Sabrina Carpenter has been one of my most welcomed surprises of the year. Initially, she wasn’t an artist I felt compelled to tune into. I didn’t have a connection to her Disney Channel days since they came after I moved on to teen-centered dramas, and I have an annoying habit of sticking to artists I already know. That was all until I heard a snippet of her sleeper hit “Nonsense” and replayed until it made the number three spot on my 2023 Spotify Wrapped.
Carpenter has only just been recognized as a new force to be reckoned with in the pop scene. Her 2022 album “Emails I Can’t Send” was received favorably among fans and critics, and the record’s songs have proven to have staying power over a year after its release. It’s a commendable feat considering we’re in the age of social media and what was relevant yesterday will be dead and forgotten about by tomorrow. It’s all due to Carpenter’s ability to naturally produce a catchy song. The album was ripe with narrative storytelling, witty lyrics and melodic production. Luckily, Carpenter extends all that was great about “Emails I Can’t Send” to her latest entry into the Christmas music sphere, “Fruitcake.”
The EP opens with “A Nonsense Christmas,” a remix of her most popular song filled with enough holiday-themed sexual innuendos to last you until the New Year. While Christmas songs usually have a hint of family-friendly fun, Carpenter isn’t interested in bringing the family together with this one. This is a flirty song for getting your crush to join you by the fireplace, and it’s just as fun and addicting as the original.
“Buy Me Presents” is the second track off the album and my favorite. It’s reminiscent of the Christmas classic “Santa Baby” with its emphasis on prioritizing the more materialistic side of the holiday season. The song has Carpenter playfully gushing about her sugar daddy (the one and only Santa Claus) while simultaneously threatening to drop him if he fails to fulfill her wishlist. The instrumental perfectly replicates the Christmas songs that came before it, leaving it to balance the nostalgia of the holiday season with the originality of the cheeky lyrics. This one has been on repeat since I first heard it.
And for those who are not quite as fond of Christmas, she offers you the track “Is It New Years Yet?” which is a more pessimistic take on the holidays over a jolly beat. The song details Carpenter mulling over being surrounded by couples, family gatherings and tired traditions. She gives the perspective of navigating a holiday that is known for love as someone dealing with heartbreak. Naturally, the attitude is deliciously bitter as she sings, “Couples all around me, damn it hurts / Wanna push them in the fireplace and watch them burn.” The upbeat tempo makes me want to dance straight into next year while reckoning with the not-so-great aspects of the holiday season.
While “Fruitcake” is mysteriously named after a dessert that is universally hated, I’m sure this EP won’t suffer the same fate. The six-track record doesn’t have a low-point. It’s short and sweet, leaving you wanting more while not overstaying its welcome. Just how Christmas should be. It’s hard to bring something new to a season that has a million songs already dedicated to it, but Carpenter found a way to pair modern songwriting with nostalgic production. I can see myself revisiting this record for many Christmases to come and enjoying it just the same as I did the first time. Who knew fruitcake could be so good?
Faith Fistler is an opinion writer. Contact her at [email protected].
