Sabrina Carpenter Is COSMOPOLITAN Digital Cover Star!

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Sabrina Carpenter walks through the world already embodying some of the lessons that take many of us decades or even a lifetime to learn: how to trust her gut, never take herself too seriously (while still working really freaking hard), and the magic of staying present in the moment. Now, in conversation with deputy editor Madeline Reeves for COSMOPOLITAN’s latest digital cover story, the It Girl opens up about everything—from touring with Taylor Swift to harnessing wild ambition to why she loves her butt and what she’s looking for in a partner. Plus, join Sabrina on a walk down memory lane in an episode of COSMOPOLITAN’s video series, The Breakdown. This singer and actor rewatches some of her most iconic moments including a regrettable rap performance, an iconic funeral look and a turn as a TV villain.

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On being comfortable with “the mindset of a slow rise”: “I was a kid when I saw that Miley Cyrus was 16 and touring arenas. And so my mind went, At 16, you’re going to tour arenas. And then when that didn’t happen, I was like, ‘Oh.’ I think if you really look at how long I’ve been singing and acting, it’s a long time compared to the instant gratification that some people have. I never had the instant thing, which now I feel very lucky about because I have a lot of experience. Even if I’m light-years ahead, I would rather feel that I’m behind and have the ambition to think, Oh, I can always work a little bit harder. I can always try something new. There are things I haven’t done yet that I really want to do.”

On new music: “I feel so grateful that I’ve been able to tour an album that I really care about for almost two years and that my fans have given it a life longer than I ever could have asked for. I put two and a half years into making this album, and it’s a sh*tty feeling when you put so much time into something and people want something new in two months. So I’m trying to really take this experience in before moving on to the next thing…but I’ve been working on the next thing for a minute. I’m starting to feel like I’ve outgrown the songs I’m singing, which is always an exciting feeling because I think that means the next chapter is right around the corner.”

On what she looks for to determine whether somebody’s additive to her life: “People who stimulate me and don’t just agree with everything I say. And people who are funny. When I meet people that feel very genuine and pure, I hope to keep them in my life. Because that’s the only way that I’m going to stay close to the ground in any capacity. But also, part of learning is keeping the wrong people in your life for a period of time. I’ve learned that lesson the hard way a couple of times, for sure.”

On life on the road with Taylor Swift for the Eras Tour: “I feel so genuinely lucky on the Eras Tour because I get to perform a set that I’m super comfortable with, and then I get to watch one of the greatest performers every night… It almost feels like a Broadway show because everything is so synchronized but at the same time feels so in the moment. That’s an art. It’s really hard to teach. It’s really hard to learn. And I feel so lucky that I get to watch Taylor perform every time. It makes me want to tour the world again, which is a good feeling.”

On not taking what other people say too heavily: “You have to be discerning, protect your energy, as they say. Because everyone has the ability to say whatever they want. And you’re like, do you have a degree in anything? People comment all the time, sounding like vocal instructors talking about technique, and then you go to their profile, and they’re literally working at GameStop. And by the way, no offense to anyone that works at GameStop because I love GameStop. But I just mean it in the sense that people will be doing something so different with their lives and have opinions on things that they aren’t an expert on. Knowing what to actually take to heart is always going to be difficult, but especially, I think, at this age. It’s nice to have friends in the industry you feel like you can trust. You need to have people who have been through similar things and can be a normal friend and just happen to have this job as well.”

On connecting with people she meets in New York: “I’m so interested in people here because I feel like they always have some wild stories that are really inspiring to me. I’m curious if you feel that way here too… But every time you meet someone random, it’s never random. It’s for some reason. You’re supposed to learn something. I’ve had so many strangers in New York tell me things that I will put on my gravestone. Most of those conversations are with an older man or woman who has no idea who I am or what I do. And for whatever reason, we are in the same place at the same time and can get deep on things. They’ll be like, ‘I was alive in the Great War, and I can tell you about my affair.’ It’s just so interesting. I definitely have regrets about not asking my grandparents enough questions. So now I try to have those conversations a lot more and see what I can learn from other people.”

On social media speculation around even the briefest of relationships: “I wish more people knew that there’s nuance, as opposed to taking everything on the internet as fact. They know in their own lives that they might be texting someone but not in a relationship. But for some reason, it’s very black and white when it comes to the internet and the way that people on the internet are portrayed. I have to laugh at it though, because sometimes I read some funny sh*t, but it almost feels like I’m reading about someone else.”

On not holding herself to some societal standard when it comes to where she should be: “Whether I’m alone or with someone, I always go, ‘I’m supposed to be here right now.’ So I just try to think about it like that. I feel like life will work really hard to give you clarity and understanding in one section of your life over another. So sometimes when I’m working, everything feels super aligned and makes sense, and that’s when maybe my personal life doesn’t feel as clear and then vice versa.”

[Photo Credit: Brendan Wixted for Cosmopolitan Magazine]

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