Sabrina Carpenter had a memorable evening at the 2025 Brit Awards over the weekend. The Grammy winner and style icon, 25, wowed onlookers on the red carpet at the Intercontinental Hotel in London, wearing a pale pink gown adorned with frills, ruched details, silver embroidery, and a long sheer train.
On March 1st, she also won the Global Success Award and kicked off the show with a mash-up of her summer 2024 hits “Espresso” and “Bed Chem.” For her controversial performance, Carpenter wore a red, sparkly, military-style mini-dress with matching stockings and suspenders.
Sabrina Carpenter Looks Ethereal In Romantic Rosy Gown At The Brit Awards As Viewers Slam Her Sultry Performance
The "Juno" singer stirred controversy when she was seen in a provocative moment with a dancer dressed as a soldier in a bearskin hat, which many viewers found inappropriate.
The former Disney star's racy dance movements and suggestive choreography prompted U.K. viewers to threaten Ofcom, as it aired before the 9 p.m. cutoff meant to shield children from risqué content, according to the BBC.
Sabrina Carpenter’s opening at the BRIT Awards.
It’s cool to be sexy and empowered. Unfortunately, this throw back was none of those things. Cheap and tacky. pic.twitter.com/I8rtkPT3Uc — Anne Stockton (@AnneStockton01) March 2, 2025
Soon after Carpenter took the stage, one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that her performance was "disrespectful" as another added: "how dare you." An additional user commented: "What have I just watched Sabrina carpenter." They continued: "WTF That was pure soft porn before the watershed."
Someone else replied: "It’s cool to be sexy and empowered. Unfortunately, this throw back was none of those things. Cheap and tacky." One other concurred, writing: "The other acts did very creative routines, with impressive sets and costumes. This was lazy and thoughtless. The "dancers" looked as foolish as she did. It wasn’t kitch, it was cringe."
Other viewers, however, praised the "Please Please Please" hitmaker's segment of the show, with one fan tweeting: "Some people threatening to complain to Ofcom about Sabrina Carpenter's BRIT Awards performance need to get a life. It was a fun show with great energy! If you can't handle a little excitement before 9 pm, maybe it's time to lighten up!" Another added: "Sabrina Carpenter at the brits doing bed chem before the watershed is absolutely iconic. she’s a sexy little lady who wants everyone to feel sexy for themselves not for other people! Go cry about it it ofcom."
Although Carpenter hasn't responded to the latest critiques, she has consistently emphasized the importance of remaining authentic to herself as an artist. This commitment includes continuing to perform sultry and provocative dances on stage, crafting playful and flirtatious lyrics, and wearing figure-hugging, retro-inspired outfits.
In a 2024 interview with Vanity Fair, the Short n' Sweet artist explained: "This is my diary. Once I put it out there, it’s for other people to interpret. I try to not tell people what a song is explicitly about."
She added: "People don’t always know what’s going on inside the minds of anyone, let alone a young girl who’s navigating love and a lot of things for the first time."
