Sabrina Carpenter and Paul Simon Kicked Off ‘SNL50: The Anniversary Special,’ Sparking a Stir

On February 16, 2025, musical star Sabrina Carpenter performed with fellow industry heavy hitter Paul Simon to kick off “SNL50: The Anniversary Special.” While the duo received a warm reception from the roaring crowd in the studio, online viewers felt differently, with many pointing out flaws with Simon’s vocals.

Standing front and center in the middle of the “Saturday Night Live” (“SNL”) stage in a beautiful off-the-shoulder sparkly, fringe gown made of semi-sheer material, Sabrina Carpenter smiled and waved at the audience. As she did so, Simon took in the electric ambiance, gazing out into the crowd while holding his guitar.

Following loud cheers from the crowd, the two artists exchanged pleasantries. After the “Girl Meets World” star emphasized how iconic Simon is by gesturing to him with her hands, Simon acknowledged, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is Sabrina Carpenter.”

“This is the one and only Paul Simon,” replied Carpenter. Simon, who sported an eye-catching velvet and lilac suit jacket, purple top, and black pants, then introduced the song the pair were set to sing. “I sang this song with George Harrison on ‘Saturday Night Live’ in 1976,” shared the music legend.

Comedically, Carpenter highlighted how neither she nor her parents had been born at that time, which garnered a laugh from the audience. “I’m glad they’re getting a chance to hear it tonight then,” responded Simon before he began strumming his guitar.

Together, the two sang a beautiful rendition of Simon and Garfunkel’s classic “Homeward Bound.” Simon kicked things off, his low yet melodic voice carrying through the venue as Carpenter awaited her cue. After some time, the “Nonsense” musician joined Simon, blending her rich vocals with his.

At one point during the duet, Carpenter took the spotlight, performing a section of the song on her own and further showcasing her vocal prowess before Simon continued to sing along with her.

Although the artists gave the performance their all, garnering loud praise from the audience, social media users were not impressed. Many expressed their opinion concerning how Carpenter did a better job than Simon.

“She carried that song,” opined an Instagrammer, while another chimed in with, “Between the horrible arrangement and Paul Simon’s inability to sing any more [sic], Sabrina’s vocals were the only redeeming part and I don’t even like her.”

“This would have been great without Paul Simon….and I love Paul Simon. Off key, too slow,” added someone else. “Paul Simon lol Very very overrated Wake me when it’s just Sabrina singing [sic],” expressed a user on X.

Commending Carpenter as a performer, an observer praised, “She showed so much maturity letting him sort of lead the way at first and she blended and eased into the song… it made me tear up with how much respect she showed him.”