Sabrina Carpenter had one of the most jaw-dropping performances at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, and one of the moments even included her kissing an alien on stage. The moment went so viral that even Britney Spears had something to say about it.
Britney Spears is the ultimate VMAs queen — over the years, she has served the best looks and the best performances of all time. Whether it was her school-inspired “Baby One More Time” performance, her iconic slave dance during “Slave 4 U,” or the surprise kiss with Madonna during “Like a Virgin,” the pop royalty superstar proved she knew how to put on a show.
Although Spears’ future in the music industry is uncertain following her years forced to perform during the conservatorship, she is very much up to date with what’s going on. She didn’t attend this year’s VMAs and admitted she didn’t even watch it, but news of Sabrina Carpenter’s performance reached her ears.
Britney Spears called Sabrina Carpenter’s performance “kind of weird”
Fresh off the release of her latest album, Short ‘n Sweet, Sabrina took the stage for a mashup performance. The four-minute show included hit bangers like “Please Please Please” and “Espresso,” paired with “Taste” (which she played live for the first time, in front of Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes, no less). The performance also included a short tribute to Spears’ “Oops!… I Did It Again” music video and Carpenter surprised everyone as she kissed a performer in an alien costume on stage.
Spears hopped on Instagram to share her thoughts on the performance, and touched upon the tribute, all while admitting that she’s a big fan. “Did you guys watch the VMAs? I didn’t watch the VMAs, but I did see stuff on my phone from YouTube of Sabrina Carpenter,” Spears said in the video. “Why is she kissing an alien on stage? I adore her. I love her to death. I didn’t understand that part. Why didn’t she kiss a girl? Like, that was weird.” Kissing a girl on stage is Britney Spears’ specialty, as her kiss with Madonna is one of the most iconic moments in music history.
The “Toxic” singer added, “But I also thought that the whole thing was kind of weird altogether, but after watching that, I took a really long bath.” She acknowledged Carpenter’s mention on the red carpet. “This Sabrina girl, she said my name on the red carpet and I thought that was kinda cool, because I forget I’m famous sometimes…this Sabrina girl, Carpenter. She said something, I was like ‘Thanks, that’s cool!’”
Carpenter’s outfit at the VMAs was heavily inspired by pop legends: Queen of Pop Madonna and Pop Princess Britney Spears herself. On the red carpet, the singer donned a Bob Mackie glimmering sequin gown previously worn by Madonna on her 1991 Vanity Fair cover, which she flaunted at the Academy Awards the same year. For the after-party at Electric Lady Studios, the “Espresso” singer donned a white lace mini dress, resembling Spears’ see-through black lace outfit from the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards.
As she continues cementing her own spot in pop history, Sabrina Carpenter has established that has not forgotten to remember those who wrote music’s glittering past. She’s been paying close attention to those before her, which makes the recognition of her tributes to the women before her via Spears’ candid comments even more endearing.