In light of several viral moments and a wider conversation among fans, it's time to reevaluate the controversy surrounding Sabrina Carpenter's stage performances. Carpenter has been on a steady climb to the top for years now, but the 2024 release of her sixth album - mainly the top charting singles "Taste," "Espresso," and "Please Please Please" - officially solidified her as a juggernaut presence in pop. Naturally, listeners have been eager to see her in concert, but not every attendee is happy.

Sabrina Carpenter has been lambasted by critics who believe her performances are too sexually explicit, particularly during her performances for "Juno." Fan recordings online of these performances have continued to circulate across social media, inspiring outrage from audiences who think that Carpenter simulating sexual acts onstage is going too far.

On the contrary, anyone who's actually listened to her music will know that Sabrina Carpenter's performances are on brand more than anything else. It's hard to say she's gone "too far" when the performances simply reflect the music.

The Backlash to Sabrina Carpenter's Live Shows, Explained

Why Are People So Upset With The "Taste" Singer?

Sabrina Carpenter is currently in the midst of her Short 'n' Sweet Tour that began in Ohio in September and, across 47 shows, will stretch out into March for a finale in Italy. At each of these concerts, Sabrina Carpenter's setlist includes the album's 10th track, "Juno," a song about being so enamored with a male partner that she wants to have his baby, ala the movie of the same name starring Elliot Page. As one of the more popular songs of the album, there's a lot of pomp and circumstance to the performance.

The performance typically starts with Carpenter calling out a member of the audience, usually a celebrity - past examples include Millie Bobbi Brown and Rachel Sennott - and handing them a pair of pink handcuffs - as a reference to a lyric in "Juno" - attempting to arrest them for being too hot. They're invited to jail in a "fun way." Afterward, the song actually starts, and controversy begins all over again whenever Sabrina Carpenter utters the lyric, "have you ever tried this one?" The moment she says it is when she starts mimicking a sexually provocative pose or position.

Somewhat inevitably, videos of Carpenter performing the song have been picked up at the center of a moral panic. Carpenter's demographic is broad, and critics focus on the younger end of the spectrum, and how sexually suggestive performances are inappropriate, particularly in light of her past work on the Disney Channel:

"This is just disgusting. Her fans are 13 and above but shi like this adds to the exposed c**p that they’ve seen especially since it’s someone they look up to." - Gekoft on X.com

The Sabrina Carpenter Backlash Completely Ignores All of Her Music

Have Those Criticizing Her Actually Listened to Her Songs?

Much of the backlash comes from parents who bring their children to shows, but in all honesty, bringing their kids to a Sabrina Carpenter concert was the first and only mistake here. Any critics who have listened to her songs should know that Sabrina Carpenter is not for kids. Yes, the Girl Meets World star has her roots in being a Disney star, but it's been years since she's acted in or done anything geared toward children. Carpenter is a 25-year old adult and, as such, she has every right to cater her music to fellow adults.

By proxy, virtually all the songs she sings and writes are about sex. Nothing wrong with that. Parents, she's not actually talking about Nintendo when she croons about moving "it up, down, left, right, oh" on "Espresso." These songs aren't subtle. She couldn't be clearer about what she's talking about, so parents should have known these concerts weren't for kids. Sabrina Carpenter is one of music's most refreshing voices as her songs cater to the female gaze, but most importantly, they're for adults. Just tuck the kids into bed and let Sabrina Carpenter and her adult audience have their fun.