WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.279 Welcome back to the Deep Dive. If you're here, 00:00:02.620 --> 00:00:04.660 you know the drill. We take all the info, the 00:00:04.660 --> 00:00:07.120 research, everything we can find, and boil it 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:09.279 down to the story you need to know. Exactly. 00:00:09.740 --> 00:00:12.580 And today we're looking at a career path that's 00:00:12.580 --> 00:00:16.030 just, well, really remarkable. It's Sabrina Carpenter. 00:00:16.309 --> 00:00:18.890 Yes, Sabrina Anlin Carpenter. Our mission today 00:00:18.890 --> 00:00:21.550 is to track her evolution because it's seriously 00:00:21.550 --> 00:00:23.829 one of the most intentional climbs in recent 00:00:23.829 --> 00:00:26.469 pop history. Right. We've got a pretty comprehensive 00:00:26.469 --> 00:00:29.609 look at her life and career. Born 1999, Quaker 00:00:29.609 --> 00:00:33.130 Town, Pennsylvania. Active since, like, 2008. 00:00:33.439 --> 00:00:37.359 All the way up to now, 2024, 2025, where she's, 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:39.340 you know, breaking records left and right. This 00:00:39.340 --> 00:00:41.719 isn't just about a pop star hitting it big. It's 00:00:41.719 --> 00:00:44.159 almost a case study, you know? Yeah. How to navigate 00:00:44.159 --> 00:00:46.859 the industry, gain control, especially after 00:00:46.859 --> 00:00:49.159 starting so young. That's the core of it, isn't 00:00:49.159 --> 00:00:51.479 it? We need to move past this idea of her being 00:00:51.479 --> 00:00:53.679 an overnight success because she wasn't. Not 00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:56.799 at all. There is, like, a decade plus of groundwork. 00:00:56.920 --> 00:00:59.560 We need to figure out those key moments, those 00:00:59.560 --> 00:01:02.619 pivots that took her from a Disney Channel star 00:01:02.619 --> 00:01:05.840 with four albums that did okay. Moderately successful, 00:01:06.060 --> 00:01:08.920 yeah, on Hollywood records. To this Grammy -winning 00:01:08.920 --> 00:01:12.480 global phenomenon who's literally topping charts 00:01:12.480 --> 00:01:15.239 everywhere and setting historical records. And 00:01:15.239 --> 00:01:18.760 that context is crucial. Think about it, active 00:01:18.760 --> 00:01:22.420 from 2008, working, releasing music under that 00:01:22.420 --> 00:01:25.980 Disney umbrella, limited peaks. You know, then 00:01:25.980 --> 00:01:28.959 bam, 2021. Switches to Island Records. And the 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:32.099 next two albums, Short and Sweet, Man's Best 00:01:32.099 --> 00:01:35.879 Friend. Both debut number one on Billboard. Multiple 00:01:35.879 --> 00:01:38.980 global number ones. Grammys. It's night and day. 00:01:39.219 --> 00:01:40.980 It really is. It's like delayed gratification 00:01:40.980 --> 00:01:43.500 just met perfect timing and execution. A real 00:01:43.500 --> 00:01:45.599 case study. OK, let's dive in. We have to start 00:01:45.599 --> 00:01:47.760 at the beginning to really get this. Right. So 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:49.640 when you see how fast things have moved recently, 00:01:49.799 --> 00:01:51.959 it's easy to forget she was in the game for a 00:01:51.959 --> 00:01:54.439 long, long time before hitting the mainstream 00:01:54.439 --> 00:01:56.480 charts. Definitely. Born in Quaker Town, grew 00:01:56.480 --> 00:01:59.140 up in East Greenville, PA, homeschooled. And 00:01:59.140 --> 00:02:02.180 this is key. Started voice lessons at six. Six 00:02:02.180 --> 00:02:04.939 years old. That's early. Super early. And that 00:02:04.939 --> 00:02:07.159 family support? You can't underestimate it. The 00:02:07.159 --> 00:02:09.500 sources mentioned her dad, David Carpenter, actually 00:02:09.500 --> 00:02:12.000 built a recording studio for her at home. Wow. 00:02:12.139 --> 00:02:14.699 OK. So not just encouragement, but like actual 00:02:14.699 --> 00:02:18.039 infrastructure. Exactly. It tells you this was 00:02:18.039 --> 00:02:20.379 serious from the start, a supported training 00:02:20.379 --> 00:02:23.300 ground, not just a kid singing in her bedroom. 00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:25.360 And there's that fun family connection, too. 00:02:25.539 --> 00:02:27.879 Her and her sisters are nieces of Nancy Cartwright. 00:02:28.099 --> 00:02:30.860 Yeah, Bart Simpson herself. Her dad is Cartwright's 00:02:30.860 --> 00:02:33.960 stepbrother. So performance is kind of in the 00:02:33.960 --> 00:02:36.340 bloodline, you could say. That makes sense. So 00:02:36.340 --> 00:02:39.139 before Disney, before the record deals, how did 00:02:39.139 --> 00:02:41.699 she start getting noticed? Well, like a lot of 00:02:41.699 --> 00:02:45.240 artists from that era, YouTube, around age 10, 00:02:46.039 --> 00:02:49.180 she was posting videos covering some really vocally 00:02:49.180 --> 00:02:53.319 demanding songs. Christina Aguilera, Adele, big 00:02:53.319 --> 00:02:55.599 voices. So she was showing off those chops early. 