Sabrina Carpenter’s Hitmaker Advice: Skip the Formulas

Sabrina Carpenter delivered a memorable speech at Variety‘s annual Hitmakers event on Saturday, accepting her Hitmaker of the Year award. She playfully acknowledged the whirlwind year that propelled her to this recognition.

The pop superstar, experiencing a notable career surge, shared valuable advice with the Hollywood audience, drawing from her experience as a songwriter as age 10. Her message? Forget chasing trends.

“The easiest way to write a bad song is to try to write a hit,” Carpenter stated. “Write the opposite of what you think a hit is. Write what speaks to you, write something that only you can write. Write the music you want to listen to yourself. Add the weird chord progression and key change, and call men stupid in as many ways as you can.”

Carpenter received the award from Jack Antonoff, a frequent collaborator. The acclaimed producer and bleachers frontman praised Carpenter’s talent as a performer, songwriter, and her ability to navigate success with grace.

“The really crazy thing is that she can write like that,” Antonoff said.