Sabrina Carpenter Wows 65,000 at BST Festival in London with Toned-Down Show

At London's BST Festival on Saturday night, Sabrina Carpenter lit up the stage with a modified 17-song set. The crowd of 65,000 watched as she presented a more family-friendly version of her usual show.

Despite building her brand on sexual confidence and raunchy lyrics, the 26-year-old pop star made smart changes to her act. During "Juno," she fired shirts into the crowd using a cannon instead of performing her signature sexually suggestive moves. Before "Bed Chem," screens flashed a "parental discretion" warning about content, as reported by Annabel Rackham at the BBC.

Between songs, she spoke to the audience: "London is so fun and there's so much to do here." She also expressed thanks to fans who picked her show for their Saturday plans.

2024 was a very successful year for the artist. She made history as the first woman to claim both first and second spots on the UK singles chart for three straight weeks. "Espresso" stayed at number one for 20 weeks — the longest streak since 1953.

The BST Festival show is just another one in her string of sold-out performances. Fans watched as old-school charm filled the gaps between music. The screens played black-and-white clips styled like 1950s commercials, with silly ads for sprays that chase away bad dates and beds for "special occasions."

Yet not all the press has been good. Her Brit Awards show in March sparked controversy, with 800 viewers writing to Ofcom about its mature themes. Then, in June, groups criticized the cover art of her album Man's Best Friend, saying it sent the wrong messages about power and harm.

For her grand finale, she glided above fans on a mechanical arm, giving her fans the opportunity to get close-up videos for their social media. The night ended with "Espresso" — she took a sip from her glass and gave a final bow.

"Damn nobody showed up," she joked at the end of the show, adding, "London thank you so much for having us tonight, this has to be one of the biggest shows I've played in my entire life."

While there were some murmurs from fans who probably expected a surprise guest or show, Sabrina owned the stage with the spotlight on her solo. The Saturday night performance also proved that the "Manchild" singer is a true professional who can switch between styles and setlists to match different audiences.

Her path began small, with her creating videos on YouTube at the age of 10. A spot on the Disney series Girl Meets World came in 2013, offering her a platform. Six albums later, she's now a worldwide star, although her big fame only came recently.