Hot on the heels of her seventh (yes, seventh) studio album, Man's Best Friend, Sabrina Carpenter performed her latest hit single 'Tears' at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards. Sabrina, her lyrics and her performance style have become synonymous with controversy in recent years, but one thing remains certain: she doesn't care.
And what better display of defiance and allyship than to stand up for trans rights on stage at the VMAs? All dolled up in a silver tasseled mini dress, Sabrina sang 'Tears' on stage with a group of drag queens who were holding signs that said, 'Protect Trans Rights', 'Protect the Dolls', 'Dolls Dolls Dolls' and 'Love Each Other'. It's a move that went down well with fans on social media. 'Powerful moment,' reads on post on X, 'Using such a big stage to stand up for trans rights makes the message even louder.' While another viewer wrote, 'Music with a message hits different. Sabrina did that.'
The performance saw Sabrina masterfully change outfits (and hairstyle) mid-way and has already drawn parallels with noughties Britney Spears, who is arguably the queen of the VMAs. 'The ending hair flick was giving Britney Spears in the best was possible,' wrote one commenter on YouTube. 'HUGE props to Sabrina for sticking with this message in this current climate,' reads another. 'The stage presence is immaculate.'
The latter comment of course refers to the Trump administration's move to reject transgender identity. In January, he issued an order to state that the US government will only recognise two sexes, male and female, that are fixed at birth, and ordered government agencies to end all reference to and consideration of a person’s gender identity. For this issue to be put centre stage at one of the biggest nights in music, then, was a bold move.
Later that evening, Sabrina accepted the award for Best Album for her previous album Short 'n Sweet. 'I really don't take for granted when you guys take the time out of your lives to listen to an album, and if I'm lucky enough that that is my album, I am so grateful,' she said on stage while accepting the accolade.
'Whether that be Short n' Sweet, this album, or whether that be Man's Best Friend, my new album, or whether it be one of my 29 before that,' she joked. 'I'm just the luckiest girl in the world, and I do want to say to my incredible cast and dancers and my queens on stage. And my queens on stage with me tonight.'
Seeming to address the criticism she's received about the optics of her latest album, including the artwork where her hair is pulled by a man wearing a suit, she said the world can be 'full of negativity'.
'This world, as we all know, can be so full of criticism and discrimination and negativity,' the singer posited. 'So to get to be a part of something so often, more than not, that is something that can bring you light, make you smile, make you dance and make you feel like the world is your f---ing oyster, I am so grateful, so grateful to do that.'
What's clear is that Sabrina does not shy away from controversy – she embraces it, all the while lifting other people up with her. This is a fearless artist who invites her audience to have fun, is it any surprise she's so popular?
Nikki Peach is a writer at Grazia UK, working across entertainment, TV and news. She has also written for the i, i-D and the New Statesman Media Group and covers all things pop culture for Grazia (treating high and lowbrow with equal respect).