00:02:55.860 --> 00:02:57.599 Right, setting herself apart from, you know, 00:02:57.840 --> 00:03:00.280 typical kid singers. It showed maturity. And 00:03:00.280 --> 00:03:02.780 that led to something more formal. It did. In 00:03:02.780 --> 00:03:05.379 2008, she entered this online contest, the Next 00:03:05.379 --> 00:03:09.159 Miley Cyrus Project, out of 7 ,000 kids. Wow. 00:03:09.379 --> 00:03:12.379 She came in third in 2010. Didn't win, but crucially, 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:14.180 it helped her get management. Signed with Bill 00:03:14.180 --> 00:03:16.020 Perlman around then. Yeah. So things started 00:03:16.020 --> 00:03:17.979 getting professional quite early. Laying the 00:03:17.979 --> 00:03:20.699 groundwork. Piece by piece. And look at the variety 00:03:20.699 --> 00:03:23.080 of early stuff she did. Her first acting gig. 00:03:23.800 --> 00:03:28.000 Law and order. SVU in 2011. Seriously, SVU? That's 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:30.000 not exactly Disney Channel Fair. Right, an adult 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:31.939 drama. And she was already getting international 00:03:31.939 --> 00:03:34.620 exposure too. Performed over in China for this 00:03:34.620 --> 00:03:37.539 big TV festival. So even before Disney, the team 00:03:37.539 --> 00:03:40.020 was thinking bigger picture. Thinking global. 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:43.280 Seems like it. But yeah, the big visibility shift. 00:03:43.560 --> 00:03:46.960 That was definitely Disney. 2013, she lands the 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:50.120 role of Maya Hart in Girl Meets World. Huge deal. 00:03:50.280 --> 00:03:52.520 The spinoff of Boy Meets World. That show was 00:03:52.520 --> 00:03:54.900 massive for a whole generation. And it ran for 00:03:54.900 --> 00:03:58.379 72 episodes till 2017. Made her a household name 00:03:58.379 --> 00:04:00.789 for that demographic. She even sang the theme 00:04:00.789 --> 00:04:03.169 song with Roland Blanchard. So that role really 00:04:03.169 --> 00:04:05.710 cemented her image, but also set up the music 00:04:05.710 --> 00:04:08.330 side. Absolutely. She also had a recurring voice 00:04:08.330 --> 00:04:11.129 role, Princess Vivian in Sofia the First, went 00:04:11.129 --> 00:04:14.250 2013 to 2018, sang songs for that too, like All 00:04:14.250 --> 00:04:15.870 You Need. And this is where the big contract 00:04:15.870 --> 00:04:18.829 comes in. This is it. 2014, right in that Girl 00:04:18.829 --> 00:04:21.589 Meets World wave, she signs a five album deal 00:04:21.589 --> 00:04:23.870 with Hollywood Records, which is owned by Disney. 00:04:23.970 --> 00:04:26.629 Five albums. That's a commitment. It's a huge 00:04:26.629 --> 00:04:29.670 commitment. And that contract really shapes everything 00:04:29.670 --> 00:04:32.129 for the next, what, six, seven years. It's the 00:04:32.129 --> 00:04:34.230 anchor of that whole first chapter. It gave her 00:04:34.230 --> 00:04:36.389 a platform, the budget, I guess. For sure. But 00:04:36.389 --> 00:04:39.269 it also, you know, likely limited her artistic 00:04:39.269 --> 00:04:41.629 freedom quite a bit for a long time. Her music 00:04:41.629 --> 00:04:43.990 career kicks off right away under that deal. 00:04:44.649 --> 00:04:46.629 Debut single, Can't Blame a Girl for Trying, 00:04:46.870 --> 00:04:49.509 2014. And that one had a cool connection, right? 00:04:49.709 --> 00:04:51.670 Co -written by Meghan Trainor. That's the one. 00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:53.600 A little bit of trivia there. So you rounded 00:04:53.600 --> 00:04:57.019 out 2014 pretty busy then. Did the Disney Channel, 00:04:57.060 --> 00:04:59.800 Do You Want to Build a Snowman cover? Yep, lead 00:04:59.800 --> 00:05:02.040 vocals on that. And her first Christmas single, 00:05:02.339 --> 00:05:05.879 Silver Nights. So definitely active, but very 00:05:05.879 --> 00:05:08.040 much operating within that Disney system. Safe, 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:12.100 managed. Exactly. Chapter one, tipper one. Right, 00:05:12.100 --> 00:05:16.040 so this period, maybe 2015 to 2020, this is the 00:05:16.040 --> 00:05:18.420 grind. This is where she has to navigate being 00:05:18.420 --> 00:05:20.660 a Disney kid, but also trying to become a serious 00:05:20.660 --> 00:05:23.550 artist. all while fulfilling that five album 00:05:23.550 --> 00:05:25.769 contract. Let's talk about the music first. The 00:05:25.769 --> 00:05:28.329 debut album, Eyes Wide Open 2015, what was the 00:05:28.329 --> 00:05:31.410 sound like? Very much of its time and label. 00:05:31.970 --> 00:05:34.990 Teen pop, definitely. Some folk pop elements 00:05:34.990 --> 00:05:37.829 in there, accessible, friendly for the Disney 00:05:37.829 --> 00:05:40.230 crowd, light. And how did it do commercially? 00:05:40.790 --> 00:05:43.810 Modest start. Peaked at number 43 on the Billboard 00:05:43.810 --> 00:05:48.079 200. Sold about 12 ,000 copies first week. So, 00:05:48.180 --> 00:05:51.180 not bad, but not exactly setting the charts on 00:05:51.180 --> 00:05:54.180 fire. No. Which is why the sources point to the 00:05:54.180 --> 00:05:56.259 positive reviews it got, the couple of radio 00:05:56.259 --> 00:05:58.839 Disney music awards it won. The success was kind 00:05:58.839 --> 00:06:00.540 of contained within that teen bubble, you know? 00:06:00.620 --> 00:06:02.939 Okay. Then she followed up pretty quickly. 2016, 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:05.240 she did the Disney movie Adventures in Babysitting. 00:06:05.300 --> 00:06:07.620 Right, starred in that remake. And released her 00:06:07.620 --> 00:06:10.180 second album, Evolution, the same year. Evolution 00:06:10.180 --> 00:06:13.100 did slightly better. debuted a bit higher, number 00:06:13.100 --> 00:06:15.939 28 on Billboard, sold around 13 ,000 copies. 