Sabrina's Chaotic Rise

Sabrina Carpenter has reflected on the challenges she faced early in her career, saying she was "led astray" and "constantly guided and misguided" during her formative years in the music industry.

The 25-year-old American singer, who rose to international stardom with her hit single "Espresso," opened up about her early struggles in a recent interview with Time magazine. Carpenter initially signed with Disney’s Hollywood Records, but despite releasing four albums, she struggled to make a significant impact.

Her breakthrough came in 2022 with the album Emails I Can’t Send, which, though not a massive chart success, marked a turning point in her artistic journey. Reflecting on the process, she admitted, “My last album was f****** sad, straight up,” referring to the emotional toll it took on her. Carpenter described herself as "an emotional wreck" during its creation but expressed gratitude for the tough lessons learned along the way.

2024 has been a banner year for Carpenter, solidifying her as a global music sensation. Following the success of "Espresso," her sixth album Short N’ Sweet further cemented her presence in the music scene. Achieving milestones she had once only dreamt of, Carpenter was invited to perform on Saturday Night Live and even took the stage at the MTV Video Music Awards, two career highlights that left her in awe.

Carpenter also teased her upcoming Netflix Christmas special, A Nonsense Christmas With Sabrina Carpenter, a project she describes as “so fun, so chaotic,” and far from the traditional holiday fare.

Looking back at her journey, Carpenter noted that the struggles and missteps of her early career have shaped her into the artist she is today. As she put it, "I’m a lot more equipped going into situations where I have to trust my own instincts."