(Image credit: Island Records/Taylor Swift Productions)

It was the year of the pop girlies. Chappell Roan’s Lollapalooza set saw record attendance. Brat was named word of the year thanks to Charli XCX’s influence. And “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter was the ultimate song of the summer, winning her a Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance. In fact, the “Taste” singer left quite the impression this year (5 feet to be exact), including an album debuting at No. 1 and an accompanying tour. Ever the humble musician, Carpenter shared she has many to thank on her journey to the top, including her peer-turned-mentor, Taylor Swift.

Like many 20-somethings, the Disney Channel alum grew up with Swift’s music, and she has been a “Swiftie” since before she got to join her on the Eras Tour. In 2023, Carpenter traveled with the blockbuster as an opening act for 25 shows in Latin America, Asia, and Australia. Now, the “Nonsense” singer considers the “Fortnight” singer a friend.

She told Vogue she credits the fellow pop star’s mentorship and experience for some of the success of her own shows, and she didn’t miss the chance to share this sweet sentiment with the Folklore songstress, explaining:

Swift is clearly a natural performer, with a knack for immersive storytelling through her lyrics and performances like no other. With this stadium tour, her biggest yet, she danced and sang through ten different sets and costume changes, for a total of over 3 hours. All the while, the 14-time Grammy winner managed to make each show feel personalized and memorable for tens of thousands of fans each night.

This included performing secret surprise songs from her discography for each show, candidly opening up to crowds about her songwriting inspirations, music-synced light-up bracelets, complimenting fans’ themed outfits, and each night giving away her “22” hat to one lucky person in the crowd. Not to mention, her fans have developed their own gimmicks to accompany the setlist, like a specific clap or phrase added to a song.

Well, Carpenter was clearly paying attention to her idol, and has created her own phenomenon to engage fans on her Short n’ Sweet tour. Similar to the “22” hat, each night the former Girl Meets World actress finds a person in the crowd to woo and gift a pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs before performing “Juno.” A number of times it’s been a famous celebrity (or a certain SNL character), which is always accompanied by excited screams upon reveal. Fans also look forward to a specialized “Juno” position, and a spinning wheel that reveals what famous song their host might cover that night.

Not to mention, the “Bed Chem” artist has created a whole “brinacore” aesthetic for herself, one that is very reminiscent of Old Hollywood and Marilyn Monroe. Her outfits and tour set design heavily reflect this style, one that Carpenter also says is very authentic to her true self. While her uninhibited and slightly promiscuous lyrics and performances have drawn some backlash, the first-time Grammy winner doesn’t seem to care. Neither do her fans based on her sold-out tour dates. I wonder where else we’ve seen this authenticity and confidence…

Yes, Taylor Swift truly is inspirational, even for your favorite artist’s favorite artist. The cherry on top of the cake? The A Nonsense Christmas host was invited back to the Eras Tour as a surprise guest, not an opener. For one of her final stops in New Orleans, Swift brought out Carpenter to sing some of her hits together, like “Espresso” and “Please, Please, Please.” From her 2023 Eras Tour appearances to this one in 2024, the level of stage presence and confidence is astounding, and the look on Swift’s face is like that of a proud mother.

Sabrina Carpenter resumes touring on March 3, taking all 5 feet of her international. But in case you don’t have tickets, you can expect to see her in the upcoming SNL 50th Anniversary Special on the 2025 TV Schedule this Sunday, February 16.