Sabrina Carpenter faces backlash over short concert and high ticket prices

Sabrina Carpenter started her worldwide "Short n' Sweet Tour" on 23 September. The artist, who gained immense popularity this year with the singles "Espresso" and "Please, Please, Please," has fallen victim to overwhelming criticism.

Did Sabrina Carpenter record the album in the summer of 2024? There’s no clear answer to this question, as some will choose her side without hesitation while others will argue for the unequivocal victory of Charli XCX. One thing is certain: "Espresso" and "Please, Please, Please" are incredibly catchy, were on all the summer playlists, and although radio stations played them non-stop, they haven’t become tiresome and are still topping the charts even though we’ve reached the start of autumn.

Sabrina Carpenter's sixth album, "Short n' Sweet," which features the singles above, was released at the end of August—perfectly timed for the transition between late summer and early autumn. Classy but sassy, the album playfully dominated the end of summer, eased into autumn, and left fans in a state of intense anticipation.

The artist embarked on the "Short n' Sweet Tour" shortly after the album's release. It started in Ohio, USA, and will reach Europe by March. Recordings from the concerts are already circulating online. Although the show looks spectacular, fans have found reasons to complain.

After Sabrina Carpenter’s first concert, fans learned the official setlist of songs she performed during the "Short n' Sweet Tour." The list includes 21 tracks, including one cover—surprise songs. During the first show in Ohio, the chosen song was "Mamma Mia" by ABBA.

Fans expressed disappointment that the artist distanced herself from her earlier albums, performing only tracks from her last two albums: "Short n' Sweet" and "emails I can’t send."

However, much more emotion was stirred by the fact that the entire concert by Sabrina Carpenter was supposedly... far too short. Fan reports vary, but the show lasted 75 to 85 minutes, which is just under 1.5 hours, a standard performance duration. However, there’s a notable difference between 1 hour and 10 minutes and 1 hour and 20 minutes, even though theoretically, it’s just a few minutes apart. Highlighting the price context is important—tickets were not cheap. Through dynamic pricing, the only remaining few minutes after sales started were often significantly more expensive.

For the concert in Glasgow, the cheapest seats cost €69 (approx. $72), but fans reported that those sold out in the blink of an eye, with only tickets priced at €263 (approx. $274) remaining. In some cities, ticket buying was almost impossible, with desperate fans resorting to pricier VIP packages with additional goodies.

Some fans complain, while others defend Sabrina Carpenter, emphasising that her latest album was only 36 minutes long, so "a show lasting 1 hour 10 isn’t really bad."