Former Disney star and singer Sabrina Carpenter performed at the 2025 VMA Awards on Sunday night while flooding the stage with drag queens bearing placards demanding LGBTQI+ appreciation, love, respect and applause.
Her performance at the MTV show came after the release of seventh studio album Man’s Best Friend and music video for its second single Tears which featured Colman Domingo in drag.
Pink News reports Carpenter emerged from a manhole to sing, surrounded by RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Willam (season four), Symone (season 13) and Denali (season 13 and All Stars 10) as she kicked off the number.
Viewers were then forced to watch as the Drag Race stars held up placards that read: “Dolls, Dolls, Dolls,” and, “If you hate you’ll never get laid,” – and then, as Carpenter entered a phone booth, the stage flooded with even more signs demanding LGBTQI+ rights.
“Protect trans rights”, “Support local drag,” “Love each other” and “Don’t hate drag queens because you can’t read,” were some featured slogans.
Sabrina Carpenter performs during the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena on September 07, 2025 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for MTV)
Sabrina Carpenter performs onstage at the MTV Video Music Awards 2025 held at UBS Arena on September 07, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by Kristina Bumphrey/Billboard via Getty Images)
Overall, Lady Gaga led the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), with four wins including artist of the year.
Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter took three awards each.
It was a night dominated by women, with female stars bagging all the awards, with the exception of Bruno Mars for his collaborations with Gaga and Blackpink member Rose.
