I remember the days of watching Girl Meets World on Disney Channel, admiring Maya Hart’s presence on screen. Her spunky and impulsive nature always kept me on my toes, and her loyalty and friendship with Riley Matthews was something I looked up to. It turns out that my favorite character was none other than Sabrina Carpenter.
This was just the beginning. After discovering who she was, I started diving deeper into her work and exploring what else she had acted in. That’s when I discovered she wasn’t just acting — she was making music too, and I got totally hooked on her song “Can’t Blame a Girl for Trying.” I listened to that song every day in middle school, nonstop. Almost every track from that album was on my iPod. You name it — from “The Middle of Starting Over” to “We’ll Be the Stars” — I was obsessed.
Carpenter kept the music coming while still in the Disney world, and her track “Thumbs” quickly turned into a certified banger. I remember seeing it promoted daily on Disney Channel while I was eating dinner. The music video was so iconic, and I danced along to it. After Girl Meets World ended in 2017, Carpenter departed from Disney, having already released three albums from 2016-2019.
These three albums didn’t become super popular as she was just starting her career, but once she released her fifth studio album, Emails I Can’t Send, she started gaining more recognition. “Nonsense” wasn’t just a hit — it became legendary thanks to her hilarious and unpredictable outros at every show, leaving fans hanging on her every word. Some fan favorites being: “I can’t believe a plane can fly this far/ I met the cutest Aussie at the bar/ He said, ‘Are you from here?’ I said ‘Naur,’” she sang while opening for Taylor Swift in Australia, and “Made it to the outro how you doin’? / I’m starting to think love is an illusion / Beyoncé is the greatest thing from Houston,” while performing in Texas.
The album marked a huge turning point for her as a musician. Her sound evolved into something completely different from her earlier work. Emails I Can’t Send had a vulnerability to it, as Carpenter opened up about topics like mental health and relationships in a way she never had before. The ballads and light guitar instrumentals allowed me to hear the passion in her voice, and I felt connected to the true meaning of the lyrics.
In April of 2024, Carpenter released a little song you might know as “Espresso,” which quickly blew up and became one of her biggest hits, especially on TikTok. She dropped it just before her debut at Coachella, hoping it would be a fun bop to perform — and it was. Some even called it the song of the summer as its retro vibe took over the radio. Following this hit, she announced her newest album, Short N’ Sweet, which came out in August. With “Espresso” already dominating, the Carpenter fanbase (myself included) was buzzing with excitement for what she’d drop next, and as an OG fan, I was impressed by how amazing it was. Sabrina has shown so much more confidence, and it’s evident in the lyrics of her music. As she matured and grew, you can see how far she’s come — not just musically, but as a person. This album has been so successful that she’s sold out multiple stadiums for her upcoming world tour.
Being a fan for as long as I have makes me thankful that everyone is finally recognizing the talent this woman has. Going from acting on a Disney show to selling out concert venues isn’t something that happens overnight. I’m proud of everything Carpenter has accomplished and the music she’s released. Her music has helped me through difficult times by making me feel seen through her lyrics, while also bringing out my inner teenage girl again. She’s the definition of a pop star princess, and she deserves all the love she’s received.