Sabrina Carpenter Just Performed “Busy Woman” Live For The First Time

Sabrina Carpenter knows her way around a viral moment. On last year’s The Emails I Can’t Send Tour, Carpenter performed a different “outro” for her hit song “Nonsense” in each city. Between the clever wordplay and audacious horniness — one example: “Made his knees so weak he had to spread mine. He's drinkin' my bath water like it's red wine. Coachella, see you back here when I headline” — Carpenter kept the internet in a chokehold.

Now, for her newly launched Short n’ Sweet tour, Carpenter has sadly done away with the outros. (I mean, eventually a girl runs out of things to rhyme with d*ck.) But in its place are a series of new, delightfully kooky moments, like the time she excuses herself to pee... only to have a toilet appear on the stage, which she sits on while singing her next ballad. Or the fake commercials she filmed as interludes between songs, where she cheekily advertises both sharp tools and ceiling fans.

However, the moment that appears to have the most viral potential is when she and her dancers gather to play a game of spin the bottle. And while no make-outs ensue — though who could put it past her? — instead, where the bottle lands indicates which surprise song she’ll sing. In Columbus, Ohio, Carpenter sang ABBA’s “Mamma Mia.” Toronto was serenaded with “That Don’t Impress Me Much” by Shania Twain, whereas Detroit was treated to “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer.

And on Sept. 30 while performing at Barclays Center, the game of spin the bottle prompted Carpenter to perform a new song for the first time: “Busy Woman,” a single she wrote after Short n Sweet’s release. I was invited to the concert by Marriott Bonvoy to experience their “Marriott Bonvoy Moments” platform — which allows members to earn points from travel and daily activities to participate in highly coveted events — and Carpenter’s rendition of “Busy Woman” was far and away the highlight of my evening.

The song itself has all the hallmarks of Carpenter hit. It’s punchy, thirsty, and funny as hell. Just take this chorus: “So much to shave and lipstick to reapply. Maybe for you, though, I could accommodate. I'm flexible, so just tell me what you like Tantric yoga, baby, namaste. If you don't want me, I'll just deem you gay.”

But watching her sing it live while writhing on a heart-shaped stage? I’ll take that over an outro any day of the week.