Sabrina Carpenter Reunites with Childhood Crush Paul McCartney Backstage

Sabrina Carpenter enjoyed a full-circle moment as she reunited backstage with her longtime idol Sir Paul McCartney during one of the final stops of his GOT BACK tour. 

In an image shared on McCartney’s Instagram, the singer, 26, beamed beside the Beatles legend, 83, nearly a year after admitting on national television that he had been her childhood crush.

As the duo posed for a picture together, Carpenter leaned comfortably into the music icon as he wrapped an arm warmly around her shoulders. 

McCartney, who is happily married to Nancy Shevell, was dressed in a crisp white shirt layered beneath a black vest, looked relaxed and cheerful. 

Carpenter appeared equally radiant in a cream turtleneck sweater and light trench coat.

Her bright blonde hair styled in perfect loose waves and her makeup soft and glowy at his show. 

Sabrina Carpenter enjoyed a full-circle moment as she reunited backstage with her longtime idol Sir Paul McCartney during one of the final stops of his GOT BACK 2025 tour; seen in 2024

Under the post, she added her own three-word review of the night, commenting simply: ‘best show ever [three white heart emojis].’

The backstage moment comes after Carpenter revealed just how deeply McCartney influenced her childhood while appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in December. 

‘When I was very, very young, my dad played me Rocky Raccoon for the first time and I was so mesmerized by that song and the songwriting of it all that I fell in love with Paul McCartney,’ she said at the time.

The Please Please Please singer admitted she was so taken with McCartney that she began imagining a future with him, not realizing the Beatles star was 57 years older. 

‘I was convinced that [he] was my future husband,’ she laughed. ‘But he was quite old and I was so young I didn’t understand that he was much older than me because I was looking at all these photos. No, he’s young, he’s only like 10 years older than me. I didn’t understand math… I was a child.’

When Carpenter finally met McCartney for the first time at the 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year event, she recalled immediately tearing up.

‘I formed tears in my eyes,’ she said, explaining that McCartney was ‘so normal and casual and was so charming.’ 

She described the encounter as ‘entering an alternate universe… like the Upside Down vibes? Like Stranger Things, but a lot happier than Stranger Things.’

The backstage moment comes after Carpenter revealed just how deeply McCartney influenced her childhood while appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in December

Carpenter has continued to show her appreciation for McCartney and his work. 

Just last month, she wore a vintage Wings T-shirt while reacting to her six Grammy nominations for her chart-topping album Man’s Best Friend. 

She has also frequently spoken about how much she admires the way McCartney makes everyone around him feel ‘seen and heard,’ calling him one of the most inspiring figures she has ever met. 

This month, the former Disney Channel wrapped up her 14-month Short n’ Sweet Tour in Los Angeles.

This month, the former Disney Channel wrapped up her 14-month Short n’ Sweet Tour in Los Angeles (pictured on September 30, 2024)

It marked her first-ever sold-out arena tour and included 72 stops across North America and Europe. 

‘This show really was everything I’ve dreamt of making since I was young. This combined with a literal house that became a home of a stage + working with the sweetest most talented hardworking souls every day, so much laughter and moments that felt straight out of a sitcom, has meant that I am feeling every bit of this ending and feeling it hard!’ she wrote on Instagram last week.

She continued: ‘You guys sold out every single show in some of my dream bucket list venues and reminded me each and every night why I love what I do and I’m so lucky to do it. I truly think I’ll look back on this tour when I’m old and gray and wish I could step back into my go go boots just oneee more time.’

Carpenter also noted that ‘every detail of this show was made with love, humor, creativity, and excitement for each crowd to step into’ her mind.