Sabrina Carpenter has just made UK chart history by becoming the first woman to occupy #1 and #2 spots in the UK Official singles charts for three consecutive weeks.
The only other artists to achieve this feat are The Beatles (twice!) in 1963 and 1967, Justin Bieber in 2015, and Ed Sheeran in 2017.
But how did she manage this achievement without phenomena like Beatlemania or Bieber Fever - which, in case you forgot, was mathematically proven to be more contagious than measles?
Carpenter has been releasing music since 2013, but it was her 2022 single ‘Nonsense’ that catapulted her into the spotlight. The song blew up on TikTok owing to Carpenter’s witty and often outrageous outros that she tailored to each city she performed in.
Her newfound notoriety landed her the opening act on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and a set at Coachella. The latter is where she debuted ‘Espresso’, the song that would become her first number 1, reaching the top spot on both the Official UK Charts and the Billboard Global 200.
Just like her ‘Nonsense’ outros, ‘Espresso’ is packed with lyrics that prove she is unafraid to transcend grammatical boundaries. “That’s that me espresso” makes no sense, but it prompts a double-take, and people can’t stop talking about it.
The track feels sunny and uplifting, with a catchy bassline and synth-funk loop to compliment her humorous lyrics. Carpenter’s funk and disco influences earn the retro and party use case tags – just like the tracks from disco revivalist Dua Lipa’s Radical Optimism.
‘Please Please Please’ came in just as hot. In its second week it surpassed ‘Espresso’ on the Official UK charts.
It remains at number 1 today, followed by ‘Espresso’ in the number 2 spot.
‘Please Please Please’ is whimsical and carefree, filled with floaty synths that are now synonymous with Carpenter’s sound, thanks to Jack Antonoff (Taylor Swift’s go-to producer).
Her tongue-in-cheek lyrics are sung over catchy, uplifting hooks that exude confidence. Lines like “maybe just stay inside, I know you’re craving fresh air, but the ceiling fan is so nice” are intentionally silly, using clever songwriting to capture the public’s attention.
The song’s hook echoes the “oh I oh I oh I oh I” hook in Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shape of You’, and the iconic “yeah yeah yeah” from The Beatles’ ‘She Loves You’ – which both dominated the charts in a similar fashion to Carpenter.
Both ‘Please Please Please’ and ‘Espresso’ offer a lighthearted freshness in the charts, which are currently dominated by more heartfelt and seductive moods from the likes of Billie Eilish and Chapell Roan. Carpenter deviates from the rest by injecting humour into her songs, carving out her own distinct sound. And after ten years of releasing music, she has finally gained recognition for it.
Perfect timing too, as her rise to the top comes just in time for the release of her upcoming studio album, Short n’ Sweet. In classic Sabrina fashion, the title plays on her 4’11” stature and bubblegum pop-inspired sound, and promises to showcase her vibrant spirit.
We can’t wait to hear it!
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