BST Hyde Park 2025: Sabrina Carpenter
Hyde Park, London - 05/07/25
Photo Credit: Alfredo Flores
BST Hyde Park
After a huge opening weekend which saw a stellar opening night headlined by Olivia Rodrigo, followed by double duty from Zach Bryan, BST Hyde Park is back for weekend 2. Friday night saw Noah Kahan wow the park with a set crammed full of hits and special guests, before handing over the reigns to Sabrina Carpenter to headline both Saturday and Sunday night. The undercard for both days is slightly different, with Saturday night's line up in particular being arguably the best BST have curated this year. Future stars such as DellaXOZ and The Two Lips would join world-class talents like Clairo and Beabadoobee, to ensure the Hyde Park faithful were treated to a day full of pop and pop-rock brilliance.
Luvcat
For me, the pick of the supporting artists was Luvcat, although that may be a slightly biased take given her nominations for both Song and Solo Artist of the Year in the 2024 SBTM awards. Taking to the stage, joined by her sensational live band, Luvcat instantly kicked into the captivating 'Lipstick'. Her live vocals are somehow even more impressive than the studio versions, delving deeper into the characterization of each song. Whether telling twisted tales of love affairs, or noir-inspired recollections of nights gone by, Luvcat is an enthralling storyteller, with all in attendance hanging on her every word.
Much is said about Luvcat's viral singles like 'Matador' and 'He's My Man', and rightly so given their catchy hooks and spellbinding lyricism. But the song that really stood out for me yesterday afternoon was the ethereal 'Love & Money', with the track about an all-consuming love going down a treat in the sparse attempt at summer sun.
It was 'Dinner @ Brasserie Zédel' that brought an end to a stunning set that further cemented Luvcat's meteoric rising position in the UK music scene. All five of Luvcat's released singles sounded flawless live, but it was the unreleased offerings that show for Luvcat the best is still yet to come, and that is an exciting thought for all music lovers. With truly unique releases and a live show that lives long in the memory, Luvcat has everything it takes to be a global superstar and is already well on her way to achieving it. Yet despite all her success over the past year, Luvcat remains remarkably grounded and deeply appreciative of those who support her. After her set, she came straight to the stage’s edge to meet a long queue of adoring fans, taking time with each person for photos and conversation, never rushing a single interaction. It was a wholesome end to what will undoubtedly go down as an “I was there” moment in BST history.
Sabrina Carpenter
With Hyde Park now full to the brim, it was time for everyone's favourite newsreader to take over the screens, as Sabrina Carpenter welcomed everyone to the show in a late-night news spoof, before appearing atop the house frame-like structure that spread across the entirety of the stage. Shadowed by two giant letters spelling 'SC', Carpenter would begin mastering her way through the ever-catchy 'Busy Woman'. The crowd were immediately on board, raising the volume in Hyde Park to the maximum, and refusing to let it drop much for the remainder of the night. As 'Busy Woman' came to an end, a TV-style announcement rang out throughout the park, welcoming us to the 'Short n' Sweet Show', with our "host for the night, Sabrina Carpenter". Despite Sabrina starting a transition into a new era with her pending seventh studio album, 'Man's Best Friend', this show was very much the Short n Sweet show in both setlist and style. The concert itself was only 80 minutes long, which is definitely one of the shortest large-scale headline sets I've seen, but was still crammed full of the infectious and slightly cheeky pop hits Sabrina Carpenter has become known for.
The Short n' Sweet TV show theme continued throughout the night, complete with mock adverts and tongue-in-cheek TV-style segments, a playful touch that felt perfectly in tune with the album itself. This was especially fitting, given that twelve of the seventeen songs performed were taken from the original 'Short n' Sweet' album and its deluxe edition. Hits from the record kept coming, with Sabrina’s UK number one single 'Taste' and fan favourite 'Good Graces' up next. It was during these songs that the headline set really seemed to find its feet with the audience, as the initial overwhelming rush that comes with seeing one of modern music's greats began to settle, allowing the Hyde Park faithful to fully fully immerse themselves in the performance.
Shortly after, one of the day's most wholesome moments would take place, as Sarbina, who had already penned handwritten thank you notes and given gifts to everyone on the supporting line-up, named and thanked every single artist for opening the show, doing so with full sincerity. Whilst it may not seem like a massive gesture, I can safely say that in all the festivals I’ve attended, I’ve never once seen a headliner attempt to show love to the entire day's line up, and do so by name. The day of music that had preceded, and Carpenter's respect for it, was clearly appreciated by all in attendance, who gave this moment a rapturous round of applause.
However, it wasn’t just the fans and supporting artists who Sabrina made sure felt her appreciation. She was also joined on stage by an exceptionally talented troupe of dancers, each given moments to shine and recognised with multiple shoutouts throughout the show. The same goes for Sabrina Carpenter’s sensational live band. Whilst they may not have spent much time in the spotlight, their well-balanced live sound brought added depth and energy to her already iconic pop hits.
Photo Credit: Alfredo Flores
Even with the focus of this show very much being on Short n' Sweet, that did not mean there wasn't time to highlight other music from Sabrina's past and future. Past singles like 'Feather' and 'Nonsense' have become staples of the Sabrina Carpenter live experience, so it was no surprise seeing the rapturous reception these tracks received. However, what will be most heartwarming for Carpenter, and exciting as we head into this new era, was the way the audience responded to her most recent single 'Manchild'. Every word was screamed back as if it were the most important lyric ever sung, a powerful showing to those who don't get it of just how deeply Sabrina’s relatable storytelling resonates with so many in attendance.
Despite all the tongue-in-cheek fun and playful gimmicks, like 'Bed Chem' being performed on a giant bed, or 'Juno', which would see Sabrina use two t-shirt cannons, it was actually a few of Sabrina's more stripped-back performances that took my breath away. The stirring performance of 'because i liked a boy' was as emotional as they come, for both the crowd and Sabrina alike. As the powerfully sung song came to an end, Hyde Park erupted in cheers and applause, backed up by fireworks over the stage, a moment which seemed to genuinely take the singer back as she fought back tears to show her appreciation. Likewise, the performance of 'Couldn't Make It Any Harder' saw Carpenter stand still under a single spotlight and pour her heart into every single line sang, really showcasing just how spellbinding her live vocals are. This is not to say these moments should fill the entire concert, as the playful fun and hilarious moments are what makes a Sabrina Carpenter show so unique and enjoyable, but they do act as a welcome reminder of just how underrated Carpenter is as a vocalist.
As the show began to wind towards its end, there were still memories aplenty to be made. The audience participation during 'Please Please Please' will be enough to live long in the memory of the 65,000-strong crowd. However, it is likely the performance of 'Don't Smile' will last the longest in everyone's memory. After making her way through the capacity crowd, Sabrina would step onto a moving crane-style platform that then allowed her to float over the top of all who had come to see her, allowing those that little bit further back a much closer chance to see the night's hero. This moment was illuminated by a sea of audience phone torches, creating a real goosebump-inducing moment that highlights the meteoric rise Sabrina has had over the past few years. Just two years prior, she was a BST Hyde Park opening act for BLACKPINK, and now finds herself standing over a crowd of loving fans all there to see her.
This career-defining night was brought to a close with an electrifying firework-backed performance of Espresso, as everyone in the park revelled in one last chance to dance the night away. This was the perfect close to a night that showcased everything positive about pop music, and the place of comfort and inclusiveness it can provide for the masses. Whilst BST Hyde Park still has some stellar line ups to come, there will be some struggle to beat this day, top to bottom.