For the last few years, and especially since Short ‘n Sweet came out, Sabrina Carpenter has become known for her suggestive and sexy songs and performances. They’ve gone uber viral too, with fans tracking the sexual positions she picks for her song “Juno” and her “Nonsense” outros that are filled with innuendo. Now, a PR expert has weighed in on all of this, and he shared his take on whether all this is a “betrayal” to the pop star's younger fans.
The short answer, according to the chairman of Reputation and Management Consultants, Eric Schiffer, is no. He spoke to Fox News Digital about Carpenter’s viral moments after she received backlash for her lingerie-clad performance at the BRITs and a Juno pose she did in Paris, with some saying it’s not appropriate for kids.
Considering the pop star got her start on Disney Channel in her teens, we’ve watched her grow up and evolve. According to Schiffer that evolution is not “a betrayal of her young fans,” as he explained:
Sabrina Carpenter's risqué performances aren't a betrayal of her young fans; they're an invite for them to grow up alongside her. Sabrina Carpenter’s latest stage antics don’t just push boundaries — they bulldoze them. She traded Mickey Mouse carnage for shock, and it works.
Over the years, we’ve seen many Disney stars re-brand themselves. Take Miley Cyrus for example, she took the world by storm when she went from being Hannah Montana to releasing “Wrecking Ball.” It was a big shift, but it was also simply her growing up.
Schiffer said the "Feather" singer is doing the same thing, as he explained:
Disney stars don't sign lifetime contracts of innocence. Sabrina proves growing up isn't a crime — even if she makes parents cringe and condemn her. In a deathmatch between the danger to Disney nostalgia and adult authenticity, Sabrina Carpenter chose authenticity. Fans and critics need to accept rebranding means childhood is gone.
For reference, Carpenter rose to fame on the Disney Channel show Girl Meets World, which ran from 2014 to 2017. She was 14 when she landed that gig, and she’s 25 now.
Both her and likely the kids who watched her a decade ago are adults now. To that point, Schiffer reiterated the idea that being famous as a kid “shouldn’t be a life sentence:"
Childhood fame shouldn't be a life sentence; Disney stars should be free to reinvent themselves. Stars like Carpenter aren't betraying their past — they're reclaiming their future.
Overall, Sabrina Carpenter has leaned into her sexuality, and she has been praised highly for it, even though there are also many critics. From her fashion moments, like her red lingerie BRITs look, to her hilarious New Year’s resolution to not make as many dick jokes, to her arresting SNL’s Domingo with fuzzy pink handcuffs, her suggestive sense of humor is hilarious and clever.
According to this expert, that shouldn’t mean younger audiences can’t watch her. Instead, it’s implying that the “Espresso” singer is inviting them to “grow up alongside her.”
To that point, after producer Pete Waterman called Carpenter’s concerts “offensive,” she fired back in a statement to The Sun (via E! News and Fox News), explaining that “female artists have been shamed forever” and that view of her work was “totally regressive.” She ended her statement with:
My message has always been clear — if you can’t handle a girl who is confident in her own sexuality, then don’t come to my shows.
Based on Carpenter and Schiffer’s comments, they believe the pop star’s concerts and music are not alienating young audiences.
She’s simply growing up and her audience is too, hence the more mature songs, lyrics and performances.
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