Every now and then, a period of time is most easily defined by the person that you can honestly say everyone was talking about, and now is the turn of - Sabrina Carpenter!
It all started on the Emails I Can’t Send tour with the iconic genius of the Nonsense outros! Sabrina Carpenter ushered in a new career-defining era of mature content and addictive confidence, and it is safe to say that, ever since, it has become a true rarity that any thumbnail or discussion of the singer goes unclicked. In less than a year she has earned a wave of faithful, passionate recognition and she is riding it straight to the top in, to take in the big picture, the best distancing from ‘Disney days’ yet – a situation familiar enough to us now for us to expect certain fallout.
No one can ever say Sabrina is in any way pompous or taking herself too seriously, nor too extreme, and that, in many ways, is a breath of fresh air, and one that promises to keep giving, maintaining that impressive, lovable, magnetism, if her new album title – Short ‘n’ Sweet – is any indication, but it is hard to know how public response will fare.
Recently, Carpenter released her latest music video for new song, Please Please Please. Always the picture of pocket-rocket energy, the new release plays innocent but packs power, with the makings of classic stripped-down Hollywood glamour and the faded reality of a dream, especially with her strong focus on cinematic visuals of late. However, the juxtaposition between that hand-picked, old-school sound, and always brilliant production, with modern conversational writing, which is becoming a staple for the performer, perfectly capture the uncertain ground we stand on now when it comes to Carpenter’s musical plans.
Her genre, certainly her image, is becoming “I’m hot and I know it”, letting poetic representation and communication we've seen her nail in the past slip a little to favour comedy that threatens to make her releases purely gimmicky. Her leaning into the media discussion around her love life and, more generally, the discussion of sexism in the industry has it’s empowering post-feminism elements but that go-get-‘em-girl aura begins to fade pretty quickly and what is left is an uncomfortable clarity on the fact that she may be becoming more joke than human.
Where previously the catchiness of a song has largely been ruled a saving grace, it seems to be what Carpenter is aiming for from the get-go, and whilst we have seen this succeed absolutely as her melodies continue to loop our minds and for you pages, is there a risk of relying on it and seeing it become dangerous, nay fatal, to future music?
The costumes, the innuendos, the choreography; all creates a completely one-of-a-kind world surrounding the artist and her fandom, arguably the cornerstone of stratospheric, pop sensation status, but for some leaves a nagging image of the stereotypical young girl trying to grow up too fast, unfortunately only acting to justify any judgement emerging amongst frankly adorable interactions, smitten smiles, and the occasional pre-MET blush-faced “baaabyyyy” when the age difference and, more to the point undeniable different chapters of life, in her current relationship with, award-winning actor, Barry Keoghan, simultaneously comes into focus and furrows a brow.
It’s easy to get caught up in the sex appeal of Sabrina (and Barry), but the argument to be made here is that dynamic and energy has really uplifted the live music experience of her tour dates and festival sets, as well as her connection with her fans and overall relevance to the chronically online. There is an obvious, and appreciated, happiness, freedom and pure fun to this era of a feeling not unlike musical theatre. An entire train of thought captured, somewhat unorthodox lyrics and beautifully controlled, relatively mocking vocal delivery, for an effective unedited intimacy between the singer and the listener.
Underneath it all you start to see a girl aware of what we could be thinking, who is mastering the act of lightening the mood but is also genuinely scared of getting hurt, bravely proclaiming a light-hearted but sincere message to her other half. Clips of Carpenter’s first live performance of Please Please Please at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York City, for the 2024 Gov Ball, see the singer with a big smile on her face to drive that point home more effectively than any reporters writing could.
With every listen and every glimpse of fans response to the release, new levels of appreciation are unlocked until it is impossible to deny that adorable sweetness, romance and depth. There may be some concern but do you know who does know what’s going on with Sabrina Carpenter? Sabrina Carpenter!, and here’s betting she has us exactly where she wants us.
Comments