Sabrina Carpenter has taken the world by storm. Transitioning from a childhood actress starring in the likes of “Girl Meets World” to emerging into pop stardom is a huge leap, but Carpenter has accomplished it while sashaying in her five-inch platform heels. It wasn’t always easy – Carpenter’s discography and fan base were built quietly off of years of work before her popularity skyrocketed. 2021 drama between her and Olivia Rodrigo, accompanying Taylor Swift on the juggernaut that was The Eras Tour, and performing multiple headlining tours of her own has prepared Carpenter for this moment—and she’s only just getting started.
Along with the rereleased hit single “Espresso,” “Please Please Please,” another teaser to her upcoming album, “Short n’ Sweet,” dropping on all music platforms on June 6. Opening with groovy synths and a simple, effective beat by acclaimed producer Jack Antonoff, “Please Please Please” ensnares listeners with its catchy musical arrangement that checks all the boxes. The contrast between the playful tone and weighty lyrics work together to create an interesting but simultaneously agreeable experience. Carpenter’s sweet voice brims with caution as she implores her lover to invalidate doubters of their relationship. “Whatever devil’s inside you/Don’t let him out tonight/Please, please, please/Don’t prove ‘em right,” Carpenter sings.
In another line, she expresses these desires again by placing importance on her reputation over their shared love. “Heartbreak is one thing/My ego’s another/I beg you, don’t embarrass me/motherf***er,” Carpenter warns.
Later, multiple harmonies emerge onto the scene to elevate the song to new heights, and it comes to a satisfying conclusion with a melodious repetition of Carpenter’s pleas to her lover. While slightly repetitive, “Please Please Please” is able to distract listeners from noticing this too much by way of its sheer catchiness and other pleasing qualities.
In addition, the track’s music video is an entertaining production able to stand on its own. The video builds on Carpenter’s signature cheeky humor, most notably seen in the ad-libbed “Nonsense” outros performed during last year’s Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” and her own “Emails I Can’t Send” tour. Carpenter and her boyfriend, actor Barry Keoghan, star as lovers who meet in prison and subsequently deal with Keoghan’s inability to stay out. The ironic decision to feature him in a music video about warning a lover was not a subtle one; Carpenter and Keoghan have been publicly together since February 2024.
With the release of “Please Please Please,” Carpenter increases her already remarkable success and further cements herself as one of this generation’s rising pop stars. Listeners will be both satiated and eager for Carpenter’s upcoming album, set to release on Aug. 23.