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:18.600 But the real story from that album was the single 00:06:18.600 --> 00:06:21.600 Thumbs. Aw, Thumbs. That one felt like it had 00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:24.259 a bit more buzz. It did. It eventually went platinum, 00:06:24.339 --> 00:06:27.899 RIAA certified, and it hit number one on Billboard's 00:06:27.899 --> 00:06:30.540 Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart. Okay. Explain that 00:06:30.540 --> 00:06:32.500 Bubbling Under chart again for people. What does 00:06:32.500 --> 00:06:35.199 that mean? It's super important context. Basically, 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:38.100 it ranks the top songs that haven't yet made 00:06:38.100 --> 00:06:40.660 it onto the main Hot 100 chart. It's like... 00:06:40.439 --> 00:06:43.600 The waiting list, the next 25, essentially. So 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:45.740 getting to number one there means you were really 00:06:45.740 --> 00:06:47.720 close to breaking into the big leads. Exactly. 00:06:48.079 --> 00:06:49.939 It showed she had potential beyond the Disney 00:06:49.939 --> 00:06:53.339 audience. That song was a big step. And she backed 00:06:53.339 --> 00:06:55.720 it up with her first proper tour, the Evolution 00:06:55.720 --> 00:06:58.680 Tour, later that year. Things started expanding 00:06:58.680 --> 00:07:01.839 in 2017, too, right? Musically, geographically. 00:07:01.939 --> 00:07:04.319 Yeah, she jumped on that single hands with the 00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:07.180 Vamps and Mike Perry, released her own single 00:07:07.180 --> 00:07:09.610 Why. which also hit the bubbling under chart. 00:07:09.970 --> 00:07:12.750 Getting closer. Still bubbling. But maybe the 00:07:12.750 --> 00:07:15.129 biggest sign she was aiming higher, opening for 00:07:15.129 --> 00:07:18.189 Ariana Grande. Oh, wow. Which tour? The Dangerous 00:07:18.189 --> 00:07:20.529 Woman tour. She opened for her in Sao Paulo. 00:07:20.670 --> 00:07:22.730 That's a big signal, right? Playing on the same 00:07:22.730 --> 00:07:24.589 stage as one of the biggest pop stars in the 00:07:24.589 --> 00:07:26.649 world. Definitely sends a message to the industry, 00:07:26.769 --> 00:07:30.009 I belong here. For sure. By 2018, you can really 00:07:30.009 --> 00:07:32.589 feel her pushing for a more mature, authentic 00:07:32.589 --> 00:07:36.470 sound. This brings us to the singular era. Right, 00:07:36.569 --> 00:07:39.470 the two -part album, singular, Act 1 in 2018, 00:07:39.990 --> 00:07:42.329 Act 2 in 2019. Which was apparently supposed 00:07:42.329 --> 00:07:44.829 to be just one album initially. Yeah. But got 00:07:44.829 --> 00:07:47.389 split. And this is where the sound really starts 00:07:47.389 --> 00:07:50.470 to change. How so? Much more dance pop. Less 00:07:50.470 --> 00:07:53.089 of the folky stuff. She actually got two number 00:07:53.089 --> 00:07:56.009 ones on the U .S. Dance Club Songs chart with 00:07:56.009 --> 00:07:59.629 Almost Love and Sumi. Okay, so leaning into a 00:07:59.629 --> 00:08:02.350 different market. A conscious move away from 00:08:02.350 --> 00:08:04.569 the early sound. Definitely felt like it. And 00:08:04.569 --> 00:08:07.290 the lyrics were maturing, too. Act two, especially, 00:08:07.410 --> 00:08:10.089 started exploring more personal stuff. Anxiety, 00:08:10.529 --> 00:08:13.449 self -reflection, more confessional. She was 00:08:13.449 --> 00:08:15.569 showing more depth, even if the huge commercial 00:08:15.569 --> 00:08:17.889 breakthrough hadn't happened yet. Right. Proving 00:08:17.889 --> 00:08:20.290 she had more layers. And crucially, she wasn't 00:08:20.290 --> 00:08:22.629 just banking on music. She kept building her 00:08:22.629 --> 00:08:25.189 acting resume, but in a way that really pushed 00:08:25.189 --> 00:08:27.449 against the Disney typecasting. Like, The Hate 00:08:27.449 --> 00:08:30.430 U Give in 2018, that was a serious, acclaimed 00:08:30.430 --> 00:08:33.049 film. Exactly. And then she starred in this indie 00:08:33.049 --> 00:08:34.889 drama, The Short History of the Long Road, in 00:08:34.889 --> 00:08:37.990 2019. Got praised for that performance. Showed 00:08:37.990 --> 00:08:40.029 real dramatic ability. But she balanced that 00:08:40.029 --> 00:08:42.269 with more mainstream stuff, too. Yeah, she did 00:08:42.269 --> 00:08:44.830 those Netflix movies. Yeah. Tall Girl in 2019, 00:08:45.070 --> 00:08:47.450 Work It in 2020. Work, it was fun, the dance 00:08:47.450 --> 00:08:50.399 movie. Right. And importantly... The source is 00:08:50.399 --> 00:08:52.279 no. She was an executive producer on Work It. 00:08:52.779 --> 00:08:55.440 Uh, okay. That's telling. Even before leaving 00:08:55.440 --> 00:08:57.460 Hollywood Records, she's already angling for 00:08:57.460 --> 00:08:59.799 more control behind the scenes. Wants that autonomy. 00:09:00.399 --> 00:09:02.340 Wants to see you at the table. You can see a 00:09:02.340 --> 00:09:05.940 building. Then came Broadway. Early 2020. Mean 00:09:05.940 --> 00:09:08.539 Girls. Playing Cattie Herron. Such an iconic 00:09:08.539 --> 00:09:11.000 role. Seemed like a perfect fit. But the timing 00:09:11.000 --> 00:09:13.779 was just awful. Brutal. She only got to do two 00:09:13.779 --> 00:09:15.899 performances before COVID shut down Broadway 00:09:15.899 --> 00:09:19.059 completely. Ugh. Still, despite that setback, 00:09:19.120 --> 00:09:21.659 by the end of 2020, she'd done enough across 00:09:21.659 --> 00:09:24.799 the board, music, film, TV, to get recognized 00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:27.799 by Forbes. Yep. Landed on their 30 under 30 list 00:09:27.799 --> 00:09:29.879 for Hollywood Entertainment. Acknowledgement 00:09:29.879 --> 00:09:32.240 that she'd put in the work across multiple fields. 00:09:32.539 --> 00:09:35.019 So that marks the end of an era, really. Four 00:09:35.019 --> 00:09:37.539 albums delivered for Hollywood Records. Over 00:09:37.539 --> 00:09:39.919 a decade in the industry. The contract fulfilled. 