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Two years after she predicted she’d be ascending to the top spot of the festival, Sabrina Carpenter finally had her Coachella headlining moment on Friday night. Her highly-choreographed set was framed around the singer’s arrival to Hollywood, and the glittering machinery of fame, complete with cinematic cameos and stunning set pieces. A towering “Sabrinawood” sign anchored the production, occasionally serving as her perch, while the final act leaned into a marquee-filled homage to old Hollywood.
Between costume changes and set transitions, the show also featured a handful of oddball interludes starring Sam Elliott, Susan Sarandon, and Will Ferrell: Elliott (as a gruff police officer) provided a moody introduction to “Sabrinawood,” Sarandon (portraying an older version of Carpenter) delivered a somewhat lengthy monologue that didn’t seem to fully land with those in the crowd, and Ferrell did what Ferrell does best, offering comedic relief as an electrician. Still, the skits never quite matched the charisma of the live performance itself.
More than a victory lap of her career thus far, Carpenter’s performance was a major showcase for her 2025 album Man’s Best Friend. With significant production from Jack Antonoff and live instrumentation by his band Bleachers, the record leans into the warmth and charm of a live band, and that spirit carried over to Coachella. Songs like “Manchild” and “Go Go Juice” arrived with lively, powerful arrangements, while the anthemic hooks and earworm flourishes that define Man’s Best Friend made the whole performance feel bigger, warmer, and more communal. Other notable moments included the live debuts of “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night,” “Such a Funny Way,” and “Sugar Talking.”
The setlist, of course, also boasted some of Carpenter’s show-stopping hits, including “Taste,” “Please Please Please,” “Don’t Smile,” “Juno,” and “Espresso,” the latter of which was released two years to the day — when she last played Coachella. During that set, Carpenter told the crowd, “see you back here when I headline.” Looking back on that remark, Carpenter joked during her Friday night set, “If I said that and I didn’t headline, it’d be pretty fucking awkward.”
It was an enjoyable show by any measure, even if it didn’t feel as conceptually jaw-dropping as some of the other headlining sets we’ve seen over the past decade. Still, Carpenter’s ode to Hollywood — her Life of a Showgirl, if you will — offered plenty of charm.
Watch videos of the performance below, and check out Carpenter’s Coachella setlist below. Head here for more coverage of Coachella 2026.
.@SabrinaAnnLynn performing her hit song “Espresso” at coachella 2 years after debuting it there #Sabchella pic.twitter.com/vTi0McCJqd
— SabrinaUpdates (@charts_sabrina) April 11, 2026
.@SabrinaAnnLynn performing “House Tour” at coachella tonight #sabchella pic.twitter.com/6XLBxn4vx8
— SabrinaUpdates (@charts_sabrina) April 11, 2026
https://twitter .com/charts_sabrina/status/2042853306729668873
Sabrina Carpenter Coachella Setlist
Act I
House Tour
Taste
Busy Woman
Manchild
Act II
When Did You Get Hot?
Please Please Please
We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night
Nobody’s Son
because i liked a boy
My Man on Willpower
Act III
Go Go Juice
Such a Funny Way
Sugar Talking
Don’t Smile
Act IV
Feather
Bed Chem
Act V
Juno
Espresso
Play Video
Goodbye
Tears
English (US) · 