Sabrina Carpenter struggled to adapt to her current image and initially felt she was ‘playing a character’, after record bosses suggested she change her appearance in a bid to achieve the same success as fellow artists Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift.
The 25-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past year, with recent singles Espresso and Please Please Please finally cementing her status as a household name after years of trying to get her break.
But insiders claim her newfound popularity is the result of adopting a ‘sexpot’ image and extremely tongue-in-cheek behavior after joining Island Records in 2021, a move that has reportedly left some struggling to recognize the former Disney star.
“She didn’t connect with a mass audience and drastic changes had to be made,” a source told DailyMail.com exclusively.
“With a new record label (Island) and new management, she was guided to shed her everyday image, turn 180 degrees and sell herself as a ‘sexpot’.”
Sabrina Carpenter as Jenny Parker in the 2016 Disney film ‘Adventures in Babysitting’
The source continued: “It made her feel very uncomfortable since behind closed doors she wears sweats, little makeup and likes to stay home and watch Netflix.”
Despite appearing comfortable with her racy song lyrics and revealing outfits, even going so far as to hit back at trolls who criticized her sexy tour outfits, Sabrina initially struggled with her image overhaul.
“It made her feel very uncomfortable because behind closed doors she wears sweats, little makeup and likes to stay home and watch Netflix,” the source continued.
‘She had been a Disney girl and was told the importance of a healthy image like Hilary Duff and Selena Gomez before her.
The 25-year-old’s newfound popularity is a result of adopting a ‘sexpot’ image and extremely tongue-in-cheek behavior after joining Island Records in 2021.
“Suddenly showing skin and flaunting it while singing provocative lyrics was a challenge at first. “He had to take advantage of his acting skills, but it worked.”
Despite his mainstream success, the source added that he sometimes feels like a “fraud” who is “playing a character.”
Another source claimed she was prepared to do “whatever it took” after signing with Island Records.
“Sabrina knows she has to let go and accept that she will have to become a commodity to establish herself,” they said. ‘It’s no different than what Britney, Gaga or Katy Perry did. They know what will sell and she will do it until she is in a place where she can call the shots.
‘She always knew it was her voice that would make her famous. She has a sound that doesn’t exist. She knows it.
Sabrina Carpenter struggled to adapt to her current image and initially felt she was ‘playing a character’, after record bosses suggested she change her appearance, sources said.
“She didn’t connect with a mass audience and drastic changes had to be made,” a source told DailyMail.com exclusively.
Another insider added: “The producers introduced a more adult version of her and put the rocket on her back… and now she’s more adult, more sexual.”
A third insider added: “The producers introduced a more adult version of her and put the rocket on her back and actually gave her good music and now she’s more adult, more sexualized.”
“If she didn’t have talent she would be forgotten, but now she is a bona fide pop star who is also being considered for roles in major films.”
Sabrina got her start at Disney, playing Maya Hart on Girl Meets World from 2014 to 2017.
She also released four albums on the Disney-owned Hollywood Records label between 2015 and 2019, as well as acting in films such as The Hate U Give, Tall Girl, Adventures In Babysitting and The Short History of the Long Road.
After moving to Island Records, she made headlines after fans claimed she was the mysterious ‘blonde girl’ Olivia Rodrigo sang about in her heartbreak anthem, Driver’s License.
The Internet was flooded with articles, videos and social media posts as people desperately tried to find out if Sabrina had stolen her then-boyfriend and fellow Disney star Joshua Bassett from her High School Musical: The Musical: The Series co-star. ,Olivia.
Sabrina and Joshua dated in 2020 and were seen having lunch together in Los Angeles. They also shared sweet photos of themselves dressed as Shark Boy and Lava Girl for Halloween that same year.
In her track, Olivia sang: ‘And you’re probably with that blonde girl / Who always made me doubt.’ She’s so much older than me / She’s everything that makes me feel insecure.’
In 2021, the star changed her style after moving to Island Records and making headlines for her love triangle with Joshua Bassett and Olivia Rodrigo.
It didn’t take long for fans to put two and two together, as Sabrina is four years older and dated Joshua right after Olivia.
Sabrina released her first album with Island, Emails I Can’t Send, the following year.
The album included Skin, a song in response to Olivia’s Driver’s License, in which she sang: “Maybe then we could pretend / There’s no gravity in the words we write / Maybe you didn’t mean it / Maybe blonde was the only rhyme… .
‘You can try/ Get under me, under me, under my skin/ While he’s on mine/ Yeah, all over me, all over me, all over my skin.’
However, it was her bold track, Nonsense, that became a standout for the star.
In 2023, she was announced as the opening act for Taylor Swift’s Eras tour on dates in Latin America, Australia and Singapore.
During the tour, she delighted her fans with explicit Nonsense outros, beginning her steady transition into pop’s new sexpot.
During a performance in Dallas, he sang, “I just wanna ride it like a rodeo/ But first, it’s gotta grow up like Pinocchio/ Sorry, I’m such a vulgar San Antonio.”
Earlier this year he scored his first number one song on the UK Singles Chart with Espresso, which also dominated the airwaves in the US.
Her next single, Please Please Please, now has the distinction of being her first number one song on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Their sixth and latest album, Short n’ Sweet, topped the Billboard 200 and has since been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Of America (RIAA).
It includes the single Taste, which also topped the UK Singles Chart and reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100.
The song seems to reference Shawn Mendes and the love triangle he got into with his ex-girlfriend, Camila Cabello.
He shared a passionate kiss with Wednesday star Jenna Ortega in the music video and copied the kiss with a backing dancer while performing the number at the 2024 Video Music Awards.
The music video for her song, Taste, saw her share a passionate kiss with Wednesday star Jenna Ortega.
Her performance of the song at the 2024 Video Music Awards saw her kiss a background dancer who was dressed as an alien.
Last week, she responded to trolls who criticized her sexy stage outfits, telling them: ‘Don’t come to the show.’
Sabrina kicked off her tour in support of her album Short n’ Sweet on September 23 in Columbus, Ohio.
The singer surprised fans when she took to the stage wearing a series of risqué outfits, showed off sexy dance moves, used several swear words and did shots on stage.
Last week, she responded to trolls who criticized her costumes and told them: ‘Don’t come to the show.’
In his cover interview for TIME magazine’s TIME100 Next list, he said, “It’s unfortunate that it was ever something to criticize, because honestly, the scariest thing in the world is getting on stage in front of so many people and having to do it”. act as if nothing happened.
“If the only thing that helps you achieve that is the way you feel comfortable dressing, then that’s what you have to do.”
He The star isn’t afraid to get naked after happily modeling kim kardashian‘s Skims for the spring campaign in May.
She is also known for sharing a series of racy snaps with her fans online, while her favorite lingerie theme is also part of her merch design.