Sabrina Carpenter’s name has become one we can’t seem to stop hearing. Yet, the Short N’ Sweet star isn’t exactly new to the limelight. Notably breaking into the industry scene as Maya Hart on Disney Channel’s Girl Meets World, Carpenter wasted no time capturing viewers with her charm and talent. Yet, unlike many other Disney stars who went directly from their shows into musical stardom, Carpenter’s music career didn’t seem to take off post-finale immediately.
Unlike Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Olivia Rodrigo, and others who received overnight success and quickly moved from our television screens to becoming known as worldwide superstars, Carpenter’s rise was much more gradual and unique. Rather than immediately getting her “big break” upon the ending of Girl Meets World, she cast a wide net with movie roles and music flying seemingly under the radar. Yet, we know how this story ends, and Carpenter did receive her big break after years and years of hard work. However, her traction initially began in quite an unexpected fashion: through drama having little to do with her work at all.
In 2021, Carpenter’s name was constantly thrown around and bashed following her fellow Disney alum, Olivia Rodrigo, after the release of her song “Driver’s License” in which she sings about an “older” and “Blonde” girl who her ex-boyfriend— actor Joshua Bassett— essentially left her for. Rodrigo’s hit song set off speculation about Sabrina’s intentions, placing Carpenter in the spotlight as “the other woman” type character. Rather than running from the spotlight, Carpenter addressed the situation head-on by releasing her song “Skin” and later “Because I Liked a Boy” in response to the hate she received for the drama she didn’t ask to be a part of. The song, in turn, became an instant hit with listeners who appreciated her complacent reply to such drama. It was, therefore, this very point that marked the beginning of Carpenter’s traction of popularity and phenomenal rise to stardom.
Although it was Carpenter’s fifth studio album, Emails I Can’t Send was undeniably the start to her major success following her drama with her fellow Disney stars. Unlike any of her other preexisting albums, this album has a strongly curated aesthetic and is rich in emotional lyricism, making it extremely recognizable and even iconic. This one stood out for fans and critics since it differed from her previous work. Arguably, one of the defining characteristics of this album’s success has been how Carpenter went viral with her “Nonsense” outros on her Emails I Can’t Send Tour. She came up with special, city-specific outros at each show, and in no time, it became an internet sensation that further cemented her status as a pop culture phenomenon.
In addition to “Because I Liked a Boy,” other singles off of the album, such as “Feather,” received much attention. The viral “Feather” music video has had many people talking about it mainly because she chose to shoot part of the video in a church. Far from damaging her reputation, the scandal only seemed to heighten interest in her work as bold creative choices continued to generate discussion.
Along with her solo success from Emails I Can’t Send, Sabrina was invited to join Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour as an opener, which has helped other artists such as Gracie Abrams gain more momentum. Opening in packed stadiums across the globe, Carpenter learned lessons from one of the top performers in the industry. Her dynamic performances on this tour further solidified her spot in the industry, proving she could put on an exciting show on some of the world’s biggest stages.
Continuing with this rise of popularity, Carpenter recently released her sixth studio album, Short N’ Sweet, with a bold new direction and a nostalgic 1950s aesthetic. It saw the instant virality of its first single, “Espresso,” infecting listeners with its summer-like energy— perfect for its release time. “Espresso” was then followed by two more singles titled “Please, Please, Please” and “Taste,” both of which contributed to the album’s growing reputation of being a pop sensation. Each music video for these singles had a color palette designed meticulously with a vintage outlook that has made Short N’ Sweet all the more recognizable, similar to her Emails I Can’t Send album.
Additionally, a little bit of drama surrounding some of the songs on Short N’ Sweet was something for the fans to discuss as well. The album has ignited rumors surrounding her relationship with Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello, proposing a new love triangle full of drama. Fans went into breaking down each of the lyrics of songs such as “Taste” and “Coincidence” for meaning, adding the element of gossip and speculation to the already growing fame of the album.
With the beginning of her Short N’ Sweet tour, social media was once again actively posting about her shows. It has certainly been a very successful tour, helping boost Carpenter as one of today’s most talked-about pop stars.
Sabrina Carpenter’s rise to fame wasn’t overnight: it was a long road leading her to well-deserved fame and success. In an interview, Carpenter even said that her mother described her as the tortoise from the popular fable, the Tortoise and the Hare, as “slow and steady wins the race.” Casey Cho (12) states, “I have known about Sabrina for years from Disney Channel, and I am so happy that she has stepped away from simply being seen as a Disney star and is now known for her incredible performances and lyricism.” Sabrina has grown in front of the public eye from a Disney Channel Star into one of the most iconic and loved artists of this generation. Carpenter is currently on fire, and it is exciting to see what’s next in her career.
