A few viewers praised her performance as “iconic” during the 2025 BRIT Awards, whereas others felt it was “unnecessary.”
Apart from taking home the Global Success Award during the March 1 presentation on Saturday, Sabrina Carpenter was shortlisted in two other categories: International Song of the Year and International Artist of the Year for the hit song “Espresso.” Though she lost to Chappell Roan in the two categories, the performance that took center stage on the night was hers.
Carpenter began the night with an energetic performance of ‘Espresso’ and was joined by a group of performing King’s Guards. It segued into a sensual performance of ‘Bed Chem’ with a dramatic visual of the singer perched on top of a giant pink bed, flanked by performers in their own bedrooms.
One of the standout moments was when Carpenter knelt in front of a male dancer, and the latter winked at the camera while Carpenter briefly went out of sight. This cheeky gesture left social media burning with reactions focused on whether the dance routine was suitable for its pre-watershed schedule—denoting the period prior to 9 PM when material not suitable for children is usually off-limits.
The response was intensely polarized. Some saw the humor in it, with one X (formerly Twitter) user labeling it as “iconic.” Others weren’t as favorable. One critical response in particular likened the act to “live pornography” and complained, “It’s supposed to be a family show.
In the midst of the increasing conversation, Carpenter addressed the criticism in her characteristic tongue-in-cheek style on Instagram. She uploaded a sequence of images from the evening, which she captioned with a blunt yet impactful six-worded reaction: “I now know what watershed is!!!!”
It’s not the first time Carpenter has been the focus of conversation around the representation of sexuality through music. She has already had to stand up for her theatrical decisions and presence on stage, particularly against judgment from industry players Mike Stock, Matt Aitken, and Pete Waterman. Waterman had singled her out as an artist whose image he believed was harmful to women, stating in an interview with The Sun, “If you’re asking to be respected, don’t come on in a G-string.” Stock echoed similar sentiments, dismissing Carpenter’s use of sexualized lyrics as “lazy.”
Carpenter did not hesitate to reply. In a subsequent interview with The Sun on Sunday, she made her position clear, stating, “My message has always been clear – if you can’t handle a girl who is confident in her own sexuality, then don’t come to my shows.”
She also drew attention to the centuries-long history of female musicians being criticized for their looks and on-stage appearance, declaring, “Female artists have been shamed forever. In the noughties, it was Rihanna, in the nineties, it was Britney Spears, in the eighties, it was Madonna – and now it’s me.”. It’s basically suggesting that women artists ought not be permitted to find themselves in terms of their own sexuality in the music, the manner in which they dress, in the performance.”
Carpenter went on to accuse double standards when judging female performers, continuing, “It is completely regressive. It’s like those people who want to shame don’t say anything when I’m talking about self-care or body positivity or heartbreak, which are all things that a 25-year-old person would go through. They only want to talk about the sexuality of my work.”
In spite of the fallout, Carpenter’s career is still going strong. Her songs ring out to millions of people around the globe, and her performances—whether perceived as racy or empowering—inspire dialogue about artistic expression, individuality, and the changing face of pop music.
Though the divided responses to the BRITs 2025 appearance, one thing is certain: Sabrina Carpenter is not disappearing anytime soon. She still unabashedly owns her work, connecting with fans on her terms and challenging dated expectations.
