The 2025 Grammy Awards were full of unforgettable moments, but it was Taylor Swift’s reaction to one performance that truly stole the show.
On February 2, 2025, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the music world gathered to celebrate its brightest stars. Among them was Swift, whose every move captured the spotlight, especially her lively reaction during Sabrina Carpenter’s high-energy performance.
Taylor Swift, 35, arrived at the ceremony in a dazzling red sleeveless mini-dress that shimmered under the lights, her golden hair flowing freely. As Sabrina Carpenter took the stage to perform “Please Please Please,” Taylor couldn’t help but get caught up in the excitement.
The moment Carpenter’s music began to play, Swift was seen swaying along to the rhythm, completely immersed in the performance. At one point, she pressed her hands together in a prayer-like gesture, her eyes focused on Carpenter with admiration.
But the highlight of the moment came when Swift turned to her longtime collaborator, Jack Antonoff, who had worked on the track with Carpenter.
With pure enthusiasm, Taylor shook Jack’s shoulders with excitement, showing just how thrilled she was by the performance. The energy was contagious, and it quickly became a talking point on social media.
As the performance went on, fans couldn’t stop talking about Taylor’s animated reaction. While some were impressed by her excitement, others felt that it stole the focus away from Sabrina’s big moment.
On Instagram, one fan posted, “Can’t she just let someone else have the spotlight?” while another criticized, “Entitled enough to think she doesn’t have to sit like everyone else.”
The conversation continued on Facebook, with some calling Swift’s behavior “inappropriate” and “immature,” while others pointed out that it was typical of her to seek attention. “There she go’s stealing the spotlight,” one Facebook user wrote.
However, not everyone was upset by Swift’s lively presence. On X (formerly Twitter), fans defended the singer, saying that her actions were simply a sign of how supportive she was of her friends.
One tweet read, “I love how she’s shamelessly herself even though she knows there’s cameras on her at all times. Her undying support for her friends is so cute.” Another simply said, “She’s so cute and supportive.”
Taylor’s infectious enthusiasm was hard to ignore, and it sparked debate all over social media.
Meanwhile, Sabrina Carpenter, 25, was having the night of her life. She took the stage on February 2 to perform a medley of her hits, including “Please Please Please.” It was a milestone moment for her, as she walked into the ceremony with six nominations.
By the end of the night, she had won two Grammys—Best Pop Vocal Album for Short n’ Sweet and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Espresso.”
Her nominations were a testament to her talent, including nods for Best New Artist, Album of the Year for Short n’ Sweet, Song of the Year for “Please Please Please,” and Record of the Year for “Espresso.” With these wins, Sabrina solidified her place as one of the top pop artists of today.
After receiving the Best Pop Vocal Album award, Sabrina took the stage to give a heartfelt acceptance speech. “I’m still out of breath from the performance, so I really was not expecting this,” she said, her voice filled with emotion.
She looked out at the audience and added, “And all of those nominees that were just on the screen are some of my favorite artists in the world, and I can’t believe I’m nominated against them or even in this room right now.”
The moment was overwhelming for Carpenter, and she admitted, “This is, whoo, my first Grammys, so I’m gonna cry,” as she held up a napkin with names written on it so she wouldn’t forget anyone.
“But I wrote names so I wouldn’t forget on this napkin, and now it’s probably all messed up,” she laughed.
Despite her nerves, she continued to express gratitude to the Recording Academy and the music community, saying, “I feel so lucky to be able to come together and do something so special and beautiful and celebrate music.”
She also took a moment to thank her family, including her mom, who had driven her to every voice lesson, and gave a special shout-out to her dad and sisters.
As she wrapped up her speech, Sabrina couldn’t help but show her excitement. “And what the hell—I don’t know if I’m allowed to say ‘hell,’ but I’ve said it three times now. So thank you, this is so special to me, and Short n’ Sweet means the world.”
She ended her speech by recognizing her producers, “I love you guys, you have no idea how much I love you and how much this album means to me. Thank you, holy [expletive]! Bye!”
The next day, Sabrina shared with the media how surreal the Grammy experience had been for her. “The day of the Grammy nominations, when they came out, I was on my tour bus. It was an explosion of happiness, tears, laughter. It was euphoric,” she recalled, still in awe of it all.
She also spoke about how fulfilling the success of Short n’ Sweet had been for her. “This album doing what it’s done has been fulfilling to me because I am just being myself with maybe bigger hair,” she joked.
Looking back at her journey, Sabrina reflected on her years of hard work. In an interview with Time months before the Grammys, she opened up about the dream moments that had come true for her.
“There were so many things I dreamt of doing as a little girl I got to do this year that felt like such a cool, sweet, little bucket-list moment for my younger self,” she said. “I literally threw up when I found out about SNL. Not to be graphic,” she laughed.
Performing at the Grammys had always been a dream for Sabrina. “If I could perform at the Grammys,” she had once said, “I think I would throw up with excitement.” That dream had come true, and she made the most of every second.
While Sabrina was celebrating the biggest night of her career, Taylor Swift’s lively reaction to her performance continued to spark debate. Some wondered if Swift’s enthusiasm overshadowed the moment, while others saw it as a display of genuine friendship and support.
Whatever the opinion, both artists made their mark on the 2025 Grammy Awards, leaving a lasting impression on fans and the music industry alike.
