Sabrina Carpenter’s 2025 BRIT Awards performance was… too sexy? As a Sabrina stan, I would describe it more as groundbreaking. Iconic. Legendary. We pop culture enthusiasts in the US may have been tuned in to the 2025 Oscars the weekend of Feb. 28, but over in the UK, it was all about the BRIT Awards. The opening act was none other than our beloved 5’0” pop princess, who kicked off the ceremony with an “Espresso” and “Bed Chem” mashup that featured men in beefeater getups, a swoon-worthy boudoir setup, and impeccable live vocals with a side of flexible choreography. And like clockwork, people were quick to criticize her NSFW performance.
What most critics seem to forget is that Carpenter is no stranger to pushing the envelope. She’s already been dubbed our modern-day Shakespeare. That is if Shakespeare was a horny, petite pop girl with a penchant for blush blindness and blonde ringlets. This isn’t the first time one of her performances has sparked controversy either. From her naughty “Nonsense” outros from the emails i can’t send era to the “Juno” positions she demonstrated throughout her Short N’ Sweet tour, Carpenter’s no stranger to innuendos.
But let’s be real — was her BRIT Awards performance even that shocking? Have we learned nothing from the great pop provocateurs before her? Madonna built an empire off religious iconography and lace lingerie. Britney Spears turned schoolgirl uniforms into a cultural reset. Rihanna delivered an entire discography draped in sensuality. (Have we so quickly forgotten the days when we were 10 years old and singing along to “Rude Boy?”)
It’s essentially Miley Cyrus all over again—the moment a young woman who built her career on family-friendly content dares to step into her own sensuality, the internet combusts into a discourse tornado about morality, role models, and the sanctity of childhood nostalgia. Never mind that Carpenter has been shedding her Disney image for years, steadily carving out her space in the pop landscape with razor-sharp songwriting, playful irreverence, and a stage presence that rivals the best in the game.
At the end of the day, Carpenter isn’t trying to be scandalous—she’s just having fun. At what point do we let these women evolve and do what they want? Her performance at the BRITs was so much more than just a racy spectacle—it was a woman embracing her sexuality and delivering a performance that felt equal parts cheeky and unapologetically confident.
Like “Espresso,” Carpenter’s brand of pop is best served hot. If you can’t handle the heat, maybe it’s time to switch to decaf.