TRACK BY TRACK: Sabrina Carpenter's 'fruitcake'

Sabrina Carpenter has had an incredibly successful year. She had a massive release with her album emails i can’t send (2022) and gave fans even more to love with the release of the deluxe album emails i can’t send fwd: (2023). As a result of this success, she performed at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, opened for Taylor Swift on the Latin American leg of The Eras Tour, and performed at the 2023 KIIS FM Jingle Ball. She has also gone viral for her creative, risque outros that she personalizes for each city she performs her hit “Nonsense” in. Given her impressive year and recent Christmas themed “Nonsense” outro at Jingle Ball, we just had to break down her new Christmas EP fruitcake track-by-track!

1. "A Nonsense Christmas"

The EP opens with a remix of Carpenter’s 2022 hit “Nonsense”. This Christmas remix was also released in 2022, and much like the original, it is still just as fun to listen to now as it was the first time. With the inclusion of bells to add a more festive instrumental backing and unmissable Christmas references like mistletoe and spiked eggnog, “A Nonsense Christmas” is a playful, flirty take on an already celebrated hit. The song utilizes the same level of innuendo fans have grown accustomed to hearing in her concert outros, but this time with a holiday-themed twist. If you’re looking for something to spice up your holiday playlist, this is the song for you. 

Favorite Lyrics: “Lookin' at you got me thinkin' Christmas (Christmas) / Snowflakes in my stomach when we're kissin’...”

2. "buy me presents"

“Buy me presents” has the type of bright sound that spreads cheer during the holiday season. The use of saxophone, synthesizers, and Carpenter’s layered vocals make for a beautiful song that you can put on repeat without getting bored. After all, how many other songs have saxophone solos nowadays? This song falls into the genre that I can only describe as “boyfriend Santa Claus”. Carpenter sets out her standards (someone who will buy her presents and fill her stocking) and makes sure her potential suitors know that, if they can't fulfill her needs, she has a man in mind who will.

Favorite Lyrics: “If you were a wise man, baby, you would drop / Every other ho, ho, ho and put me on top…”

3. "santa doesn’t know you like i do"

“santa doesn’t know you like i do” is for anyone going through a breakup this holiday season. In a tone shift from the first two songs on the EP, Carpenter laments about not being able to spend Christmas with a former romantic partner. She expresses a deep understanding of this person since she knows them better than the all-seeing Santa Claus. This song continues the usage of bells for that classic holiday music sound, though the tone is notably less cheerful on this track. Her investment in this lost relationship is evident through the heartbreaking lyrics, “So why can’t I be the one to give you everything you want?” With this track, Carpenter reminds us that not every holiday is the happiest, but at least we all have her music to help us get through.

Favorite Lyrics: “He won’t bring you somebody that loves you more than me…”

4. "cindy lou who"

“cindy lou who” manages to be even sadder than “santa doesn’t know you like i do”, and yet we can’t stop listening to it! Don’t let the 2-minute long run time fool you -- this song has a big impact on the EP. “Cindy lou who” details the aftermath of an ex finding a new partner. Following the same theme of “santa doesn’t know you like i do”, Carpenter uses this song to describe spending Christmas alone; though, in this song, she is also dealing with the knowledge that her ex has someone else to spend the holiday with. She definitely knew what she was doing when putting the lyrics “He won’t bring you somebody that loves you more than me” and “While he was soul-searchin', he found someone better / Guess you make him happy like I couldn't do” on back-to-back songs.

Favorite Lyrics: “While he was soul-searchin', he found someone better / Guess you make him happy like I couldn't do…”

5. "is it new years yet?"

“Is it new years yet?” brings back the bells and bright synthesizers. The song may talk about pessimism and skipping ahead, but the vibe of the music might just get you dancing. This disco-esque song can’t be skipped. It brings the same cheerful tone as the first two songs on the EP, infused with the same style of holiday-themed breakup lyrics present throughout the later two songs. For anyone waiting for the new year, this is your anthem. Get up, put on a dazzling sparkly outfit, and dance the night away with a pop princess!

Favorite Lyrics: “Santa, Santa, why do you hate me? / I'm a gift, look how God made me…”

6. "white xmas"

It wouldn’t be a proper holiday album without a cover of a timeless Christmas song, and Sabrina Carpenter knows this. This holiday season, Carpenter blessed us with a cover of the classic “White Christmas” by Irving Berlin. “White xmas'' starts off softly, with a focus on Carpenter’s breathy vocals. More percussion and strings chime in as the chorus begins to give the rest of the song a perky quality. Since the song and lyrics are widely familiar, this song acts as a gorgeous showcase of her vocals. Her version also features a punchy rendition of "Jingle Bells" as the song’s outro, which ends the EP on a peppy note. This makes it a good transition back into the jingle bells that start off the EP in “A Nonsense Christmas” for all of your album repeating wishes.

Favorite Lyrics: “May your days be merry and bright…”

This EP proves that Sabrina Carpenter is here to stay as a pop icon. Her creative lyrics, playful writing style, and captivating vocals make it obvious why her career has flourished this year. We look forward to hearing whatever she sings next, and we will thoroughly enjoy looping this album all month long. We highly encourage everyone else to do the same. Happy Holidays, and happy listening!