Sabrina Carpenter has cemented herself as a contemporary pop icon every time she releases new music or hits the stage.
She just completed her first headlining set at Coachella, after telling the crowd that she’d “see you back here when I headline” when she performed in 2024.
In the latest news about the Espresso singer’s debut as a Coachella headliner, her performance was full of highlights, including a special guest appearance by actress Susan Sarandon. The A-list star appeared during Carpenter’s April 10th performance as part of a nearly 7-minute interlude where she delivered a monologue as a future version of Sabrina pondering how her niece might think of her based on how she has lived her life.
While the two are not related in any way, they have a mutual respect for one another, and Carpenter’s music video for Tears has drawn comparisons to 1975’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a musical comedy starring Sarandon.
Early on in her set, Carpenter shared,
“Welcome to Sabrinawood, I can’t believe I’m headlining Coachella! I mean, I can a little bit, but it’s nicer to say that, right?”
By the time her performance was over, it was clear that there was no question in the crowd that she was firmly where she belonged.
Sabrina Carpenter surprises Coachella audience with more guests
While Sabrina Carpenter bringing out Susan Sarandon was a show-stopping move on its own merit, the pop star did not stop at just one cameo. Firstly, actor Sam Elliot appeared in the opening segment of the set as Carpenter made her way to the stage.
To the crowd’s sheer delight, there was so much more in store. Once the pop diva ended “Bad Chem,” perennial fan-favorite Will Ferrell appeared to fix a power short-circuit as an annoyed technician who thought he was working the Stagecoach festival instead. As part of the bit, he was struggling across the stage with a power cord that he could not connect.
Later, during “Juno”, Carpenter’s ongoing innuendo-based gag was replaced by a powerful gong accompanied by a voiceover from Samuel L. Jackson.
“Hello, Coachella, this is your spiritual guide. I’m here to take you motherf—ers on this journey to relaxation. Now, Sabrina, finish the motherf—ing song.”
Perfect magazine published an article earlier this week where Marc Jacobs interviewed Sabrina Carpenter, and the latter described her Coachella set as,
“the most ambitious show I’ve ever done.”
Based on initial reactions, it seems as though the results of her planning have paid off.
Edited by Nimisha