On Oct. 3, Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl tied the knot of the “Invisible String” that is the friendship between Swift and Sabrina Carpenter. The dynamic duo released a collaboration, the title track of Swift’s 12th studio album, “The Life of a Show Girl,” and it is everything and more.
It turns out Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter’s friendship is pure support and admiration on both sides. When speaking about the pair’s “The Life of a Showgirl” song, Swift gushed over her mentee. In the Track by Track edition of The Life of a Showgirl on Amazon Music, Swift said, “I invited the ultimate showgirl, Sabrina Carpenter, and thankfully she agreed.” I just know younger Sabrina Carpenter (and maybe even 26-year-old Carpenter) is screaming, crying and throwing up (just like me).
If you’re all in for the Taybrina era, it turns out that their friendship goes back a lot further than dans think. From YouTube covers to double dates to fully-cemented professional collaboration, Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift have a lovely bond that has proven to be long-lasting. If “The Life of a Showgirl” is the first taste of the powerful storytelling between two icons, I will be eagerly awaiting more.
August 2009: Carpenter covers “Picture to Burn”
A full 16 years ago, when Carpenter was only 10 years old, she covered a T. Swift classic: “Picture to Burn.” Carpenter really got her big break when Girl Meets World started airing in 2014. So what I’m hearing is that she’s a real Swiftie.
March 2010: Carpenter tweets about a Taylor Swift concert
Carpenter wrote this adorable tweet, “The Taylor Swift concert was amazing, had so much fun I can’t wait to have a world tour someday like hers? lol with 2 sold out shows!!!!!” If only she knew what the future held.
August 2020: Carpenter cites Swift as a musical influence
Following the release of Swift’s album folklore, Carpenter spoke to Apple Music about how Swift has influenced her way of producing and releasing music. She said, “I’ve really, really felt this energy. Taylor Swift posted something when she released her new album in the description of when it dropped and saying like, ‘I usually would overthink the songs that I’m going to put out and release. And I just feel like nothing is certain right now and so it just felt right and I wanted to do it.’” Queens follow queens!
May 2021: Swift sends Carpenter a #RedTaylorsVersion package
Carpenter was one of the lucky recipients of Swift’s Taylor’s Version packages, and posted it on her Instagram Story. She expressed her gratitude by saying, “thank you blondie :’) being 22 is hitting very different right now.”
August 2022: Carpenter and Swift rub elbows at the VMAs afterparty
At the 2022 VMAs Republic Records afterparty held at the Fleur Room, Swift, Carpenter, and Rosé were in a star-studded picture together.
November 2022: Carpenter praises Swift’s Midnights
Back at the end of 2022, Carpenter admitted her feelings about Swift’s newest album, calling it “amazing.” She also mentioned that “Bejeweled” was her go-to mood boost track. A Swiftie then, and a Swiftie now!
November 2022: They share an iconic AMAs moment
Carpenter’s and Swift’s friendship heartwarming head pat-hug moment at the 2022 AMAs was inspiring. Carpenter announced Swift as the winner of Favorite Music Video with “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” and as Swift went up to accept the award, she made a slight jab at their 11-inch height difference by patting Carpenter on the head. Carpenter laughed and took the joke in stride, and the two later shared a hug. The sweet interaction between the two stars had fans wondering just when their friendship started, with Carpenter joining Swift at the Eras Tour.
August 2023: Carpenter opens The Eras Tour
Sabrina Carpenter was already a highly-anticipated topic when it was announced she was set to open for Swift for 13 shows of the Latin America leg of the Eras Tour. This invitation cemented that their personal relationship had smoothly transitioned into a professional one, with Sabrina Carpenter getting her big break into the mainstream media and Taylor Swift getting a pal to do shows with.
September 2023: The Pair Hits VMAS
While taking time off from the Eras Tour, fans saw a relaxed Taylor Swift drinking cocktails and chatting with Carpenter at the 2023 VMAs.
October 2023: Sabrina Carpenter Releases Spotify Singles “I Knew You Were Trouble” Cover
Sabrina Carpenter chose her role model Taylor Swift’s song “I Knew You Were Trouble” for a selectively-released session with Spotify, showing her utter admiration for the lyricism.
February 2024: Surprise Performance with Sabrina Carpenter
After thunderstorms halted Sabrina Carpenter’s opening act, Swift brought her out for the surprise song portion of the tour, where a video of Carpenter’s “White Horse” cover was broadcasted. Then, with magic in the air, the two of them sang a mash-up of “White Horse” and “Coney Island.”
March 2024: Zoo Field trip & End of the Eras Tour
With Carpenter departing from the Eras Tour in Australia, Swift and her went on a field trip to the zoo. After her final performance, Sabrina posted a sweet homage with “the most thank yous” to her mentor and now definitive good pal, Swift.
April 2024: Coachella with Barry Keoghan & Travis Kelce
The friendship left the tour for good, but soon after, Swift and Carpenter attended Coachella together on a double date with Swift’s now-fiance, Travis Kelce, and Carpenter’s now-ex Barry Keoghan.
July 2024: Taylor Swift Praises Sabrina Carpenter’s Success
When the chart-toppers “Espresso” and “Please, Please, Please” marked Sabrina Carpenter’s icon status, Swift commented on the commemorative post, saying, “SUMMER OF SABRINA AND MAY IT CONTINUE FOREVER.”
October 2024: Sabrina Surprises Fans with “Espresso” Performance at Eras Tour
Surprise! Sabrina Carpenter came back out to sing “Espresso” at the Eras Tour. About a year before her album Man’s Best Friend came out, the pair sneakily dropped an Easter egg for Carpenter’s song “Goodbye.”
February 2025: Grammys AfterParty
Taking another night off of the busy lives of two showgirls, Carpenter and Swift partied with their pal Jack Antonoff at a Grammys afterparty, looking like a cozy pair of best friends.
October 2025: Taylor Swift & Sabrina Carpenter Collab on The Life Of A Showgirl
For iHeart Radio’s TLOAS album release commentary, Swift broke down each track by what it meant to her. About the song “The Life of a Showgirl” featuring Carpenter, Swift said, “I wanted Sabrina to be the person who did the duet with because I think she’s so smart and cut out for this job … and I think she’s so tough and brilliant … and she’s really sensitive in terms of being an artist but she can handle herself.”
For even more heartwarming news, the song features crowd noise from the Dec. 11, 2025 final Eras Tour show in Vancouver. Does that mean some of us Swifties are technically part of the collab? Dream come true!
Overall, Swift and Carpenter’s professional collaboration marks the beautiful beginning and long-standing friendship that I will be rooting for on the sidelines.