Left: Sabrina Carpenter in the “Manchild” Music Video, Right: Sabrina Carpenter and Miss Piggy in ‘The Muppets Show’ (Illustration Courtesy of the CU Independent, Images Courtesy of Sabrina Carpenter, YouTube, and Disney)
Rhett Kaya: From internet trends to the latest pop album, there is always something CU Boulder students are obsessing over, opinionated about or adding to their vernacular. The Culture Critic will keep you up to date with the latest in entertainment and popular culture through content reviews, analysis and my self-proclaimed professional opinion.
Pop singer and former Disney Channel star Sabrina Carpenter has returned to her roots for a run-in with one of Hollywood’s favorite pink and green duos, Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy. The “Manchild” star’s guest appearance on “The Muppet Show” revival only cements her staying in power in an industry addicted to scrolling through celebrities like TikToks and fast fashion fads.
If there’s anything Gen Z loves more than music, it’s branding, forcing musical talents to find a marketable niche alongside their inner voice. Carpenter’s peer and friend, Taylor Swift, with whom she collaborated for Swift’s recent record, has spent years building her own sonic and visual universe. Alternatively, Carpenter has found success in nostalgia, referencing and indulging in the comedic, aesthetic, and sweet magic of the 60s-90s. In the newly released Disney+ “The Muppet Show” special, Carpenter duets the 80s hit, “Islands in the Stream,” with both Kermit the Frog and, later, a slightly jealous Miss Piggy, who twists the love song into an acknowledgment of the blonde pair’s mutual divadom. The track, written by the Bee Gees, was originally performed as a duet between singer-songwriter Kenny Rogers and country star Dolly Parton, another iconic blonde whom Carpenter brought on for a remix of her 2024 track, “Please Please Please.” Parton herself has also mingled with the Muppets throughout the years, making Carpenters’ song choice and appearance on the show clearly referential, but perhaps a larger indication of the “Espresso” singer’s long-term cultural trajectory.
Alongside churning out country-pop hits, Parton’s resume includes various acting roles, including her role as Doralee Rhodes in the 80s film “9 to 5,” which earned her an Oscar nomination for crafting the popular theme song of the same name. (Don’t be surprised if Carpenter snags a role in Jennifer Aniston’s upcoming reboot of the cult classic). But beyond Parton’s on-paper accolades and accomplishments is her lasting presence as a global, but more so American, cultural icon. Carpenter just might be vying for a similar position, evident through her upcoming projects, which include headlining the California music festival Coachella in April, starring in and producing a musical rendition of Alice and Wonderland with Universal, and likely releasing more “songs of the summer,” a feat she’s successfully accomplished two years in a row with “Espresso” and “Manchild,” respectively.
Carpenter’s pop peer Olivia Rodrigo, the alleged subject of Carpenter’s 2021 song, “Skin,” has taken a more Swiftian approach to stardom, disappearing for large chunks of time, increasing her mystique and demand. Leaving the party before the culture gets tired allows artists like Harry Styles and Rodrigo to operate ahead of the curve, reappearing when audiences miss them the most. Though recently, Swift herself has abandoned this form of “hiding” between album cycles, choosing instead to resist naysayers and defy overexposure by remaining a constant in the media, digital realm, and overall cultural conversation. Carpenter has followed suit, making her presence in the music industry and world at large something audiences have grown accustomed to. The “Taste” singer released her seventh studio album, ‘Man’s Best Friend,’ just a year after her sixth record, ‘Short n’ Sweet,’ took over the 2024 sonic season. But beyond a slew of sultry singles, Carpenter can be found in various advertisements (including a Super Bowl ad for Pringles), TV specials, or on stage at one of her concerts. Sabrina’s thesis for stardom is to work, not only from 9 to 5, but also from 5 to 9 and beyond. We can see this framework outlined on the deluxe version of ‘Short n’ Sweet,’ in which she sings about taking full advantage of her fifteen minutes of fame on “Fifteen Minutes” and playfully telling potential suitors on “Busy Woman” that her calendar is consistently booked solid.
Carpenter’s consistency only fuels critiques that claim her music is overly synth-ridden or that her messaging veers into anti-feminist territory. But what naysayers fail to see when critiquing the star’s nostalgia- and sex-appeal-oriented branding is that, beyond the sequins and songs, Carpenter is a comedian. Carpenter’s humor, which she’s infused into her music, public appearances, and overall persona, lends itself well to the campy, comedic, and often satirical realm that “The Muppet Show” and “Saturday Night Live” also occupy. She can date a man made of Pringles, banter with Miss Piggy, and pop into Studio 8H for a cameo, because she’s crafted a likable, funny, and consistent persona that allows her to ditch the role of singer when necessary. Her comedic and sonic capabilities only complement each other, giving her a unique edge amongst her contemporaries in both worlds.
At the 97th Grammy Awards, Carpenter took the airport-themed (branded as Sabrina Carpenter Airlines (SCA)) stage to perform “Manchild.” Sabrina’s costume and dance-heavy performance showcased her visual eye, nostalgic urge, and humor, while also spurring another scandal, as the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) criticized her use of a live dove the very next day. And while Carpenter had little to say about the feathery incident as well as walking away from the ceremony empty-handed, droves of her fans took to the internet to defend the singer’s artistry and what appeared to be a very careful and delicate handling of the bird.
The “Tears” singer’s ability to laugh off and eye-roll internet trolls, critics, and haters is perhaps the ideal mindset to properly operate in a digitally dominated culture that refuses to take anything seriously. Dolly Parton often sticks out as a rare celebrity exemplar of kindness and genuineness, and Carpenter might succeed similarly with her humor. Can an impenetrable brand ever grow tired? Taylor Swift and Dolly Parton would argue no, and Sabrina Carpenter is next in line, eager to prove her fifteen minutes of fame are only the beginning.
Contact CU Independent Opinion Editor Rhett Kaya at rhett.kaya@colorado.edu
