NEWSSabrina Carpenter 'Makes Her Own Rules Now' After Trying to 'Please' Everyone as a 'Disney Kid': Source
Sabrina Carpenter got her start on Disney Channel.
March 31 2025, Published 8:00 p.m. ET
Sabrina Carpenter is no longer just the adorable Disney kid; she's evolved into a playful pop star with a cheeky attitude that’s impossible to ignore. At her March 14 tour stop in Manchester, England, she showed she won't be pushed around, even when the crowd tried to throw her off her game.
During a hydration break, fans erupted into chants of "chug, chug, chug!" only to boo when she didn’t guzzle every last drop. With a mix of shock and sass, Carpenter raised her middle finger, downed the rest of her drink and cheekily scolded the crowd with a twinkling grin: "Never boo me again!"
Sabrina Carpenter is unafraid to express herself while on stage.
This bold move is part of Carpenter’s growing confidence, where she’s unafraid to express herself — whether that's reprimanding concert-goers or candidly discussing her mental health struggles in interviews.
"For a long time, Sabrina tried to please everyone — she was a Disney kid, so there were a lot of restrictions and expectations, people telling her how she should act,” a source revealed. “But she makes her own rules now."
Sabrina Carpenter’s Journey to Pop Stardom
At just 25, Carpenter is a seasoned pro. She began her musical journey at 9, posting videos on YouTube, and at 13, she landed a role on Girl Meets World. Since then, she’s released five albums, including hits on Disney’s Hollywood Records, and starred in films like Adventures in Babysitting and Tall Girl. Yet her 2024 smash hit "Espresso," which soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart, truly catapulted her into the spotlight.
"When Sabrina started trusting and following her own instincts," the insider said, "that’s when things really took off."
Sabrina Carpenter's career skyrocketed after 'Espresso' became a hit song.
Before releasing her "sad" 2022 album, Emails I Can’t Send, Carpenter candidly admitted during a Q&A with Interview: "I was at a really, really low point." But she embraced the opportunity to "make some mistakes" with her grown-up sound, declaring: "To go through your life trying to be a little robot angel, you’re going to have a lot of regrets later."
Her risks paid off big time with August’s platinum-selling Short n’ Sweet, earning her two Grammy wins and a massive new fanbase.
"Mistakes lead you to knowing yourself the most,” she shared in the Interview piece. "What a humbling experience to look back and be like, 'I’ve changed.' That’s a really good sign that you’ve lived life the way you should."
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Sabrina Carpenter is ready to embrace her true self.
Sabrina Carpenter’s Bold New Image
Gone are the days of self-doubt — Carpenter is ready to embrace her true self, and it shows in her lyrics. With raunchy hits like "Bed Chem," "Juno" and "Please, Please, Please," many speculate that her provocative themes were inspired by her on-and-off romance with Irish actor Barry Keoghan.
"She doesn’t see anything wrong with women enjoying s--," insisted the source. "To her, it’s empowering."
When her on-stage antics stir up controversy, Carpenter waves it off like a pro — and instead of retreating amid swirling love triangle rumors involving Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett, or the drama with Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello, she turned heartbreak into catchy anthems like “Skin” and “Taste.”
"Sabrina’s not interested in wasting time on negativity," said the source.
Sabrina Carpenter is friends with Taylor Swift.
One of her biggest champions? The legendary Taylor Swift. Opening for Swift on 25 dates of the record-breaking Eras Tour, Carpenter learned firsthand about "work ethic."
"You just watch her, like, walk in a room," she explained on CBS Sunday Morning, recognizing that watching Swift's grace and composure taught her invaluable lessons.
Now, Carpenter’s professional accolades keep rolling in. She recently landed a spot as a Lollapalooza 2025 headliner.
