Lights, camera, action, espresso — Sabrina Carpenter takes the stage once again in glittering bodysuits and flowing babydolls for her glamorous global tour, “Short n’ Sweet.”
Since her 2014 rise to fame in Disney Channel’s “Girl Meets World,” along with the release of her first song “Can’t Blame a Girl for Trying,” Sabrina Carpenter has been considered a darling of both the acting and singing community. She excelled in the spotlight, her short height and girlish demeanor charming her audiences. However, she put her acting career to rest to instead focus full-time on creating music, allowing her to drop several popular albums and subsequent tours — though none quite as phenomenal as her recent one, “Short n’ Sweet.”
“Short n’ Sweet” released on Aug. 23, 2024, and with it came record-breaking numbers that skyrocketed her fame. Each song became a world-wide hit, and suddenly Sabrina Carpenter was all that anyone could talk about. Riding that high, she was quick to announce her global companion tour, leading to fans rushing online to buy her tickets. While they sold out extremely fast, both common and VIP tickets vanishing within minutes (much to the public’s chagrin), I was lucky enough to snag four of her “Team Sabrina Preshow Party Package” ones, the highest tier of VIP.
This led to one of the most fantastic concerts I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing.
Carpenter performed in Seattle on Nov. 6, 2024, and my day started by dragging my friends and I to the Climate Pledge Arena, hours before the concert started, to wait outside the VIP entrance. Despite the fact that I was cold and shivering, the excitement kept me warm and the anticipation caused the hours to pass by quickly. There, they gave us wristbands with numbers to secure our spot in line, then let us wander until the doors opened. Once inside, we were escorted to the party room; an adorably pink-themed area with plates of food, comfortable seating, and a stocked bar. They had arts and crafts available, along with a cute photo booth section, but I did not participate in either of those. When we were done, we were able to peruse the merch section — thankfully free of any large crowds and long lines — and I was grateful to purchase what I wanted without the pressure of impatient people huffing behind me.
Finally, we were guided to the main stage, and my friends and I happily took our spots along the barricade. The security guards surrounding the stage offered us water if we needed it, and I had an enjoyable time talking with the other fans around me (all of them friendly girls wearing sparkles, lace and frills). After about six hours of waiting, the curtains finally withdrew and Sabrina Carpenter’s introductory video began playing.
The stage setup was one of the greatest I have ever seen, enormous and resembling a dollhouse — complete with a living room, bathroom, bedroom and more. Carpenter was mysteriously absent as the lights flicked on, only for her to come stumbling out of the “bath” confused and appearing to be wearing nothing but a towel. Giggles erupted from the crowd, and as the first song of the tour kicked on, Carpenter opened her towel and revealed one of her many famous bodysuits; glittering, lacy and iconic.
The opening set the tone for the rest of the concert, Sabrina Carpenter putting on a magnificent performance as she danced, sang, and acted her heart out. It was split into three acts, each one feeling completely different from the last, and including an entirely different outfit from Carpenter. She strutted around the stage, taking full advantage of the size and grandeur of her set, colorful spotlights following her every movement. Even her backup dancers shone brightly, their personality and glee lifting everyone’s spirits. Carpenter’s interactions with them brought life and humor into the act.
“Sabrina After Dark” was her second act, designed as a sleepover and accompanied by a black lace one-piece. Carpenter took this moment to sit at the very edge of the stage in order to converse with and receive gifts from her fans. I was within reaching distance of her, and being able to see her so up close was a surreal experience. She was extremely sweet (short and sweet, even!), and more than happy to make conversation with everyone as she called her backup dancers over and settled in for an impromptu game of spin the bottle.
As the concert came to a close and Carpenter finished performing the song “Don’t Smile,” with the fitting lyrics “Don’t smile because it happened, baby, cry because it’s over,” canons of white confetti exploded over the crowd, raining down around Carpenter and her fans as she bid her audience farewell with a charming wave and her hands forming a heart.
Overall, she did phenomenally, with much work, time and love clearly put into the set design, choreography and costumes. She kept her unbridled joy on her face with every step, and I was blown away by each one. Sabrina Carpenter mixed her talents of singing and acting into a wonderful, sexy and humorous concert that had the crowd head over heels.
I left the arena with a warm heart and a wide smile, the extravagant performance and experience ingrained into my brain for years to come.
