album for “Short n' Sweet.” “Please Please Please” was also nominated for Song of the Year. Watching her performance, it’s clear why these smash hits brought Carpenter so many accolades. This showstopper commences with a literal showstopper, as things seemingly don’t go according to plan. Mixing classic Hollywood glamor and her signature goofball charm, Carpenter quickly shifts gears with a costume change. Backup dancers join in as Carpenter puts a refreshing spin on each song. This is reflected in the performance’s brisk blue backdrop, leaving us breathless.

“Saturday Night Live” (1975-)

2024 truly felt like Carpenter’s coronation to a new level of fame, her appearance on the season finale of “SNL” being a high point. Although her performances of “Feather” and “Nonsense” overflowed with charisma, everyone was talking about “Espresso” after this episode aired. If the song had somehow eluded you up to this point, this was the moment it started living in your head rent-free. Where most “SNL” musical acts are fairly straightforward, Carpenter brought a theatricality to this performance. With a bar backdrop, two backup dancers fight over Carpenter, who practically possesses her own gravitational pull. While tension between the guys grows heated, Carpenter keeps it breezy. She flirts with everyone in the room, who are ecstatic just to be in her orbit.

“45th Brit Awards” (2025)

Taking home the prize for Global Success at the 2025 Brit Awards, Carpenter demonstrated why she’s become an international sensation with this performance. It pulls out all the stops with a fleet of King’s Guard dancers marching down a stage modeled after the Union Flag. They set the stage for musical royalty as Carpenter appears in a skimpier version of the red uniform. Transitioning from “Espresso” to “Bed Chem,” Carpenter rises from a heart-shaped bed in the mood for love. Although the crowd went wild, some viewers felt Carpenter’s performance and outfits were too seductive. They argued it should’ve been reserved for “watershed” time when mature programming airs. To that, Carpenter replied, “I now know what watershed is!!!!” So does the rest of North America!

“40th MTV Video Music Awards” (2024)

Carpenter performed “Feather” and “Nonsense” for the VMA’s pre-show in 2023. As stunning as this appearance was, it felt like a dress rehearsal compared to the following year’s main show. Hanging from a diamond-shaped swing with a giant MTV Moonman in the background, Carpenter makes her landing. The space setting pays homage to Britney Spears’ “Oops!… I Did It Again,” which can be briefly heard as well. On the lunar surface of the stage, Carpenter finds herself caught in the middle of an astronaut and an alien, giving the latter a taste. With a chorus of spacemen lining up, Carpenter caps the performance off with “Espresso,” which won the VMA for Song of the Year. It was one giant leap for Carpenter’s career.

What’s your favorite Sabrina Carpenter song? Let us know in the comments.