The 2026 Met Gala’s “Costume Art” theme delivered plenty of fashion, but the night’s biggest late-evening buzz came after dinner, when Sabrina Carpenter and Stevie Nicks shared the stage for a surprise double act inside the Temple of Dendur. Vogue described the moment as one of the gala’s marquee performances, following in the event’s tradition of pairing major artists for the after-dinner entertainment.
Carpenter opened with a compact set that leaned on her recent hits and her newer material. Backed by a five-piece orchestra, a four-piece band, and four dancers, she performed “House Tour” from Man’s Best Friend along with “Espresso” and “Please, Please, Please” from Short n’ Sweet. The performance was choreographed by Jasmine “JB” Badie.
Her wardrobe changes were just as headline-worthy as the setlist. Vogue reported that Carpenter first wore a Versace Tribute dress inspired by Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe and James Dean prints, then switched into a fringed gold Bob Mackie dress for the performance portion of the night. Other coverage also highlighted a yellow sequined showgirl-style look and a later pop-art-inspired outfit tied to the same performance sequence.
Then came Stevie Nicks, who closed the night with a performance that felt both elegant and historic. She wore custom John Galliano for Zara with Tiffany & Co. jewelry on the carpet, then changed into a vintage Morgane LeFay dress and Margi Kent jacket for the stage set. Nicks performed four songs with an eight-person band, starting with a duet of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” alongside Carpenter before moving through “Gypsy,” “Edge of Seventeen,” and “Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow,” the last of which also featured Carpenter and a 12-person choir.
The performance mattered for more than just spectacle. It brought together two artists from very different corners of pop culture: Carpenter, one of the biggest modern pop stars in the room, and Nicks, a living link to one of rock’s most enduring catalogs. People and other outlets noted that this was Nicks’ first Met Gala performance, which made the duet feel even more like a once-in-a-night moment.
Vogue also pointed out that the Met Gala has become known for these kinds of major after-dinner pairings, citing previous performances by Stevie Wonder and Usher, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, and Kacey Musgraves and Lenny Kravitz. This year, though, the combination of Carpenter’s current pop dominance and Nicks’ legendary status made the closing set feel especially loaded.
The night did not stop there. Earlier in the gala, Joshua Henry opened the red carpet with a live rendition of “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” backed by a choir, dancers, and a band, setting the tone for an evening that blurred fashion, performance, and theater from the start. By the end of the night, Carpenter and Nicks had turned the 2026 Met Gala from a celebrity fashion event into something closer to a live music moment.
