Sabrina Carpenter Grammys Performance Partially Censored During Live Broadcast

Sabrina Carpenter sent shockwaves through the Grammys stage on Sunday night after appearing to be censored mid-performance while delivering her razor-sharp track Manchild. As she sang the hit song, widely believed by fans to be a thinly veiled dig at ex-partner Barry Keoghan, producers scrambled to keep the performance network-safe by redacting her explicit lyrics.

This includes the biting chorus where she questions why a former lover always comes running back to her, while pleading for them to finally let an innocent woman be. The track, which serves as a playful anthem about emotional immaturity, suggests that half of the subject’s brain simply isn’t there, a sentiment that resonated loudly with the audience at the Crypto.com Arena.

The pop star took the stage dressed as a glamorous pilot, rocking a white corset-style bodysuit with a plunging neckline and matching knee-high lace-up boots. Stepping out of a faux baggage conveyor belt branded “SCA” for Sabrina Carpenter Airlines, she greeted the crowd as their captain, asking if they needed a little validation tonight.

Manchild is the lead single from Carpenter’s 2025 album Man’s Best Friend, a project that has dominated the charts since its release last August. The track’s lyrics, which mock mixed signals and a lack of self-care, have fueled endless speculation regarding the timing of her very public split from Keoghan.

She was joined on stage by an eclectic lineup of backup dancers dressed as various airline staff and passengers, including a surreal appearance by a priest and an astronaut. Despite the broadcast muting several of her more pointed phrases, the singer ended the set theatrically by revealing a live white dove, a move that later drew a sharp critique from PETA.

Fans immediately flooded social media to applaud the performance, with many noting that Carpenter truly knows how to command a stage. Viewers raved about her infectious energy, stating that it was clear she was having the absolute time of her life during the elaborate aviation-themed production.

Beyond her musical dominance, this year is shaping up to be a massive year for Carpenter as she returns to her acting roots. She is currently set to produce and star in a high-budget musical adaptation of Alice in Wonderland for Universal Pictures, directed by Hustlers filmmaker Lorene Scafaria.

The project marks her first major studio feature and is being produced alongside Marc Platt, the veteran behind the blockbuster Wicked films. In addition to her film work, Carpenter is confirmed to headline Coachella 2026 this April, sharing the top billing with icons like Justin Bieber and Karol G.

Television fans can also expect more from the star following her successful hosting gig on Saturday Night Live earlier this season. She is also slated to guest star in a special 50th-anniversary revival of The Muppet Show, where she will perform alongside Kermit the Frog and Seth Rogen. Between her six Grammy nominations and her burgeoning movie career, the former Disney star has successfully transitioned into a versatile global powerhouse.

Do you think Sabrina’s aviation-themed performance was the best set of the night, or did the censorship take away from the song’s bite? Share your thoughts in the comments!