Sabrina Carpenter's Journey to Pop Stardom
Sabrina Carpenter is a big name in pop music today, but her path to success started long before she hit the charts. From her early days on the Disney Channel to her rise as a pop star, Sabrina’s career is a mix of talent, hard work, and smart choices. In this post, we’ll explore how Sabrina Carpenter became the pop star she is today.
Starting Out: Disney Channel Days
Sabrina Carpenter began her career when she was very young. Born on May 11, 1999, in Pennsylvania, she knew early on that she loved performing. Her first major role came in 2013 when she was cast as Maya Hart on the Disney Channel series "Girl Meets World." This role helped her build a strong fan base and opened the door for her music career.
Breaking into Music: The Early Years
While Sabrina was acting, she was also working on her music. In 2014, she released her first single, "Can't Blame a Girl for Trying," followed by her debut album “Eyes Wides Open” released in 2015. It had a mix of pop and folk sounds. Though it didn’t make a big splash on the charts, it showed that Sabrina had potential as a musician. She was no longer just a Disney star; she was beginning to make her mark in the music world.
Finding Her Sound: Becoming a Pop Star
As Sabrina’s music career grew, so did her sound. Her second album, EVOLution, released in 2016, showed a more mature side of her music. Songs like "Thumbs" and "On Purpose" were catchy and helped her gain more attention as a pop artist. "Thumbs" received over 200 million views on YouTube, making it her first big hit!
But it was her third album, Singular: Act I (2018), that really showed how much Sabrina had grown as an artist. With hits like "Almost Love," she proved that she could make pop music that was both fun and well-made. The album debuted at No. 20 on the Billboard 200 chart and "Almost Love" reached No. 21 on the Billboard Pop Songs chart. The album also included songs like "Sue Me" and "Mona Lisa," where Sabrina’s confidence stood out.
Her next album, Singular: Act II (2019), continued to show her growth. This album featured songs like "In My Bed" and "Pushing 20," where Sabrina talked about growing up and facing challenges. A highlight of this album was her collaboration with Saweetie on the song "I Can't Stop Me," which has streamed over 50 million times across platforms. This track showed how Sabrina could mix pop with hip-hop; working with Saweetie helped Sabrina reach more fans and showed her flexibility as an artist.
Together, Singular: Act I and Singular: Act II were big steps forward in Sabrina Carpenter’s music career, with Singular: Act I accumulating over 200 million streams on Spotify alone, proving that she could keep evolving as a pop artist.
Branching Out: More Than Just Music
While Sabrina is best known for her music, she hasn’t stopped acting. She starred in the Netflix film "Work It" in 2020 and even made her Broadway debut in the musical "Mean Girls." These experiences show that Sabrina is not just a singer but a versatile entertainer.
The Big Break: Touring with Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and 'Emails I Can’t Send'
A major moment in Sabrina's rise to fame was when she opened for Ariana Grande during the Dangerous Woman tour in 2017. This experience gave Sabrina the chance to perform in front of massive crowds and helped her reach a broader audience.
However, it was her album emails i can't send, released in 2022, that truly made her a pop star. This album had a more personal and refined sound, with tracks like "because i liked a boy" and "nonsense" becoming big hits. During her tour for this album, Sabrina went viral for rewriting the outro of "Nonsense" with a funny, rhyming joke that changed depending on the town she was in, which her fans loved. Sabrina also interacted with her audience by asking fans to share a storytime during her shows, creating memorable and personal connections.
In 2023, Sabrina opened for Taylor Swift on the Latin American leg of the Eras Tour. Touring with the biggest pop star in the world gave Sabrina even more exposure and introduced her music to an even wider audience.
Here's a video of a young Sabrina Carpenter singing a Taylor Swift cover. Little did she know that a decade later, she would be opening for her.
Overcoming Challenges: Staying True to Herself
Sabrina Carpenter's rise to fame hasn't been without challenges. Like many young artists, she faced pressure to fit a certain image while growing up in the public eye. Despite these challenges, Sabrina has managed to stay true to herself and her music.
One example is her 2021 single "Skin," which was rumored to be a response to the drama surrounding Olivia Rodrigo's "Drivers License." Instead of letting the drama take over, Sabrina used the moment to connect with her fans on a deeper level.
Brand Partnerships: Expanding Her Influence
Sabrina Carpenter has aligned herself with several high-profile brands, showcasing her influence across various industries. Some of the key partnerships include:
Samsung - Sabrina Carpenter has partnered with Samsung, making several videos to promote their latest products. She shows how she uses Samsung’s technology in her everyday life, which helps her connect with her fans. This partnership highlights her love for tech and keeps her image fresh and modern.
Van Leeuwen - Sabrina teamed up with the popular ice cream brand Van Leeuwen to create a special flavor named "Espresso," inspired by her hit song that recently reached 1 billion streams. This delicious collaboration excited fans by blending rich coffee flavors with Sabrina's musical success.
Marc Jacobs - Sabrina’s collaboration with Marc Jacobs brought her fashion sense to life, offering fans a stylish purse
Skims - Working with Kim Kardashian's brand, Skims, Sabrina showcased her influence in the world of fashion, representing inclusivity and comfort.
In addition to these partnerships, Sabrina launched her own perfume line, which is available on Scent Beauty’s website as well as at retailers like JCPenney and Walmart. The perfumes have a sweet scent and are uniquely packaged in the form of a chocolate bar, which fits perfectly with Sabrina's brand. These perfumes are also quite affordable, allowing fans to embrace a piece of Sabrina’s world without breaking the bank.
Awards and Recognition: Acknowledging Her Success
Sabrina Carpenter’s growth as a pop star has not gone unnoticed. She has garnered significant recognition within the industry, particularly on the Billboard charts. Her single "Please Please Please," from her upcoming album Short n Sweet, recently made it to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking her first-ever number-one hit. Additionally, another track from the same album, "Espresso," reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. These achievements highlight her continued rise in the music industry and her ability to connect with a wide audience.
The Future Looks Bright
Sabrina Carpenter’s journey from a Disney star to a pop sensation shows how much she has grown and overcome challenges. With each album, she proves that she’s more than just a former child star—she’s a talented artist with a promising future in music. As she keeps growing and trying new things, Sabrina Carpenter is definitely someone to watch in the coming years.
Her new album Short n Sweet just came out this past Friday, and she’s about to start her stadium tour on September 23rd. The music video for her song "Taste," featuring Jenna Ortega, already has nearly 30 million views in just a few days, showing how popular she is. With over 75 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Sabrina’s star is shining brighter than ever!
Written By ~ Anisha Putcha