Sabrina Carpenter Advises Industry Professionals to Create Music They Would Enjoy Themselves as She is Named Variety's Hitmaker of the Year

On Saturday, Sabrina Carpenter took center stage at Varietys annual Hitmakers celebration, receiving the Hitmaker of the Year award in front of a room filled with top-tier stars and industry executives. Reflecting on a year full of milestones, Carpenter shared insights from her journey as a songwriter, which began at age 10.

The quickest route to a bad song is aiming to write a hit, Carpenter said. Do the oppositecraft what moves you, something only you can create. Make the music youd want to listen to yourself. Experiment with unusual chords, key changes, and dont hold back from calling out the absurdities around you.

Her award was presented by longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff, who praised Carpenters adaptability and artistry. Whats remarkable is her ability to write with such instinct and depth, Antonoff remarked. He highlighted her respect for her audience, noting that assuming listeners are intelligent allows for daring musical choices, like the thrilling key change in Please Please Please.

Carpenter, reading from her diary, thanked songwriter Amy Allen and other collaborators for supporting her bold ideas. She expressed admiration for the creative energy in collaborative spaces where music comes to life.

Currently riding the wave of success with her single Manchild, Carpenter acknowledged Island Records for trusting her artistic decisions rather than dictating what a hit should be. She emphasized that songs only become hits when embraced by fans, thanking them for learning the lyrics, singing along, and giving life to the music.

Carpenter has earned six Grammy nominations, including album, record, and song of the year, as well as best pop vocal album, best pop solo performance, and best music video. Earlier this year, she won her first Grammys for best pop solo performance with Espresso and best pop vocal album for Short n Sweet. Her arena tour began in September 2024, later expanding to Europe and returning for a U.S. leg as the Mans Best Friend tour. Manchild launched in June, quickly becoming a major hit, followed by an acclaimed album release in August.

The Variety Hitmakers event featured a star-studded lineup of honorees including Ros, Tyler, the Creator, Megan Moroney, BigXThaPlug, Role Model, Addison Rae, Tate McRae, Buddy Guy, Alex Warren, the Maras, HUNTR/X (EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI), Fuerza Regida, Sounwave, Mustard, and Jack Antonoff. Presenters included Laufey, Miles Caton, Benny Blanco, Jimmy Jam, Jake Shane, and more.

Author: Maya Henderson