Sabrina Carpenter 'Freaking Out' Over Taylor Swift Collab on 'The Life of a Showgirl'

Sabrina Carpenter is living a dream she's had since her early days of posting YouTube covers.

The 26-year-old pop star has been announced as the only featured artist on Taylor Swift's upcoming 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, set for release on October 3.

"I know someone who's freaking out and it's me," Carpenter shared in an Instagram story after the news broke.

According to NYPost, the collaboration will appear on the album's title track, produced by Swift alongside Max Martin and Shellback.

For Carpenter, this is more than just a career milestone — it's the fulfillment of years of admiration for Swift. "I hold her to such a different echelon," she told RollingStone last year. "I could never compare my life, my career, my trajectory to anything close to what she's done."

Carpenter's connection to Swift goes back to 2009, when she uploaded a cover of "Picture to Burn" to YouTube.

Over a decade later, she got to share the stage with her idol, opening several shows on Swift's massive "Eras Tour" in 2023.

Carpenter and Swift's New Orleans Duet Sparks TS12 Speculation

Carpenter admitted she's long admired her, saying it felt surreal to spend time together as two young women rather than seeing her solely as the performer on stage.

According to RollingStone, their friendship turned into a musical moment in October 2024 when Carpenter joined Swift in New Orleans for the "surprise songs" set, performing a mash-up of her hit "Espresso" with Swift's "Is It Over Now?" and "Please Please Please."

Swift later praised her on Instagram, writing, "She's as real as they come and I'm so thankful she did that for us."

Fans began speculating about a joint track earlier this week when Swift's official fan page posted a series of 12 orange-themed tour photos, ending with one of Swift and Carpenter together.

Theories took off on social media, with fans asking if this was a clue about a "TS12" feature.

Swift officially confirmed Carpenter's appearance while revealing the tracklist for "The Life of a Showgirl," which includes songs like "Elizabeth Taylor," "Ruin the Friendship," and "Actually Romantic."

Carpenter sees the timing as ideal, with her seventh album, Man's Best Friend, set to release on August 29, just weeks ahead of Swift's new record.

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Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift