I feel as if Sabrina Carpenter was this year’s “pop princess.” From dropping a Grammy-nominated album to releasing the song of the summer “Please Please Please” and even going on tour, Carpenter has shown fans that there is not much she cannot do. To bookend her successful year, Carpenter topped it off with her holiday special, “A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter.”
When I first heard that Carpenter was releasing a comical holiday music special, I was absolutely thrilled. It seems rare for artists to embrace such a fun and light-hearted approach to the holiday season. I believe more musicians should take the same leap. Holiday specials like this not only showcase their creativity but also provide fans with a new and entertaining experience. Music should be fun, and this kind of project proves just how enjoyable and engaging it can be when artists push the boundaries of a traditional performance.
The holiday special was filled with many celebrity guests, costume changes, amazing visuals, SNL-type skits and of course, musical numbers.
Typically a set is just the background of a production, but something about the set of this special made the show for me. The overall aesthetics of the show tied holiday decor into a retro and bright signature look that Carpenter has created for herself. In the first scene of the production, Carpenter comes out on a heart-shaped stage, which is reminiscent of the stage Carpenter used during her tour. She also used the stage to sing a duet to “Santa Baby” with Shania Twain and to close out the special.
Other than seeing Carpenter on the stage, the viewer got a look backstage while Carpenter broke the fourth wall with her audience and sang her own remix to “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”. I loved this because it made me feel like I was right there with her. She essentially offered the viewers an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the show’s mechanics, breaking down every element.
I was expecting this show to be all music, so I was surprised to see SNL-type skits during the production. This being said, I was not disappointed in the slightest. I will say, despite the show’s rating being TV-14, there were some inappropriate jokes snuck in, which is almost understandable due to Carpenter’s demographic.
The musical guests for this special did not disappoint in the slightest. From duets with Kali Uchis, Shania Twain, Chappell Roan and Tyla to an ending solo performance by Carpenter herself, the music did not lack in this show. Not only were the vocals in this show amazing, the soundtrack was even better. “Santa Baby,” “Last Christmas,” “This Christmas” and “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” are easily my favorite Christmas songs. To hear these songs covered by Carpenter completely made my holiday season.
