The 2025 Grammys delivered plenty of headline-worthy moments, but one plot twist that had the Internet buzzing was a reunion between Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter. Once rumoured to be rivals, the two were filmed chatting—and even sharing a hug—during the award ceremony’s broadcast as none other than Taylor Swift strolled past.
Rodrigo, who can be seen stopping by Carpenter’s table during a break (see footage here), was radiant in archival Versace, while Carpenter stunned in custom JW Anderson before changing into a plethora of looks for her performance. Though the footage remains frustratingly blurry—even the professional lip readers couldn’t crack this one—it’s clear that past tensions have since dissolved.
The duo were first linked years ago after Carpenter dated Rodrigo’s ex, actor Joshua Bassett, inspiring the singer to write her 2021 hit ‘Drivers License’. With a media frenzy following the song’s release, Carpenter then shared her perspective on the scrutiny she faced with her own song, ‘Because I Liked A Boy’.
Despite rumours, Rodrigo quickly distanced herself from the trope of female rivalry, explaining to Variety in a 2021 interview that she didn’t expect the drama to come from her music.
“I don’t really subscribe to hating other women because of boys,” she said. “I think that’s so stupid, and I really resent that narrative that was being tossed around.”
Both pop icons have since forged their own paths, personally and professionally. Rodrigo attended the ceremony with her boyfriend, British actor Louis Partridge, while Carpenter celebrated a career milestone, taking home her first-ever Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album—an award Rodrigo nabbed two years prior.
The artists share a friend in fellow musician Chappell Roan, who they posed respectively with at the awards.
Rodrigo and Carpenter’s dynamic has also been rumoured to have been further escalated by a rift between the 21-year-old and her former mentor, Swift, which was reportedly spurred by an issue with song writing credits.
