Pop princess Sabrina Carpenter took to the stage to advocate for trans rights during her VMA performance on Sunday, September 7. The singer performed “Tears,” her latest single from her seventh studio album, Man’s Best Friend, surrounded by a colorful ensemble of RuPaul’s Drag Race stars.
Carpenter ascends from a manhole clad in shimmering gold tassels and black tights covered with rhinestones. Willam, Symone, and Denali surround her as she starts the number, the crowd roaring. Carpenter slinks across the stage and is then joined by two trans Drag Race alumni Laganja Estranja and Lexi Love. Background dancers vogue and death drop as Sabrina Carpenter continues belting along to the bouncy dance tune.
The Drag Race queens hold up placards that read: “Dolls, Dolls, Dolls,” “If you hate you’ll never get laid,” and then, after an outfit change by Carpenter in a phone booth, the stage is flooded with even more signs fighting for LGBTQ+ rights. “Protect trans rights,” “Good Bi,” “Love each other,” and “Don’t hate drag queens because you can’t read” were some of the witty and pertinent slogans.
The 26-year-old star is no stranger to the VMAs, having previously performed in 2024. At the time, Carpenter sang a medley of her hits, including “Please Please Please,” “Taste,” and “Espresso.” She also won her first VMA at the same 2024 awards show in the song of the year category for “Espresso.”
Then, to cap off the performance, Sabrina and several beefy policemen broke into a dance break in the rain. She was nominated for an impressive nine awards at the VMAs and took home the award for Best Album (for Short n’ Sweet) that night. She was also up for best pop artist, and the lead single from her Man’s Best Friend album, “Manchild,” was nominated for video of the year, best pop, best direction, best cinematography, best editing, best visual effects, and song of the summer.
Photo courtesy of social media
