Sabrina Carpenter is quickly establishing herself as a major pop star. With melodic and flirty hits such as “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” Carpenter, 25, is now just short of being a household name.
Her latest tour, the “Short and Sweet Tour,” has sold out every single show date, with her iconography on the tour becoming a staple to her brand. While her success may seem unexpected to some observers, a closer look reveals Carpenter has spent over a decade refining her image and exploring different avenues for her career.
For one thing, Carpenter wasn’t always a pop star and instead started in the entertainment industry as an actor. She made her acting debut at just 12 years old on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and landed a series regular role in “The Goodwin Games” two years later.
In 2014, Carpenter advanced into the Disney Channel realm as a lead character on the hit show “Girl Meets World,” a spinoff of “Boy Meets World.” From there, she starred in several movies such as “Tall Girl,” “Work It” and “The Hate U Give.” Although she continued to get roles, as an actor, she never shed the “Disney-girl persona,” a struggle that many child stars on Disney face.
Simultaneously, Carpenter began pursuing a music career, but until recently, she was never a breakout sensation.
Before her hit album “Short and Sweet,” she had released six albums and countless singles. Her first single “Can’t Blame a Girl for Trying” had a cutesy Disney vibe, but her song “Thumbs” on her second album, EVOLution, gained over 200 million views on YouTube. Other than “Thumbs,” her music career remained stagnant until 2021.
Nowadays, the best promotion for music seems to be some kind of professional or personal drama. This also played a role in her success. In 2021, pop singer Olivia Rodrigo released a song called “driver’s license,” which broke streaming records all over the world. In the song, Rodrigo references that her ex, Joshua Bassett, is “probably with that blonde girl,” which sparked drama, since her ex was dating Carpenter at the time. In response, Carpenter released a song called “Skin,” which proceeded to be her most successful song yet, and charted the Billboard Hot 100. In her song the lyrics, “Maybe you didn’t mean it / Maybe blonde was the only rhyme” seems to be a direct response to Rodrigo’s song lyric.
Carpenter’s next album, “emails i can’t send,” was a commercial success. On the album, she produced soft-pop radio hits such as “Feather,” “Nonsense” and “because i liked a boy.” She developed a loyal fanbase through these songs, but still hadn’t quite broken through.
Then came 2024, which could be called the year of Sabrina. She released her hit song “Espresso,” which went on to peak at No. 3 on the Billboard 100, and “Please Please Please,” which hit No. 1 on the Billboard 100.
At the Grammys in 2025, Carpenter won “Best Pop Vocal Album” and “Best Pop Solo Performance,” showing her success has extended to critics as well. Carpenter’s long career allowed her to slowly build a steady fanbase, which made her eventual breakout into stardom easier for her to digest. After spending over a decade honing her craft, each project she took on contributed to her growth as an artist, shaping her into the multifaceted star she is today.
With Carpenter’s chart-topping success, she has the potential to cement herself as a lasting force in pop music. Continuing to collaborate with bigger artists — like her opening performance on Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” — Carpenter already has connections with big artists and needs to continue to grow herself individually.
Carpenter’s creativity is unmatched with her creative costumes, and song lyrics but even vocally, she has an airy tone making her songs feel personal and genuine. For example, one of her most popular songs, “Nonsense” showcases her playful side with a different last verse for every location she performs in.
Carpenter’s slow rise to stardom is a testament to the fact that success takes time, dedication and resilience. With her undeniable talent and artistry, she has proven that hard work and patience really pay off.
