Photo Credit: Variety
Sabrina Carpenter arrived at Variety Hitmakers with full energy and confidence, closing a year that pushed her career into a new league. At the Los Angeles event she accepted the Hitmaker of the Year honor in front of a packed room of artists, executives and industry heavyweights. Her speech was sharp, funny and genuine, reflecting both her growing influence and her steady commitment to writing from the heart.
Carpenter began by sharing a lesson she learned early in her life. She started writing music at the age of ten, and the rule she carries with her has stayed simple. According to her, the fastest way to create a weak song is to chase what people think a hit sounds like. She encouraged the room to forget formulas and instead reach for what feels honest. She told the crowd to write the opposite of what they think makes a hit. Write what speaks to them and write what only they can write. She added that artists should write the music they want to listen to themselves, even if that means adding a strange chord change or calling men stupid in as many ways as possible. The room laughed, but her message was clear. Authenticity wins.
Her award was presented by her longtime creative partner Jack Antonoff. He praised Carpenter as a rare kind of performer who can sing, write and grow while handling pressure with control. He pointed out that the bold musical choices in her work, including her now famous key change in Please Please Please, come from her belief that listeners are smart. According to Antonoff, when an artist treats their audience with that respect, they can create moments that feel exciting and alive.
Carpenter read her speech from a diary. She thanked songwriter Amy Allen and others in her circle who always encourage her most unusual ideas. She also expressed deep appreciation for Island Records for supporting her instincts rather than telling her what a hit should sound like. She called that kind of support rare.
She closed by thanking the people who have shaped her rise more than anyone else. Her fans. She reminded the room that songs only become hits when listeners decide they are worth carrying. She thanked everyone who learns the words, sings the songs and turns them into something bigger.
Her appearance at Hitmakers adds another highlight to a remarkable stretch. With six current Grammy nominations and a year filled with chart wins, major tours and critical praise, Carpenter has stepped into a new chapter. Her speech at Hitmakers served as a reminder that her success comes from a simple approach. Trust your instincts, write the music you love and let the world meet you there.
