Sabrina Carpenter brought her signature charm and humor to NPR’s Tiny Desk on Friday, delivering a sultry, country-tinged performance packed with stories behind the songs from her album Short ‘n Sweet. The pop star even joked about wanting to join the NPR staff.
“NPR, I’ve been watching this show… everyone says this, whatever. You guys are great! You guys know you’re great!” Carpenter said, addressing the crowd from the station’s famously cozy setup. She performed alongside a full band and string ensemble, squeezed into the compact office space.
Carpenter opened the set with “Taste,” showcasing her signature blonde curls and wearing a sky-blue dress with matching lace stockings. Reflecting on the intimate setting, she said, “When I first started, it was kind of in a room like this: very dry walls, no reverb like in a studio. But there’s something so real about it. It’s so special.”
The singer shared anecdotes throughout the performance, including a story about her song “Nonsense,” which became known for its playful, innuendo-filled outros during her last tour. “The outros were a beautiful, happy accident,” Carpenter said, adding that the experience inspired her latest album. “I had this limitless feeling when I started writing Short ‘n Sweet.”
Introducing her song “Bed Chem,” Carpenter explained its quirky origins. She recounted sharing a king-sized bed with her best friend, Paloma, and realizing they naturally synced their sleep schedules. “I was like, ‘We have really good bed chem,’ so I saved it as a title,” Carpenter said, laughing. “Then I met a guy, and we had really good bed chem… She doesn’t make money off it, so I give her a lot of credit.”
Carpenter continued her set with “Please Please Please” and a snippet of “Slim Pickins,” infusing her performance with a Dolly Parton-inspired country twang. She paused to ask the audience, “How do you like this office? Is it a nice working environment? This seems so fun. I was literally just like, ‘I wanna work here!’ Are you looking for anyone?”
The performance also featured her Grammy-nominated song “Espresso,” where she elaborated on the infamous “Juno” lyric. “The day I wrote this, it came from a joke with a couple of friends… ‘Make you wanna make me Juno.’ It’s a funny way to say, ‘Knock me up, please.’ I’m so sorry, by the way,” Carpenter said, laughing and apologizing to her band for her candid storytelling.
“I’ve been performing it on tour, and it’s been really fun,” she added. “I don’t have much space here, but I hope you can picture it!”
Carpenter’s Tiny Desk debut highlighted her versatility as a performer, blending humor, storytelling, and musicality in an intimate setting that left fans wanting more.
