Sabrina Carpenter secured the song of the summer with the release of "Espresso," and after a standout performance at this weekend's Governors Ball, the blond songstress is proving she's more than just a viral sensation -- she's a true pop star in the making.
Carpenter oozed charisma throughout her performance, stunting in a massive pair of heels that disguised her true height of 4 '11". After seeing her prance about the stage in a short yellow dress with a well-placed heart cut out, the words "Is she a Barbie?" fell out of my mouth.
She debuted her latest single, "Please, Please, Please," as fans held several signs begging her to "please, please, please" play the fresh track. Carpenter interacted with the crowd with the joy and whimsy of a Disney alum, but the sassy coyness of the 25-year-old she actually is. She also played the pseudo-ballad "because i liked a boy," before which she asked the audience to yell, "I'm a slut!" The song's chorus sees Carpenter calling herself a "heartbreaker, I'm a slut." The calmer tune had the crowd bopping up and down softly.
Flanked by a team of dancers, Carpenter hit a few moves of her own, dancing along to her hits with choreographed expertise. In one moment, she fell to her knees alongside her guitarist as he jammed out on a solo; the two mirrored each other on the ground as Carpenter whipped her hair like a rockstar.
The crowd erupted when Carpenter teased her way into her massive hit, "Espresso."
"What's something that stunts your growth? I heard caffeine stunts your growth," she asked the audience. She joked about drinking a Red Bull as a pick-me-up before quipping, "Oh! Espresso!" and heading into the viral track.
The shouts of "I'm working late/'Cause I'm a singer/Oh, he looks so cute/Wrapped round my finger," were explosive as festival goers belted out the viral line.
After "Espresso," Carpenter pretended to leave the stage, which may have confused attendees who had already headed out towards another set. She quickly returned to conclude with her usual outro: "Nonsense."
"Nonsense" brought its usual sexy silliness as well as a special shout out to the LGBTQ community.
"Should I text him back? It's such a tough call/That won't fit inside me, bro, I'm dumb small/People who hate pride/Can suck my Gov Balls," she sang to conclude the set. As her voice trailed off softly, the audience erupted into cheers.
As the pop princess left the stage, a bright graphic flashed, advertising her upcoming album, Short n' Sweet, which is due out on August 23.
The 2024 Governors Ball took place June 7-9 at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York City.
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