Sabrina Carpenter's 'Inappropriate' VMAs Performance Sparks Backlash

Sabrina Carpenter set the 2024 MTV VMAs stage on fire Tuesday night, delivering a powerhouse medley of her smash hits “Please Please Please,” “Taste,” and “Espresso” — but fans were not impressed.

After floating in on a sparkling swing, Sabrina Carpenter touched down on the VMAs catwalk and seamlessly transitioned into her latest hit “Taste.” But things got spicy when she recreated the infamous makeout scene from the song’s music video.

This time, though, instead of Jenna Ortega and Rohan Campbell, Sabrina Carpenter locked lips with an alien, something many found to be "inappropriate" and "tasteless."

The iconic Cyndi Lauper introduced the former Disney Channel star, hyping up Sabrina as a “wonderful songwriter” before dropping a mic-worthy line, urging the crowd to “get ready to hear the entire place say ‘motherf-cker!’”

And she wasn’t kidding — Sabrina kicked off her VMAs debut from a sparkling silver swing, soaring over the audience with a performance that screamed pure pop magic, though viewers at home thought otherwise.

"Inappropriate, cringy and they really want to shove everything that's sexual, plus kids are watching," one social media user commented on a video of Sabrina's performance, specifically when she locked lips with the alien. "Long ago, when VMAs were all about appreciation for good music."

"Immediately no. So wildly inappropriate," another said.

"Artists sinking to new desperate lows for attention," a third wrote.

The comments continued to pour in, with one Instagram user expressing, "Absolutely shameful. Performing mock oral sex on stage is NOT something to be bravo’d. Two women kissing is not something to be applauded. This is not art, it’s p-rn. She, and everyone who had anything to do with the show ought to be ashamed."

Another called her performance "tasteless," and another described it as "grossly inappropriate."

"Disturbing on all levels!! Whatever happened to a simple fun, normal live performance??" one social media user expressed. "No wonder why our youth struggle with so many issues. Just look at the content that is consistently shoved down their throats."

Many others slammed the former Disney Channel star for her kiss with the alien.

"No! So many little girls in love with this stupid song and allowing them to see that inappropriate over sexual content is not okay," one user said. "Again, parents have the power to allow or not; for me, it is a no."

"I hate this world now," another wrote.

"Trying really hard to push people's buttons. But from a performance standpoint…. there was like zero stage presence," a third said. "At least Miley [Cyrus] brings the energy when she does cringy stuff!"

Another said that the performance "feels a bit desperate," as another called it "So so inappropriate. Everything is demonic and over sexual it’s atrocious. This world is literally going to hell."

"So this is her vision? The point is lost," another asked. "The artistry is lost. Everyone has lost their minds."

With the help of her stylist Jared Ellner, Sabrina teamed up with the celeb-loved vintage spot Tab Vintage for a show-stopping look that had fans talking.

“Her stylist Jared Ellner and his team reached out with a really incredible moodboard,” Tab’s owner Alexis Novak told Vogue. “We sent them a deck of pieces we had in that vein and we’re so happy with what she decided on!”

With its intricate beading and timeless elegance, the vintage Bob Mackie piece turned heads. “It was originally designed for Madonna to wear to perform at the Academy Awards. It was inspired by Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and made headlines when she wore it,” Novak said.

Aside from her controversial VMAs performance, Sabrina Carpenter walked away with the Song of the Year award for "Espresso."

The pop sensation took a moment during her acceptance speech to thank her ride-or-die fans, calling them the "best fans in the world" and also gave heartfelt shoutouts to her managers, her family, her furry friends, and of course, her collaborators on her chart-topping hit “Espresso.”