Short, Sweet, and Sabrina
Taking a look at the record-breaking legacy of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and the Short n Sweet tour, it’s hard not to notice the parallels Taylor Swift had with Sabrina Carpenter. With a repertoire of five Disney-era albums behind her, Carpenter has navigated the tough transition from being known as a teen pop to an artist with a mature, distinct identity that isn’t as innocent as people like to believe her to be. Her latest tour celebrates her evolution, showcasing her songwriting depth and ability to command a stage — hallmarks of the Swift school of pop stardom.
After opening for the Eras Tour, Carpenter clearly picked up a few lessons in commanding a crowd and elevating her own stage presence. Borrowing cues from Taylor Swift's unmatched ability to combine beautiful storytelling with engaging visuals, Carpenter has leveled up her own tour experience from a standard concert to a full-fledged immersive event.
With deliberate attention to her set design and fan interaction, she crafts a performance that showcases her growth as a performer and her ability to make a personal connection with her audience. This evolution signals not only her influences but also her determination to carve out a unique space for herself in pop music’s live performance arena.
The inspiration stays clear throughout the three separate acts of Carpenters tour, the costuming and the energy she commands so easily from her audience. Much like Swift’s ability to make the audience feel like they’re right there with her, through her authenticity, Carpenter threads her personal narratives into her performances.
Yet, what makes her rise so remarkable is her refusal to be overshadowed by people’s beliefs on what her music should sound like and how she should act. Carpenter’s live shows are a celebration of exploring her sexuality and individuality, marked by her playful and dry humor, vulnerable ballads and a voice that sets her apart from the rest.
The Short n Sweet Tour, clocking in at a brisk hour and a half, spans an impressive 21 songs. It delivers a whirlwind of nostalgia and modernity, perfectly replicating the essence of a girl's sleepover — equal parts chaotic, fun and heartfelt vulnerability.
The setlist seamlessly shares Carpenter’s recent explorations of love, heartbreak and self-discovery, creating an atmosphere that feels like both a retro dreamscape of the 1960s and an unmistakably modern celebration of female empowerment. Each individual act showcases a blend of hits from her newly released album, her past hits, covers and even unreleased deep cuts she plays just for the fans.
The intimate yet energetic staging invites fans to join in the whimsy, laughter and catharsis of a night that’s as playful as it is personal, reaffirming her identity as an artist who knows how to connect deeply with her audience.
The first act sets the stage for the whole show with its upbeat and playful tone, opening with tracks like “Taste” and “Good Graces.” She runs frantically out from behind the stage in seemingly just a towel, which opens up to reveal various colors of a fully diamond-encrusted bodysuit, covered by the towel which is also diamond encrusted, clearly giving Ms. Swift Lover or Midnight's bodysuit essence. The act continues through fan favorites like “Tornado Warnings” and “Decode,” capturing a mix of introspection and energy to connect with fans immediately.
The second section dives deeper into her duality of vulnerability and empowerment. She comes out in a Capri black bodysuit, with a bow and matching feather bowa. Songs like “Because I Liked a Boy” explore her personal storytelling, while tracks such as “Fast Times” and "Feather” lean into her confident and playful vibe. This act also includes the interactive and fun "Spin the Bottle" game, where Sabrina selects a surprise cover song, adding an element of spontaneity that really puts a spin on something Swift does in every one of her shows, her surprise song section. This is the real sell that this is supposed to be a sleepover, because who doesn’t love a game?
In the final act she comes out in a sparkly two-piece set, which really emphasizes intimacy with her sultriness through tracks like “Dumb & Poetic” and "Please Please Please.” She then shows off one of her most known and well-loved performances in the whole show, “Juno,” where she sheds down from the sparkly and colorful long skirt she originally wears to a mini skirt, hands a pair of pink fuzzy handcuffs to someone in the crowd and does her famous position and sings “have you ever tried this one?” The act ends and then crescendos into her encore with the lively “Espresso,” ensuring the concert concludes on a high-energy note that leaves the audience exhilarated.
Each act blends music, visuals and Sabrina's storytelling to create an engaging experience that resonates with her diverse fan base. She takes what she has learned from her time with Swift and makes it into her own, creating one of the most captivating tours of this generation.
Did you get to go to the Short n Sweet tour? If you did, tag us in your pics @theedgemag !!!