Sabrina Carpenter delivered the live performance debut of her Man’s Best Friend standout “Tears” at the 2025 MTV VMAs on Sunday (Sept. 7).
Carpenter looked stunning while emerging from a smoky sewer to kick off the performance in a makeshift alleyway while surrounded by drag performers such as Honey Balenciaga and RuPaul’s Drag Race queens, including Lexi Love. All that was missing was a Colman Domingo appearance.
Rocking a bedazzled sparkling top and black tights, the pop star paid homage to Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time” performance while letting the rain fall as she strutted across the stage.
One thing Carpenter made clear with her performance was her advocacy for trans rights. Posters and signs were held up by dancers reading “Protect Trans Rights,” “Support Local Drag,” “Good Bi” and “Dolls! Dolls! Dolls!”
The 26-year-old is up for eight awards on Sunday, including video of the year, which has “Manchild” nominated in the esteemed category. She’s also nominated for best pop artist, best pop, best album, best direction, best visual effects, song of the summer, best editing and best cinematography.
Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 366,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the week ending Sept. 4, according to Luminate. Traditional album sales comprised 224,000 of the total, which are both career-highs for the Pennsylvania-bred singer.
Man’s Best Friend is Carpenter’s second album to reach the Billboard 200 summit and is 2025’s biggest week (by units and by album sales) for an album released by a woman so far. Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem (493,000) and The Weeknd’s Hurry Up Tomorrow (490,000) are the only albums to outsell Carpenter by units in an opening frame.
Watch the “Tears” performance below.