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:42.820 The decks are cleared. City's set for chapter 00:09:42.820 --> 00:09:45.840 two. OK, so this is it. The big shift. January 00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:49.399 2021. She officially leaves the Disney system, 00:09:49.700 --> 00:09:51.879 signs with Island Records, part of Universal 00:09:51.879 --> 00:09:55.379 Music Group. A major label move, different resources, 00:09:55.820 --> 00:09:57.879 different expectations, probably more freedom. 00:09:58.179 --> 00:10:00.879 You'd assume so. And the impact was immediate. 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:04.960 Her very first single for Island, Skin. It wasn't 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:07.059 another bubbling under. It broke through. It 00:10:07.059 --> 00:10:09.490 broke through. peaked at number 48 on the Billboard 00:10:09.490 --> 00:10:13.049 Hot 100, and number 33 on the Global 200 chart. 00:10:13.190 --> 00:10:15.750 Her first time on both of those huge charts. 00:10:15.870 --> 00:10:18.309 Ever, after all those years. That right there 00:10:18.309 --> 00:10:20.330 validates the label change, doesn't it? Proof 00:10:20.330 --> 00:10:22.049 that maybe the new environment, the freedom was 00:10:22.049 --> 00:10:24.590 unlocking something. OK, so Skin cracked the 00:10:24.590 --> 00:10:27.090 door open, then came the album Emails I Can't 00:10:27.090 --> 00:10:30.210 Send in 2022. Yep, debuted at number 23 on Billboard, 00:10:30.950 --> 00:10:33.220 which... Okay, number 23 isn't number one, but 00:10:33.220 --> 00:10:35.419 it felt different. She even said herself, she 00:10:35.419 --> 00:10:37.240 hoped people felt like they knew her better after 00:10:37.240 --> 00:10:39.659 listening. More personal, more authentic, maybe. 00:10:39.779 --> 00:10:42.080 That was the vibe. Like this is her real voice, 00:10:42.279 --> 00:10:45.340 finally unfiltered. The album was the statement, 00:10:45.480 --> 00:10:47.559 but wasn't it the tour that really lit the fuse? 00:10:47.700 --> 00:10:50.620 Oh, absolutely. The emails I can't send tour 00:10:50.620 --> 00:10:54.139 kicked off September 2022. And this is where 00:10:54.139 --> 00:10:56.220 the nonsense phenomenon happened. Right, the 00:10:56.220 --> 00:10:59.539 TikTok sensation. Exactly. The song itself was 00:10:59.539 --> 00:11:01.710 doing okay, but it went viral. viral because 00:11:01.710 --> 00:11:04.230 of the outro, she started improvising live every 00:11:04.230 --> 00:11:06.029 night. The ones that were kind of witty, a bit 00:11:06.029 --> 00:11:09.370 risque. Yeah, clever, funny, often pretty sexually 00:11:09.370 --> 00:11:12.269 suggestive. Each city got its own unique outro. 00:11:12.710 --> 00:11:14.970 Fans started recording them, posting them, and 00:11:14.970 --> 00:11:18.110 it just exploded on TikTok. And that really cemented 00:11:18.110 --> 00:11:20.730 her new image, didn't it? Sharp, funny, maybe 00:11:20.730 --> 00:11:23.750 a little provocative, totally in control. Nailed 00:11:23.750 --> 00:11:26.970 it. It introduced that specific persona to millions 00:11:26.970 --> 00:11:29.870 of new people worldwide. Then came the next single, 00:11:30.210 --> 00:11:32.529 Feather, from the deluxe version of Emails. Huge 00:11:32.529 --> 00:11:35.570 song, but also... controversial yeah the music 00:11:35.570 --> 00:11:38.350 video caused quite a stir in 2023 what happened 00:11:38.350 --> 00:11:41.350 it was filmed partly inside a real catholic church 00:11:41.350 --> 00:11:44.210 in brooklyn the blessed virgin mary church and 00:11:44.210 --> 00:11:47.009 the video itself had this darkly comedic sort 00:11:47.009 --> 00:11:49.649 of vengeful vibe people getting killed off in 00:11:49.649 --> 00:11:52.129 darkly funny ways okay i can see how filming 00:11:52.129 --> 00:11:54.549 that in a church might raise some eyebrows it 00:11:54.549 --> 00:11:57.210 definitely did Polarized reactions religious 00:11:57.210 --> 00:12:00.129 groups were upset the local bishop actually removed 00:12:00.129 --> 00:12:03.450 the pastor who okayed the filming from his duties 00:12:03.450 --> 00:12:06.889 Held a special mass to like purify the church 00:12:06.889 --> 00:12:10.409 Wow, that's serious fallout But here's where 00:12:10.409 --> 00:12:13.149 it gets absolutely wild There was an investigation 00:12:13.149 --> 00:12:15.269 into how that permission was granted right some 00:12:15.269 --> 00:12:18.370 procedural stuff and somehow that investigation 00:12:18.370 --> 00:12:21.289 apparently uncovered information that Contributed 00:12:21.289 --> 00:12:23.149 to the later indictment of the New York City 00:12:23.149 --> 00:12:26.519 mayor Eric Adams. Wait, what? On completely unrelated 00:12:26.519 --> 00:12:28.740 charges? Totally unrelated corruption charges. 00:12:29.159 --> 00:12:31.320 But the trail allegedly started with the fallout 00:12:31.320 --> 00:12:33.919 from the Feather music video shoot. Permission. 00:12:34.019 --> 00:12:36.059 It's nuts. It's pop music video controversy leading 00:12:36.059 --> 00:12:38.360 to a mayoral indictment investigation. That's 00:12:38.360 --> 00:12:40.700 a headline. Unbelievable chain of events. Brings. 00:12:40.740 --> 00:12:42.779 Shows how much cultural impact she suddenly had. 00:12:43.179 --> 00:12:45.340 Her team said they had permission, and Sabrina 00:12:45.340 --> 00:12:48.220 herself reportedly quipped, Jesus was a carpenter. 00:12:48.940 --> 00:12:50.860 Little cheeky. While navigating all that, she 00:12:50.860 --> 00:12:53.379 gets this massive opportunity. Opening for Taylor 00:12:53.379 --> 00:12:57.980 Swift? The Eris Tour. 2023, 2024, Latin America, 00:12:58.440 --> 00:13:01.179 Australia, Singapore legs. Talk about exposure. 