When we saw Sabrina Carpenter at The O2 earlier this year, the energy was tight and electric, and borderline cinematic – a millennial-Gen Z pop fairytale at full polish. But on Sunday in Hyde Park, under golden-hour skies, she transcended even that – bringing charm, cheek, and a touch of chaos to the Great Oak Stage.
Carpenter kicked off her set in a dazzling white one-piece with her name emblazoned in bubblegum pink across the chest (because of course it was) – paired with calf-high white boots and tight, bouncy curls. She launched straight into ‘Busy Woman’, ‘Taste’ and ‘Good Graces’, setting the tone with pure pop confidence. By the time she hit ‘Slim Pickins’, 65,000 voices were singing back to her in full, euphoric unison.
Later in the set, she shifted gears again – this time leading the entire London crowd into a line dance for her latest hit, ‘Manchild’. It was camp, catchy, and completely self-aware.
Midway through her set, Carpenter paused – smiling slyly as if she were about to share a secret. “Let’s howl together,” she told the crowd. And like that, 65,000 voices rose in unison, a feral, joyous chorus echoing across central London. Then, she dropped the bomb: “Please welcome the legendary Duran Duran!”
Cue collective meltdown, as many parents taking their children along realised their night got a whole lot better! Out strode Simon Le Bon and John Taylor – two pop rock icons with more swagger than most artists half their age – joining Sabrina on stage for a joint rendition of ‘Hungry Like the Wolf’. It was a moment. And it somehow worked perfectly: a Gen Z star teaming up with New Romantic royalty in the middle of a park rave. Totally unexpected, totally unforgettable.
Between the spectacle and the sequins, she found time to thank her fans – genuinely. There was no scripted sincerity here. It felt real, grateful, and a little wide-eyed, like she still can’t quite believe any of this is happening. But it is. And she’s nailing it.
From the winking chaos of ‘Nonsense’ to the ABBA-laced magic of ‘Lay All Your Love on Me,’ Sabrina served every flavour of pop fantasy. And yet somehow, she made it all feel personal – like this 65,000-strong crowd was just a bunch of friends she invited over to scream, cry, and dance in the grass.
She’s no longer the rising star we saw at the O2. She’s something bigger, bolder, and just a little bit weirder. And thank God for that.
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