A body language analyst has provided insights into the seemingly awkward exchange between Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter at the VMAs on Sunday, September 7.
The two artists were present at the event held at the UBS Arena in New York, where both received accolades for their contributions to the music industry over the past year.
Although this year’s VMAs may not have been filled with headline-grabbing moments, a notably ‘frosty’ hug shared between Grande and Carpenter has captured the attention of many online.
Footage shared across social media platforms shows the singers conversing backstage, eventually leading to a hug as they prepared to find their seats in New York.
In one particular instance, Carpenter initiated another hug, but Grande, known for her role in Wicked, did not reciprocate with the same enthusiasm, refraining from wrapping her arms around Carpenter.
This interaction has sparked discussions, prompting a body language expert to offer their perspective on the matter.
Judi James shared with the Daily Mail, “[Ariana] holds her arms out for a frosty-looking partial hug that has ‘brakes’ on it via the holding of the elbows. There is a small dance on the spot with excitement but it is rather low-key compared to the kind of fan-like hand kissing she performed on Lady Gaga.”
The expert continued by saying, “Ariana performed many acts of fan-like lowered status and respect tonight but the body language signals from her greeting ritual with Sabrina tonight suggested she retained her own status while keeping it rather cool.”
“The body language looks professional here … but with the elbow-clutching the suggestion is that these two stars don’t know each other very well.”
This event coincides with Carpenter’s recent album release, ‘Man’s Best Friend’, on August 29. Prior to the release, she spoke to Rolling Stone, mentioning that her 2024 project, ‘Short n’ Sweet’, might have been ‘stretched out’ further.
She remarked, “But I’m at that point in my life where I’m like, ‘Wait a second, there’s no rules’. If I’m inspired to write and make something new, I would rather do that. Why would I wait three years just for the sake of waiting three years?”
“It’s all about what feels right. I’m learning to listen to that a lot more, instead of what is perceived as the right or wrong move.”