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:03.600 Putting her in front of literally the biggest 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:05.519 audiences on the planet right now. She called 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:08.139 it a childhood dream come true. Said the crowds 00:13:08.139 --> 00:13:10.179 were unlike anything she'd experienced. It was 00:13:10.179 --> 00:13:12.320 the perfect springboard. She even released a 00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:14.320 cover of Swift's, I knew you were trouble for 00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:18.500 Spotify. So. That enormous platform sets the 00:13:18.500 --> 00:13:20.620 stage perfectly for her next album, Short and 00:13:20.620 --> 00:13:22.840 Sweet, in 2024. And this is where the numbers 00:13:22.840 --> 00:13:25.279 just go into the stratosphere. Completely historical 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:26.860 territory. Let's start with the lead single, 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:30.919 Espresso. Yep. April 2024. That song was everywhere. 00:13:31.139 --> 00:13:33.299 Global number one. Hit number three on the Hot 00:13:33.299 --> 00:13:36.179 100 here. Won the VMA for Song of the Year. And 00:13:36.179 --> 00:13:38.980 get this, second most streamed song on Spotify, 00:13:39.259 --> 00:13:42.679 globally, for 2024. 1 .6 billion streams. Billing 00:13:42.679 --> 00:13:44.379 with a beat? That's not just a hit. That's a 00:13:44.379 --> 00:13:46.509 cultural moment. That's world domination. Then 00:13:46.509 --> 00:13:50.009 comes Please Please Please in June 2024. And 00:13:50.009 --> 00:13:52.629 that one went even higher in the US. Her first 00:13:52.629 --> 00:13:55.870 US number one on the Hot 100. Her second global 00:13:55.870 --> 00:13:58.570 number one. And the chart records just started 00:13:58.570 --> 00:14:01.070 falling. Like she became the first female artist 00:14:01.070 --> 00:14:03.629 ever to hold spots one and two on the UK singles 00:14:03.629 --> 00:14:05.730 chart for three weeks straight. That's dominant. 00:14:05.830 --> 00:14:07.629 And the album Short and Sweet debuted straight 00:14:07.629 --> 00:14:10.929 at number one on the Billboard 200. Sold 362 00:14:10.929 --> 00:14:14.049 ,000 units first week. Let's just pause there. 00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:16.779 Her first album sold, what, 12 ,000 first week? 00:14:16.860 --> 00:14:18.600 Yeah, this is almost 30 times that. Mm -hmm. 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:21.080 And all 12 tracks from the album landed in the 00:14:21.080 --> 00:14:23.899 top 50 of the Hot 100. Complete saturation. But 00:14:23.899 --> 00:14:25.659 there's that one stat that everyone talks about, 00:14:26.019 --> 00:14:29.399 the Beatles record. Ah, yes. The truly mind -blowing 00:14:29.399 --> 00:14:32.820 one. Her third single, Taste, debuted at number 00:14:32.820 --> 00:14:35.580 two. Okay, so. So that meant she had three songs, 00:14:35.720 --> 00:14:37.700 debuted in the top five of the Hot 100, Espresso 00:14:37.700 --> 00:14:39.919 was already there, Please, Please, Please debuted 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:43.000 at hashtag two, then... Case debuted at hashtag 00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:45.919 two, pushing PPP to hashtag one. This made her 00:14:45.919 --> 00:14:48.259 the first artist since The Beatles to chart their 00:14:48.259 --> 00:14:50.440 first three top five hits within a single week. 00:14:50.460 --> 00:14:52.940 It didn't sell us. Since The Beatles. That's 00:14:52.940 --> 00:14:54.399 the kind of historical context we're talking 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:56.340 about. It's just, wow. And those first three 00:14:56.340 --> 00:14:58.779 singles, they all stayed in the top 10 for seven 00:14:58.779 --> 00:15:00.909 weeks straight. That's a record for any female 00:15:00.909 --> 00:15:03.889 artist. Unbelievable run. And the industry recognized 00:15:03.889 --> 00:15:07.389 it too, right? Grammys? Yep. 2025 Grammys. She 00:15:07.389 --> 00:15:09.269 won best pop vocal album for Short and Sweet 00:15:09.269 --> 00:15:12.389 and best pop solo performance for Espresso. Critical 00:15:12.389 --> 00:15:14.549 validation on top of the commercial title wave. 00:15:14.789 --> 00:15:17.750 And she didn't slow down. The next album, Man's 00:15:17.750 --> 00:15:21.669 Best Friend, dropped August 2025. And prove the 00:15:21.669 --> 00:15:24.669 success wasn't a fluke. Debut number one again. 00:15:25.819 --> 00:15:29.299 366 ,000 units first week, even slightly higher 00:15:29.299 --> 00:15:31.740 than Short and Sweet. Highest female selling 00:15:31.740 --> 00:15:35.600 week of 2025 so far. Lead single Man Child. Debuted 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:38.539 straight at number one on the Hot 100. Her second 00:15:38.539 --> 00:15:40.379 number one, but her first debut at the top spot. 00:15:40.700 --> 00:15:42.779 Just kept leveling up. We have to talk about 00:15:42.779 --> 00:15:44.419 the cover art for Man's Best Friend, though, 00:15:44.659 --> 00:15:46.279 because that also got people talking, but in 00:15:46.279 --> 00:15:48.480 a different way. Oh, it absolutely did. deliberately 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:50.860 provocative. It shows her on her hands and knees, 00:15:51.379 --> 00:15:53.559 hair being grabbed by a man just out of frame 00:15:53.559 --> 00:15:56.039 while she's kind of pawing at his leg. Yeah, 00:15:56.139 --> 00:15:59.700 that imagery is loaded. Extremely. Divided people 00:15:59.700 --> 00:16:02.940 instantly. Some found it degrading, objectifying. 