When the stage lights dropped and the surprise guest finally appeared Saturday night at Austin City Limits, the crowd screamed so loud you’d think Taylor Swift had actually shown up. But as the spotlight hit, it wasn’t Taylor — it was Shania Twain. The two divas launched into “That Don’t Impress Me Much, ”cementing Sabrina’s country-leaning reinvention and setting the tone for a night of running the show her way.
Her vocals? Flawless. Belt for belt, Sabrina hit every note like she’d been training for this her whole life — which, in a way, she has. Those Disney days clearly paid off; the stagecraft stayed, but now it comes with edge and intention.
Ami Iyer, 23, wears a kiss inspired by Sabrina Carpenter’s “Short and Sweet Album” as she waits for the headliner to perform Saturday. The headliner is expected to draw large crowds decked in pastels, glitter and pink as a nod to the star’s style. (Lily Kepner/American-Statesman)
Pre-show tension
Before the first note, chaos briefly took center stage. A staffer rushed in, asking fans to step back, while a red-screen warning flashed: “PLEASE TAKE A FEW STEPS BACK AND THE SHOW WILL RESUME SHORTLY.” Murmurs rose, the crowd shuffled, then cheers rippled out. Order restored, the show began.
Projected news-clip footage cut to darkness: Sabrina, cast as a startled newscaster, asked, “Do you know where your husband is?” Then she appeared— gingham top, curly hair bouncing, denim shorts, dance moves straight from an ’80s workout video — for “Busy Woman.”
She came out swinging, and the crowd was hers.
Eras end, fashion shifts but the energy stays
Mi Vuong leaned over: “Have you noticed her style has changed?” Gone are the corsets and sparkles of her “Short ’n Sweet” days; now it’s gingham, boots, cowgirl vibes, and curls that bounce on command.
The momentum turned country with “Slim Pickins.” Before “Manchild,”, a parody ad for “Manchild Spray” played like a Febreze spoof — cleaning up men, literally. When Sabrina sang it, she line-danced during the bridge, twirling an imaginary lasso and locking eyes with the audience. “I’m so grateful,” she murmured twice, shaking her head in disbelief.
During “Good Graces” she forced the crowd to yell back, “I won’t give a [expletive] about you!” — girl power, zero apologies. She thanked fans for camping out and quipped, “Everything’s bigger in Texas, that’s what they say.”
Scattered around, personal dramas unfolded. Mi’s friend gasped, “Oh my god, he messaged me back,” and two strangers leaned in with advice — don’t text him now. Mi confiscated the phone. These are Sabrina’s people — the girls who overthink text bubbles and feel every lyric like it’s written for them.
She slowed for “Sharpest Tool in the Shed,” raw and human, then nodded to her past: “All Because I Liked a Boy” erupted into fireworks.
Two divas, one stage (and Djo gets cuffed)
Then — Shania entered. The crowd lost it. Together, they sang “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” a perfect mash-up of nostalgia and reinvention.
Her dancers moved in couples onstage while Sabrina changed outfits; dance breaks are her playground — a moment she commands in “Tears.” Later she reappeared in a pastel-blue mini for “Nonsense,” followed by “Feather.” Hearing “I feel so much lighter like a feather with you off my mind” hit me in the gut — the end of my own situationship just one day before ACL suddenly felt like a blessing.
Before “Bed Chem,” the screens flashed “Parental Discretion Advised.” Sabrina crooned from a bed, remixed Ginuwine’s “Pony” into the bridge, red lights bleeding across the stage. Seductive, confident, in full control.
“I’m always looking for love in every city,” she teased mid-set as the police-like camera found Djo — a.k.a. Joe Keery— front and center. “This one’s for you, Djo,” she said, waving and launching into “Juno.” Fireworks exploded during the guitar solo, a wink to her rock edge and the kind of ACL moment fans will brag about for years.
That’s that Sabrina espresso
Her final act felt cinematic. “Tears” played against storm projections; she rose on a platform for “Don’t Smile,” a sea of phone flashlights flickering below like constellations. She closed with “Espresso,” and fans poured out of Zilker Park onto Barton Springs Road — giddy, buzzing, and energized because, well, yes — that’s that Sabrina espresso.
After Saturday night, one thing was clear: Sabrina Carpenter isn’t just Taylor Swift’s possible opener anymore — she’s her own headliner, in full command of her reinvention, her crowd and her narrative.
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