Pop Break Live: Sabrina Carpenter, ‘The Short n’ Sweet Tour’ at The PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA on Friday October 24, 2025
Sabrina Carpenter is undeniably three things: horny, unashamed, and, perhaps most importantly, a performer.
On Thursday, Oct. 23, the “Please Please Please” singer kicked off the fall leg of her Short n’ Sweet tour in Pittsburgh, PA. On Friday, Oct. 24, I managed to snag last-minute tickets — standing room only, of course.
Fans decked out in Sabrina-inspired ensembles filled the PPG Paints Arena, hyped up on nothing but bright and skimpy dresses in the chilly Pennsylvanian night. Following the bluesy groove of Amber Mark and the soulful swing of budding sensation Olivia Dean, Carpenter emerged from the stage’s trapdoor like a modern-day Hannah Montana. Of course, the crowd was deafening.
Carpenter proceeded to play a 24-song set, including three tour newbies from her latest album, Man’s Best Friend: “Manchild,” “House Tour,” and “Tears.” The combination of old and new songs, though, isn’t what made the show. It was the singer herself.
The 26-year-old pop star isn’t new to the entertainment industry by any means. Before landing on top of the pop girly totem pole, Carpenter starred in several child actor roles before her breakout role of Maya Hart in Disney Channel’s Girl Meets World and her (aptly short-lived) Broadway debut in Mean Girls as Cady Heron. This intimate familiarity with production value could not have followed her into her music career more obviously, where she sets a high standard for a full-on concert experience. (It’s something the singer herself would probably joke about being unable to reach—but managing it anyway.)
A highlight of a Carpenter concert in this era of hers is the ’50s-esque retro glam that pervades her show, from fake interlude commercials to even the house set that transforms the stage into her own sanctuary. Despite a team of background dancers constantly circling her, Carpenter doesn’t fail to command the audience—something a spotlight and glittery outfits can’t always provide. If anything, she often joins in on the choreography, managing body rolls while singing in her higher register. For those who doubted her ability to star on Broadway, this show almost serves as a personal debunker.
Carpenter sexualizes herself, sure. That’s part of her rebrand. But never once while watching her dance on stage in nothing more than a bodysuit and tights does it feel as if she’s catering to the opposite-gendered gaze she composes lyrics about. After all, the audience was made up mostly of female-presenting fans with the occasional tagalong boyfriend. Carpenter knows her fan demographic: mid-20s women and queer individuals who just want to have a good time (save for the stray 12-year-old with a glitter-painted face). This awareness is key to Carpenter’s success, which is more than most modern artists can say about themselves.
Nevertheless, the summer controversy over her album’s cover art hasn’t scared Carpenter into hiding her sexuality. In a world where women are shamed for enjoying pleasure, Carpenter continues to lean into it while simultaneously bashing the patriarchy that labels her as scandalous in the first place. The dichotomy of this and her ‘50s trad wife aesthetic proves that she’s self-aware enough to drive the “woman who obeys” bit into the ground, even when accused of catering to men. After all, Carpenter’s shown that she’s going to keep doing what she does best: unabashedly being herself.