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:06.480 Others saw it as satirical, maybe reclaiming 00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:09.080 power, playing with those tropes. Provocative 00:16:09.080 --> 00:16:11.600 art designed to spark debate. Definitely fits 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:14.620 that edgier, more autonomous persona she's built. 00:16:14.840 --> 00:16:16.779 Not playing it safe anymore. Not at all. And 00:16:16.779 --> 00:16:19.980 now, looking ahead, she's solidified as a major 00:16:19.980 --> 00:16:23.779 headliner. Lollapalooza 2025, doing a set with 00:16:23.779 --> 00:16:26.200 Earth, Wind & Fire, which is cool. Yeah. Then 00:16:26.200 --> 00:16:29.500 headlining Lola in South America in 2026. And 00:16:29.500 --> 00:16:32.840 the big one, Coachella 2026 headliner. Coachella 00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:35.179 headliner status. That's the top here. It is. 00:16:35.539 --> 00:16:37.379 And the ultimate sign of being accepted into 00:16:37.379 --> 00:16:39.720 the pop elite. She's featured on the title track 00:16:39.720 --> 00:16:41.899 of the next Taylor Swift album. The life of a 00:16:41.899 --> 00:16:44.440 showgirl coming out soon. Right. That collaboration 00:16:44.440 --> 00:16:46.519 feels significant, like a cosign from the biggest 00:16:46.519 --> 00:16:48.279 star on the planet. OK, the numbers are just 00:16:48.279 --> 00:16:50.679 staggering. But let's dig into the how. Artistically, 00:16:50.820 --> 00:16:53.019 how did she pull off this transformation? It 00:16:53.019 --> 00:16:55.360 seems rooted in understanding pop history, being 00:16:55.360 --> 00:16:57.500 flexible with genre, and really committing to 00:16:57.500 --> 00:17:00.279 her own songwriting. Definitely. Her foundation 00:17:00.279 --> 00:17:03.899 seems built on, well, pop royalty. The sources 00:17:03.899 --> 00:17:06.700 mention she grew up listening to Madonna, Britney, 00:17:07.460 --> 00:17:10.359 Mariah Carey. and especially Christina Aguilera. 00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:12.880 Aguilera comes up a lot as an influence. Seems 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:15.359 like a major one. Sabrina specifically cited 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:18.000 Aguilera's song, Beautiful, as helping her figure 00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:20.240 out her own voice, how to use it emotionally. 00:17:20.779 --> 00:17:23.119 That's studying the craft, you know? No. Not 00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:25.759 just fandom. She also mentioned Rihanna for pushing 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:28.619 boundaries. And for songwriting. Taylor Swift 00:17:28.619 --> 00:17:31.400 and Lordar are cited as inspirations there. Makes 00:17:31.400 --> 00:17:34.140 sense, given her confessional style. And she 00:17:34.140 --> 00:17:36.480 apparently took inspiration from Beyonce's genre 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:39.000 -bending work, too, like Lemonade. Soaking it 00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:41.900 all in. But her influences go back even further, 00:17:42.140 --> 00:17:44.339 right? Yeah, mentions of Aretha Franklin, Whitney 00:17:44.339 --> 00:17:47.640 Houston, Etta James, the foundational soul in 00:17:47.640 --> 00:17:50.019 R &B voices, which probably explains why she's 00:17:50.019 --> 00:17:52.319 technically classified as a soprano. What does 00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:54.680 that mean practically for her pop sound, high 00:17:54.680 --> 00:17:56.799 range? Typically means a higher vocal register, 00:17:56.819 --> 00:17:59.720 yeah. Often associated with lightness, agility. 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:01.900 Though her early career maybe just labeled her 00:18:01.900 --> 00:18:04.700 teen pop, the sound has obviously evolved massively. 00:18:05.000 --> 00:18:06.980 And that transition wasn't easy, the sources 00:18:06.980 --> 00:18:10.230 say. No, shedding that Disney image is notoriously 00:18:10.230 --> 00:18:13.589 hard. But writers note her move into full -blown 00:18:13.589 --> 00:18:16.730 pop stardom felt slow, steady, and intentional. 00:18:17.670 --> 00:18:20.670 And the key outcome was gaining more autonomy, 00:18:21.150 --> 00:18:23.430 control over her sound and image. And that sound 00:18:23.430 --> 00:18:26.910 now is really fluid, isn't it? Very. It's pop 00:18:26.910 --> 00:18:29.670 at its core, but she pulls from everywhere. Folk 00:18:29.670 --> 00:18:32.890 -pop, acoustic bits, country touches, electropop, 00:18:33.069 --> 00:18:35.910 house music. Since the singular albums, you really 00:18:35.910 --> 00:18:39.589 hear more dance pop, trap, hip hop, R &B influences. 00:18:40.009 --> 00:18:42.170 She's mixing it all up. Like Beyonce, maybe not 00:18:42.170 --> 00:18:44.869 sticking to one lane. Exactly. And that autonomy 00:18:44.869 --> 00:18:46.750 comes through most clearly in her songwriting. 00:18:46.950 --> 00:18:49.049 She writes her own stuff. Co writes almost everything. 00:18:49.329 --> 00:18:51.329 Apparently, she was the sole writer on two tracks 00:18:51.329 --> 00:18:54.170 on emails I can't send. She definitely sees herself 00:18:54.170 --> 00:18:56.269 as the primary songwriter, the one driving the 00:18:56.269 --> 00:18:58.809 narrative. And she has a specific process for 00:18:58.809 --> 00:19:00.769 that. Yeah, the sources say she often starts 00:19:00.769 --> 00:19:03.309 with a song title. decides that first, like an 00:19:03.309 --> 00:19:05.769 anchor. Then she builds the story around it, 00:19:05.990 --> 00:19:08.609 documenting her experiences very confessionally. 