MUMBAI: Sabrina Carpenter has been preparing for this moment her entire life. After making her TV debut in 2011 at just 12 years old, she has spent years on the cusp of pop superstardom. Following a major breakthrough in 2024, she was ready for her first Grammy stage well, almost.

Dressed in a dazzling showgirl ensemble, Carpenter made a dramatic entrance but immediately missed her spotlight. She then dropped her cane and, while descending a grand pearlescent staircase, suddenly vanished through a trap door.

Thankfully, it was all part of an elaborate, comedic ruse. She quickly reappeared, launching into a big-band rendition of Espresso, complete with a daring tap routine. After a quick change into a sparkling blue Victoria’s Secret bodysuit, she seamlessly transitioned into Please, Please, Please—only for the set to collapse around her.

As she leapt into the arms of a backup dancer, she couldn’t hold back her laughter, delivering a perfectly executed piece of old-school vaudeville. The audience roared with approval, though host Trevor Noah had a playful complaint.

“That was amazing and funny, which I didn’t appreciate,” he quipped. “Really, Sabrina? You’re just gonna take my job like that?”