Sabrina Carpenter Dazzles Coachella With 'Sabrinawood' Headlining Set

The pop star's intricate, vintage Hollywood-inspired performance featured celebrity cameos and an ambitious production.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 7:40am

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An abstract close-up photograph of shimmering sequins and shattered glass, capturing the high-end, glamorous aesthetic of Sabrina Carpenter's Coachella headlining set.Sabrina Carpenter's dazzling Coachella headlining performance brought vintage Hollywood glitz and star power to the desert festival.Coachella Today

Sabrina Carpenter headlined the first night of Coachella 2026, delivering an elaborate set that evoked classic Hollywood with cameos from actors Sam Elliott, Susan Sarandon, and Will Ferrell. Carpenter's performance featured an extensive video intro, a catwalk resembling a walk of fame, and a stage design that transformed into various Hollywood-themed settings like a recording studio, dive bar, and Broadway-esque cityscape. The singer performed songs from her latest album 'Man's Best Friend' and 'Short n' Sweet,' including the live debut of 'We Almost Broke Up Last Night.'

Why it matters

Sabrina Carpenter's Coachella headlining set showcased her status as a rising pop superstar, as she brought an ambitious, theatrical production to the festival's main stage. The incorporation of classic Hollywood imagery and celebrity cameos demonstrated Carpenter's creative vision and ability to captivate audiences with an immersive, cinematic live experience.

The details

Carpenter's set opened with a video intro featuring actor Sam Elliott playing a menacing cop who pulls her over, before she emerged from a car on a catwalk resembling a walk of fame. She then launched into a string of songs from her latest album 'Man's Best Friend,' including 'House Tour,' 'Taste,' 'Busy Woman,' and 'Manchild,' the latter of which featured backup dancers dressed as poodles and Dalmatians. Throughout the night, the stage transformed to evoke various Hollywood settings, from a recording studio to a dive bar to a Broadway-inspired cityscape. Actress Susan Sarandon also made a cameo with an extended monologue. Carpenter kept the focus on her recent releases, debuting the live version of 'We Almost Broke Up Last Night' from 'Man's Best Friend.' She closed the set with a triumphant performance of 'Tears,' ascending on a throne as a water fountain went off below her.

  • Carpenter had teased that Coachella 2026 would mark 'the most ambitious show I've ever done' in an interview published earlier this week.
  • Carpenter had previously played Coachella in 2024, telling the crowd then that she would 'see you back here when I headline.'

The players

Sabrina Carpenter

A rising pop star who headlined the first night of Coachella 2026 with an elaborate, Hollywood-inspired performance.

Sam Elliott

A veteran actor who appeared in a video intro for Carpenter's Coachella set, playing a menacing cop who pulls her over.

Susan Sarandon

An acclaimed actress who made a cameo appearance during Carpenter's Coachella performance, delivering an extended monologue.

Will Ferrell

A popular comedic actor who also made a cameo appearance in Carpenter's Coachella set.

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What they’re saying

“If I said that and I didn't headline, it'd be pretty fucking awkward.”

— Sabrina Carpenter

What’s next

Carpenter is set to perform her Coachella headlining set again during the festival's second weekend.

The takeaway

Sabrina Carpenter's ambitious, Hollywood-inspired Coachella headlining performance solidified her status as a rising pop superstar, showcasing her creative vision and ability to captivate audiences with an immersive live experience.