00:19:09.009 --> 00:19:11.170 That makes sense with the feel of her recent 00:19:11.170 --> 00:19:14.730 music. Very direct, often witty. Right. And that 00:19:14.730 --> 00:19:17.589 wit is something Jack Antonoff pointed out. He 00:19:17.589 --> 00:19:19.950 produced short and sweet with her. He praised 00:19:19.950 --> 00:19:23.079 her ability to weave humor into pop. even comparing 00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:25.599 it to ABBA in that specific way. High praise. 00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:28.660 ABBA knew how to mix catchy tunes with sharp, 00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:31.440 sometimes dark, lyrics. Antonov even mentioned 00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:34.160 on one track, Sharp is tool. He just did the 00:19:34.160 --> 00:19:36.640 music. And she handled all the lyrics herself. 00:19:36.779 --> 00:19:39.480 That shows real trust and confirms her ownership. 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:42.420 It's not just vocals and lyrics, she plays instruments 00:19:42.420 --> 00:19:45.359 too. Oh yeah. That goes back to that early foundation, 00:19:45.480 --> 00:19:47.960 maybe that studio her dad built. She plays piano, 00:19:48.279 --> 00:19:51.960 bass, ukulele, guitar, drums. Oh, multi -instrumentalist. 00:19:52.059 --> 00:19:54.079 And she actually plays them live. You saw her 00:19:54.079 --> 00:19:56.019 with the guitar or on the piano during the Short 00:19:56.019 --> 00:19:58.519 and Sweet Tour at Coachella. It really grounds 00:19:58.519 --> 00:20:01.099 her artistry. She's not just a singer, she's 00:20:01.099 --> 00:20:04.319 a complete musician. That depth counters any 00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:06.839 idea that this is just about viral moments. It 00:20:06.839 --> 00:20:09.720 shows the substance behind the style. OK, so 00:20:09.720 --> 00:20:12.660 her impact clearly goes... way beyond the music 00:20:12.660 --> 00:20:15.160 now. To really get the full picture of where 00:20:15.160 --> 00:20:18.519 she is in 2025, we have to look at how her activism, 00:20:18.720 --> 00:20:20.819 her brand deals, and her philanthropy all kind 00:20:20.819 --> 00:20:23.019 of connect. Right. She's built a whole ecosystem 00:20:23.019 --> 00:20:25.559 around her platform. Philanthropically, she's 00:20:25.559 --> 00:20:28.240 been involved for a while. Back in 2016, she 00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:30.420 became an ambassador for the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, 00:20:30.420 --> 00:20:32.819 visiting kids in hospitals. Did stuff with Do 00:20:32.819 --> 00:20:35.359 Something, too. But her advocacy for the LGBTQ 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:37.660 plus community seems really central now, doesn't 00:20:37.660 --> 00:20:39.859 it? Very visible, very consistent. She wrote 00:20:39.859 --> 00:20:42.069 that love letter for Bill. board back in 2018. 00:20:42.710 --> 00:20:45.349 And more recently, using huge stages like her 00:20:45.349 --> 00:20:48.769 2025 VMAs performance. What did she do there? 00:20:49.230 --> 00:20:51.509 Performed her song Tears with dancers in drag 00:20:51.509 --> 00:20:54.009 holding signs supporting trans rights, a very 00:20:54.009 --> 00:20:56.990 clear public statement on a massive platform. 00:20:57.150 --> 00:20:58.849 And this isn't just talk, right? She's putting 00:20:58.849 --> 00:21:02.009 money behind it, too. Absolutely. That partnership 00:21:02.009 --> 00:21:05.190 with PLUS One for her short and sweet tour created 00:21:05.190 --> 00:21:08.109 the Sabrina Carpenter Fund. It focuses on mental 00:21:08.109 --> 00:21:11.720 health. animal welfare, and LGBTQ plus causes. 00:21:12.500 --> 00:21:14.779 And the sources say it raised a million dollars 00:21:14.779 --> 00:21:17.319 faster than any other artists PLRS1 had ever 00:21:17.319 --> 00:21:20.119 worked with. Wow, that's serious impact. Mobilizing 00:21:20.119 --> 00:21:23.019 her fan base for donations. And targeting specific 00:21:23.019 --> 00:21:25.480 donations, too. Like that Van Leeuwen ice cream 00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:27.920 collab she did in 2020 for the espresso flavor. 00:21:28.440 --> 00:21:30.180 Half the profits went to the Ali Forney Center. 00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:33.920 Which helps homeless LGBTQ plus youth. So, direct 00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:36.500 support. Exactly. And politically, she was a 00:21:36.500 --> 00:21:39.240 major force in the 2024 election cycle. That 00:21:39.240 --> 00:21:41.259 partnership with headcount. To register voters. 00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:43.859 Yeah. Her efforts resulted in more voter engagements, 00:21:44.200 --> 00:21:46.640 registrations, checks, etc. than any other artist 00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:49.559 that year. Over 35 ,000 people. That's tangible 00:21:49.559 --> 00:21:52.160 civic impact. Using her platform beyond just 00:21:52.160 --> 00:21:54.160 entertainment. Definitely. And commercially, 00:21:54.220 --> 00:21:56.960 she's become a huge draw for brands. Endorsed 00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:59.660 Converse, Aeropostale, Samsung, modeled for Kim 00:21:59.660 --> 00:22:02.279 Kardashian's Skims line in 2024. Placing her 00:22:02.279 --> 00:22:04.299 right in the center of current fashion and pop 00:22:04.299 --> 00:22:06.619 culture trends. And that fragrance line seems 00:22:06.619 --> 00:22:09.680 like a big success too. Three scents with scent, 00:22:09.920 --> 00:22:12.359 beauty, sweet tooth, caramel dream, cherry baby. 00:22:13.019 --> 00:22:14.759 Sweet