If you were scrolling through X (formerly Twitter) back in September 2024, you probably saw a clip that looked like a scene from a high-budget sci-fi fever dream. In the middle of a massive, sparkly stage, Sabrina Carpenter—the girl who essentially owned that summer with "Espresso"—was locked in a full-on makeout session with a blue extraterrestrial.
It wasn't a glitch. It wasn't a leaked movie trailer. It was the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, and it might be one of the weirdest, most talked-about moments in the show's recent history.
Honestly, the sabrina carpenter kissing alien moment was more than just a shock tactic. It was a deeply layered reference to her "Short n' Sweet" era aesthetic, a nod to pop royalty, and a very public extension of her "Taste" music video. But if you didn't have the context, you were likely left wondering why the "Princess of Pop" was swapping spit with something from another galaxy.
The Performance That Broke the Internet
Sabrina didn't just walk onto the stage. She descended from the rafters on a giant, glittery diamond-shaped swing, singing "Please Please Please." She looked like a classic Hollywood starlet, but things took a sharp turn into the cosmic pretty quickly.
As she transitioned into her hit "Taste," the stage transformed into a Martian landscape. We’re talking red dirt, astronauts, and a few very flexible aliens. The choreography was tight, but the climax happened when an astronaut and an alien started getting a little too close for comfort.
Sabrina, playing the role of the ultimate "other woman" or perhaps just an agent of chaos, pushed the astronaut aside. She grabbed the alien—played by professional dancer and choreographer Brooke Fong—and went for it.
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It was a long, intentional kiss. The crowd went wild.
Social media, of course, lost its collective mind. Memes flew instantly. Some fans joked that they were jealous of the alien, while others were just confused. But for the die-hards who had been dissecting her music videos for weeks, the "sabrina carpenter kissing alien" bit made perfect sense.
Why the Alien? Connecting the Dots to "Taste"
To understand the alien kiss, you have to look at the "Taste" music video, which dropped just weeks before the VMAs. That video is a gore-filled, campy masterpiece directed by Dave Meyers, starring Sabrina and Jenna Ortega.
The two spend the entire video trying to brutally murder each other over a guy (played by Rohan Campbell). It’s heavily inspired by the 1992 cult classic Death Becomes Her. In that movie, Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn play immortal rivals who eventually realize they’re stuck with each other forever.
The Jenna Ortega Connection
In the "Taste" video, there is a pivotal moment where Sabrina and Jenna Ortega accidentally share a kiss while trying to kill one another. It’s a moment of bizarre intimacy born out of mutual obsession.
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When Sabrina took the VMAs stage, the alien was essentially standing in for Jenna. Since Jenna was busy being a superstar elsewhere, the alien became the surrogate "rival." By kissing the alien, Sabrina was nodding to the "Taste" video's central theme: that the connection between the two women (or the woman and her rival) is often more intense than the connection with the man they’re fighting over.
The Britney Spears Influence
You can't talk about a pop star at the VMAs without talking about Britney Spears. Sabrina is a massive fan, and the "sabrina carpenter kissing alien" performance was riddled with Britney Easter eggs.
Before she even hit the stage, a voiceover played the iconic "Oops! I Did It Again" interlude—the one where the astronaut finds the Heart of the Ocean on Mars. Sabrina took that 2000s space aesthetic and turned it up to eleven.
Britney herself actually commented on the performance later. In a since-deleted Instagram post, she mentioned she didn't quite get the alien kiss part, calling it "weird." But hey, when you're being called weird by the woman who once performed with a live python around her neck, you're probably doing something right in the world of pop spectacle.
Who Was Under the Mask?
The internet is a detective agency. It didn't take long for fans to unmask the alien. It was Brooke Fong, a well-known dancer in the industry.
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Fong later posted on Instagram about the experience, calling it "out of this world." It’s actually pretty impressive how much chemistry she managed to project through layers of blue prosthetic makeup and a wig.
Why This Moment Actually Matters for Her Career
Some people see a pop star kissing an alien and think "PR stunt." And sure, it got people talking. But in the 2026 landscape of pop music, these "moments" are the currency of longevity.
- Brand Identity: Sabrina has carved out a niche that is equal parts "Old Hollywood Glamour" and "Relatable Weirdo." The alien kiss perfectly bridged those two worlds.
- Visual Storytelling: She isn't just releasing songs; she’s building a cinematic universe. The way she carries themes from a music video onto a live awards show stage shows a level of artistic intentionality that usually only the biggest icons (like Gaga or Madonna) pull off.
- Queer Coding and Camp: The kiss sparked a lot of conversation about "queerbaiting" versus genuine camp. Most critics agreed that because the kiss was so rooted in the satire of Death Becomes Her, it felt more like a tribute to campy horror and female rivalry than a cheap grab for attention.
What to Take Away From the Sabrina Alien Saga
If you’re looking for a deeper meaning, it’s basically this: Sabrina Carpenter is in her "I can do whatever I want" era. After years of being a Disney kid and a rising pop star, she has finally hit that level of fame where she can lean into the bizarre.
The sabrina carpenter kissing alien moment wasn't an accident. It was a calculated, hilarious, and visually stunning piece of performance art.
If you want to dive deeper into the Sabrina lore, your best bet is to go back and watch the "Taste" music video alongside Death Becomes Her. You’ll see the parallels immediately—from the funeral outfits to the "hole in the stomach" shotgun blasts.
Next time you see a pop star doing something truly "weird" on stage, don't just write it off. Look at the music videos. Look at the outfits. There is usually a breadcrumb trail leading back to a 30-year-old movie or a legendary VMA moment from the past. Sabrina is just a master at following those trails.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Watch the References: Stream Death Becomes Her (1992) to see where the "Taste" aesthetic truly started.
- Check the Credits: Follow Brooke Fong on social media if you want to see the "alien's" incredible dance portfolio.
- Revisit the Medley: Watch the full 2024 VMA performance to catch the Britney Spears audio cues you might have missed the first time.