Review: Sabrina Carpenter sparkles on fizzy Short n’ Sweet tour

BALTIMORE – If there ever is another live-action “Cinderella,” the star has already been born.
Sabrina Carpenter, the reigning princess of pop after a decade of ascending to the crown, is like Disney royalty come to life.
With her luxurious blond curls, coquettish demeanor and mellifluous voice, Carpenter, 25, fills any pop star void with polished songs infused with a speck of tang.
On Saturday, Carpenter regaled a sold-out CFG Bank Arena crowd for the eighth date of her Short n’ Sweet Tour, her inaugural arena run that will keep her on the road through November.
Framed as a ‘70s-era variety show complete with on-screen notices such as “filmed in front of a live studio audience” and, before the flirtatious “Bed Chem,” “parental discretion is advised,” the production is a playful combination of Barbie Dreamhouse and an episode of “Three’s Company.”
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Her “penthouse,” as she called it, sports lacquered white staircases, a sheer-curtained alcove for her four-piece band and a bathroom with a heart-shaped mirror into which she sang “Sharpest Tool.”
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Carpenter opened the 90-minute gloss-a-thon with a trio of songs from her smash sixth album, “Short n’ Sweet,” starting with current hit “Taste.” She utilized her acting skills when she ran out, wide-eyed and clad only (supposedly) in a bath towel, only to quickly open it and reveal her silver leotard and garters.
The arena overflowed with more pink than a cotton candy factory – youngsters in sparkly dresses hoisted in the air by dads, twentysomethings in short, ruffled skirts – as the flock embraced the girly-girl aesthetic Carpenter presents.
“Good morning, Baltimore,” she said, a sly nod to “Hairspray” and one of several times Carpenter would address her fans throughout the show in between hosting an onstage pajama party.
Carpenter’s estrogen pack of dancers hung on a staircase while she crooned “Lie to Girls,” the performance filled with pensive looks and fluttery vocals, while the star herself sashayed down the catwalk for an appealingly jazzy “Feather.”
“This is the most fun thing in the world for me,” Carpenter told the crowd, which she praised for their amplified level of screaming.
It wasn’t clear if she was referring to performing in general or the highlight that followed her comments.
Carpenter set up a casual hang at the heart-shaped tip of the catwalk, complete with throw pillows for members of her band and some dancers to lounge against.
 “Coincidence,” a bubblegum jingle in the making, sparkled with fizzy joy. But she followed it with the moment fans are already anticipating at her shows – the vaunted cover song.
A spin-the-bottle game determined the choice – Madonna’s “Material Girl.” Not only is the song well-suited to Carpenter’s voice, but her persona as well. “Sing it if you know it!” she implored the crowd which, despite its large swath of youth, knew it well (in a cute touch, the lyrics appeared on screen, karaoke-style).
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The final third of the show spotlights Carpenter’s current trove of hits, as well as the “Short n’ Sweet” album track “Juno.” Its “have you ever tried this one?” lyric has prompted new positions from Carpenter at each show, and on this night, it was a one-legged, bent knee that sent fans into a frenzy.
Before closing with the inevitable “Espresso,” a confetti-dropping blast of pristine pop, Carpenter again chatted with her devotees. While commenting on their outfits, she became suddenly overcome with emotion, putting a hand to her mouth as she stifled tears of appreciation.
This year has been a long way from her starring role on the Disney Channel’s “Girl Meets World” (2014-2017), signifying Carpenter’s growth from middling pop singer (2022’s “Emails I Can’t Send”) and Taylor Swift tour-opener to current char-ruling royalty.
It’s almost, you could say, a Cinderella story.