tooth was even a fragrance of the year 00:22:14.759 --> 00:22:17.900 finalist. shows her brand has a real pull. Then 00:22:17.900 --> 00:22:20.839 there are those collabs that just scream mainstream 00:22:20.839 --> 00:22:24.500 saturation. Like the Dunkin' Donuts drink. Sabrina's 00:22:24.500 --> 00:22:27.359 brown sugar shaken espresso, capitalizing directly 00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:29.900 on the espresso hit. And being in Fortnite. Right, 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:32.359 getting her own skin and being the theme for 00:22:32.359 --> 00:22:35.619 Fortnite Festival Season 8 in 2025. If you're 00:22:35.619 --> 00:22:38.000 integrated into Dunkin' and Fortnite, you've 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:39.980 pretty much achieved peak cultural penetration 00:22:39.980 --> 00:22:42.680 for her demographic. Just quickly rounding out 00:22:42.680 --> 00:22:44.599 the picture, the sources mention her personal 00:22:44.599 --> 00:22:47.099 life a bit too. Real estate. Yeah, shows the 00:22:47.099 --> 00:22:49.859 financial success. Bought a $4 .4 million place 00:22:49.859 --> 00:22:52.500 in the Hollywood Hills in 2023. Also interesting 00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:54.960 that while writing emails I can't send, she was 00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:56.799 renting an apartment in New York's financial 00:22:56.799 --> 00:22:59.440 district. Maybe seeking a different vibe for 00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:01.779 that creative process. And relationships mentioned 00:23:01.779 --> 00:23:04.799 in the sources. Briefly, Bradley Steven Perry, 00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:08.559 back in the Disney days, 2014 -15. A connection 00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:11.599 with Shawn Mendes, noted in 2023. and then the 00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:13.920 more public relationship with actor Barry Keoghan 00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:18.599 from late 2023 to late 2024. Okay, so that brings 00:23:18.599 --> 00:23:20.420 us pretty much up to date. We've traced the whole 00:23:20.420 --> 00:23:23.210 arc. The long, slow build through the Disney 00:23:23.210 --> 00:23:25.650 Hollywood Records years, fulfilling that five 00:23:25.650 --> 00:23:28.589 album deal. The grind years. Then the deliberate 00:23:28.589 --> 00:23:32.269 pivot to Island Records in 2021. And the absolute 00:23:32.269 --> 00:23:34.670 explosion that followed. Record breaking hits, 00:23:34.990 --> 00:23:37.910 Grammys, headliner status. It really is an incredible 00:23:37.910 --> 00:23:40.150 trajectory. The big takeaway for me is just the 00:23:40.150 --> 00:23:42.769 sheer persistence, starting way back in 2008, 00:23:43.069 --> 00:23:45.130 sticking through that long contract, which gave 00:23:45.130 --> 00:23:47.309 her visibility, but also limitations. Right, 00:23:47.470 --> 00:23:50.170 a necessary, but perhaps frustrating phase. And 00:23:50.170 --> 00:23:52.380 then - executing this perfectly timed second 00:23:52.380 --> 00:23:55.519 act years later, but this time with full artistic 00:23:55.519 --> 00:23:57.660 control. Her songwriting, playing instruments, 00:23:57.819 --> 00:24:00.000 the vocal skill, the advocacy, it all paints 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:02.299 a picture of success that feels earned. Not just 00:24:02.299 --> 00:24:04.819 lucky, achieved through patience and strategy. 00:24:05.299 --> 00:24:07.940 And that contrast says it all, doesn't it? 12 00:24:07.940 --> 00:24:11.759 ,000 units first week for album one versus 366 00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:15.220 ,000 for album seven. That difference is the 00:24:15.220 --> 00:24:17.880 sound of autonomy paying off. She had to wait 00:24:17.880 --> 00:24:19.940 it out to become the artist she clearly wanted 00:24:19.940 --> 00:24:22.119 to be. Which leads us to our final thought for 00:24:22.119 --> 00:24:24.799 you, the listener, something to chew on. Given 00:24:24.799 --> 00:24:27.079 that Sabrina Carpenter is now breaking chart 00:24:27.079 --> 00:24:29.660 records held by the Beatles, headlining Coachella, 00:24:29.859 --> 00:24:32.920 headlining Lollapalooza's, is her massive success 00:24:32.920 --> 00:24:35.740 just about great pop songs? Or is it maybe more 00:24:35.740 --> 00:24:37.880 about a new kind of blueprint, a pathway for 00:24:37.880 --> 00:24:40.220 former child stars in the modern era? Right. 00:24:40.400 --> 00:24:42.980 A path that involves sticking it out, maintaining 00:24:42.980 --> 00:24:45.359 artistic control where you can, building skills, 00:24:45.460 --> 00:24:47.599 being patient, and then leveraging viral moments 00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:49.980 strategically when the time and freedom are finally 00:24:49.980 --> 00:24:53.160 right. The groundwork took over a decade. But 00:24:53.160 --> 00:24:55.680 that slow burn, that necessary apprenticeship, 00:24:56.140 --> 00:24:58.180 maybe that's what enabled the eventual explosion 00:24:58.180 --> 00:25:00.700 into becoming a defining pop star for her generation. 00:25:00.980 --> 00:25:03.660 It wasn't overnight. It was earned. The power 00:25:03.660 --> 00:25:06.000 of the slow burn followed by total autonomous 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:08.000 control. Maybe that's the lesson here. Something 00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:10.230 to think about. It's a model we might see more 00:25:10.230 --> 00:25:12.349 artists try to follow. We'll leave you with that. 00:25:12.529 --> 00:25:14.170 See you on the next Deep Dive!