Sabrina Carpenter, Renee Rapp, Laufey Honored

“You can sing along, too. Don’t be shy,” Sabrina Carpenter said in front of the star-studded crowd at the Time100 Next Gala on Wednesday evening.

The pop star took a slight detour amid her “Short n’ Sweet” tour across North America to perform acoustic versions of her hits “Please Please Please” and “Espresso” at the intimate soiree. The event, which took place at a venue inside Chelsea Piers in New York City, celebrated Time’s 2024 list of 100 rising stars in entertainment, sports, business, politics and more.

“I feel so lucky to be able to be in the room with so many artists that I admire for so many different reasons,” Carpenter shared on stage. “This next song that I wrote about a year ago was a song that I wanted to put out for the summer. And now I’ve heard it a lot, and I’m very grateful for that. But if you’re sick of it, I’m so sorry,” she said of “Espresso,” as the room laughed.

This year’s list features several female music artists, including Carpenter, Reneé Rapp, Victoria Monét and Laufey.

“I’ve always been saying it’s the age of the woman — it’s the age of the female singer,” Laufey told Variety on the red carpet. “So it’s really cool to get this opportunity to be around them. I feel like we’ve all been flying around each other on tour, so I’m really excited to meet them tonight.”

Asked who on the list she would love to collaborate with in the future, Laufey replied, “Beabadoobee’s on this list. I already have a song with her. Otherwise, I’d say Bea.”

Laufey then mentioned Rapp. “I think she is one of the best vocalists of our generation,” she said.

During the gala, a handful of honorees gave toasts to acknowledge the individuals and causes that matter to them, including “Bridgerton” star Nicola Coughlan, Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland, basketball player Jaylen Brown, scientific researcher Dr. Mehreen Datoo and “Shogun” star Anna Sawai, who this year became the first actor of Asian descent to win the Emmy for best lead actress in a drama series.

“I know a lot people will say that my Emmy was well-deserved, and I’m very appreciative of that. But I don’t believe the Asian actresses who came before me didn’t deserve it,” Sawai said, noting they either did not have the chance to play “complex roles” like her “Shogun” character Mariko, or they were “still limited” even when they received opportunities. “And when it came to the awards, even less were acknowledged. So now it really feels like the world is catching up.”

Coughlan, meanwhile, dedicated her toast to Mary Robinson, the first female president of Ireland, who took office in 1990. “I hope that if you are fortunate enough to elect your first female president, she too will be unafraid to speak truth to power, and will strive to make not just this country, but the world a more peaceful place,” she said.

Other honorees in attendance included actor Ashley Park, “Baby Reindeer” creator and star Richard Gadd, model and actor Kaia Gerber, “Chicken Shop Date” host Amelia Dimoldenberg, singer-songwriter Shaboozey, rapper Vince Staples, comedian Cole Escola, actor Kingsley Ben-Adir, fashion designer Christian Siriano, actor Adria Arjona, musician and activist Adam Met, actor Kat Graham and fashion designer Brandon Blackwood.