Sabrina Carpenter stole the spotlight at the 2025 Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL), proving her rise from pop princess to country-pop powerhouse is no fluke.
The 26-year-old American singer stunned audiences when she brought country legend Shania Twain onstage for a surprise duet.
SABRINA CARPENTER AND SHANIA TWAIN
Zilker Park in Texas was packed shoulder-to-shoulder on Saturday night as Sabrina delivered a flawless, high-energy performance.
It featured her evolving sound that blends pop polish with a country twist, according to The Statesman.
Fans expecting superstar Taylor Swift instead witnessed a cross-generational explosion of female confidence as Twain joined Carpenter for a fiery rendition of That Don’t Impress Me Much.
SABRINA CARPENTER’S HITS
Before the first beat dropped, a brief crowd safety warning flashed across the screens, the kind of chaotic anticipation that defines major live festivals.
Once calm was restored, Sabrina appeared in a gingham top and denim shorts, channelling old-school country charm with modern bravado, according to Rolling Stone.
From catchy tracks like Slim Pickins to the sensual Bed Chem, she displayed complete vocal control and a stage presence honed from her Disney days.
FORGING HER OWN PATH
The performance symbolised a turning point in Sabrina Carpenter’s career: she’s no longer a rumoured Swift opener but a star forging her own lane.
Her collaboration with Twain, whose hits remain favourites across South Africa’s radio charts.
A RISING POPSTAR
This highlights country music’s growing global influence, especially as young African artists explore hybrid genres blending Afrobeats, soul, and Americana undertones.
Over the years, Sabrina Carpenter has evolved into one of pop’s most dynamic young performers, blending humour, confidence, and genre experimentation that now defines her signature country-pop era.
With her set closing on the infectious hit Espresso, fireworks illuminated the Texas sky as fans spilt out of Zilker Park, humming the beat that has become her signature.