After moving to Island Records in 2021 she released "Skin", her first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100. Her fifth album, emails i can't send (2022), was supported by the US Pop Airplay top 10 singles "Nonsense" and "Feather". She opened for Taylor Swift on The Eras Tour in 2023.
Sabrina achieved higher commercial success in 2024 with "Espresso". Released on April 11, the lead single to her sixth album Short n' Sweet peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 in various countries. The follow-up single "Please Please Please" earned Carpenter her first #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was released on August 23 with "Taste" as its third single. It became her first album to debut atop the US Billboard 200. The deluxe version of Short n' Sweet is scheduled to be released on 02/14/2025.
In 2025, Carpenter’s exceptional talent was further recognized when she won two Grammy Awards – one for Best Pop Solo Performance for "Espresso" and another for Best Pop Vocal Album for "Short n' Sweet".
Carpenter has appeared in films such as Adventures in Babysitting (2016), The Hate U Give (2018), The Short History of the Long Road (2019), Clouds (2020) and Emergency (2022). She has also starred in the Netflix productions Tall Girl (2019), Tall Girl 2 (2022) and Work It (2020), the latter of which she executive-produced. On Broadway, she played a lead role in Mean Girls (2020).
Mirage
Sabrina Carpenter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby, you gotta pay."
Well, then, we got a problem, problem
"And there's a party at midnight at the top of the hill
But you gotta be someone, someone."
And every face is a hologram
We're all caught in a dreamWe're all caught in a dream
And everyone plays so innocent
It's all part of the scene, oh
Is it just a mirage?
All these Hollywood gods
And everything that we've got
Is it just a mirage?
And we just go through the motions
Yeah, we lock 'em inside
Don't show any emotion, emotion
And everybody's been talking
Believe it or not
But you don't gotta listen, listen
And every face is a hologram (hologram)
We're all caught in a dream
We're all caught in a dream
And everyone plays so innocent (so innocent)
It's all part of the scene, oh
Is it just a mirage?
All these Hollywood gods
And everything that we've got
Is it just a mirage?
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Is it real, is it real or not?
Is it real, everything we've got?
Uh, no (uh, no, uh, no)
And is it real, is it real or not?
Is it real, everything we've got, ooh?
Or is it just a mirage?
All these Hollywood gods
And everything that we've got
Is it just a mirage?
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Is it just a mirage?
In Sabrina Carpenter's song Mirage, she sings about the facade and superficiality of the entertainment industry. The first verse talks about how she's told she can't wear a certain designer and she needs to pay to be a part of the industry, showing how there's a certain image and monetary cost to be successful. It sets up the idea that everything in Hollywood is just a game, and they'll tell you what the rules are. In the chorus, she questions whether everything they have is real or just a mirage. She wonders if these Hollywood gods and everything they've achieved is all just an illusion, something they've convinced themselves is real.
The second verse talks about how everyone is playing a role, no one is showing their true emotions or being genuine. She mentions how people are talking, but you don't have to listen because whatever they say is all part of the scene. It shows how everything is scripted, and everyone is just playing their part. The chorus questions again whether any of it is real or just a mirage. The song highlights the idea that everything in the entertainment industry is fake, and people are caught up in a dreamlike state where they can't see what's real.
Line by Line Meaning
They said, "You can't wear Giamba
Baby, you gotta pay."
Someone told Sabrina that she can't wear a Giamba dress and will have to pay a price for it.
Well, then, we got a problem, problem
"And there's a party at midnight at the top of the hill
But you gotta be someone, someone."
Sabrina and her friends face a problem but are invited to a party at midnight, only for special individuals.
And every face is a hologram
We're all caught in a dream
We're all caught in a dream
And everyone plays so innocent
It's all part of the scene, oh
People's faces seem fake, and everyone lives in a dream while playing innocent and engaging in the entertainment industry.
Is it just a mirage?
All these Hollywood gods
And everything that we've got
Is it just a mirage?
Sabrina wonders if everything in the world of Hollywood is just an illusion, including the so-called 'gods' of the industry.
And we just go through the motions
Yeah, we lock 'em inside
Don't show any emotion, emotion
And everybody's been talking
Believe it or not
But you don't gotta listen, listen
Everyone simply behaves mechanically and suppresses their emotions. Despite everyone talking, Sabrina doesn't need to listen to them.
Is it real, is it real or not?
Is it real, everything we've got?
Uh, no (uh, no, uh, no)
And is it real, is it real or not?
Is it real, everything we've got, ooh?
Sabrina is unsure if the world they live in is real or not and voices skepticism about everything they have.
Or is it just a mirage?
All these Hollywood gods
And everything that we've got
Is it just a mirage?
Sabrina concludes by questioning whether everything they possess and the people they praise are just a mirage.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: SABRINA CARPENTER, RYAN OGREN, JAMES NICK BAILEY BAILEY, JEFF HALAVACS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Crono0live
They said she can't wear giamba Baby you gotta pay
Well then we got a problem, problem
And there's a party at midnight at the top of the hill
But you gotta be someone, someone
And every face is a hologram
We're all caught in a dream
We're all caught in a dream
And everyone plays so innocent
It's all part of the scene
Is it just a mirage
All these Hollywood gods
And everything that we've got
Is it just a mirage
And we just go through the motions yeah we Lock em inside
Don't show any emotion, emotion
And everybody's been talkin believe it or not
But you don't gotta listen listen
And every face is a hologram
We're all caught in a dream
We're all caught in a dream
And everyone plays so innocent
It's all part of the scene, oh
Is it just a mirage
All these Hollywood gods
And everything that we've got
Is it just a mirage
Is it real is it real or not
is it real everything we got
Is it real is it real or not
is it real everything we got
Or is it just a mirage
All these Hollywood gods
And everything that we've got
Is it just a mirage
@mariaa5947
They said she can't wear [?], baby you gotta pay
Well then we got a problem, problem
And there's a party at midnight, at the top of the hill
But you gotta be someone, someone
And every face is a hologram
We're all caught in a dream
We're all caught in a dream
And everyone plays so innocent
It's all part of the scene, oh
Is it just a mirage?
All these Hollywood gods
And everything that we've got
Is it just a mirage?
And we just go though the motions, yeah, we lock 'em inside
Don't show any emotion, emotion
And everybody's been talkin', but leave in the night
But you don't gotta listen, listen
And every face is a hologram
We're all caught in a dream
We're all caught in a dream
And everyone plays so innocent
It's all part of the scene, oh
Is it just a mirage?
All these Hollywood gods
And everything that we've got
Is it just a mirage?
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Is it real, is it real or not?
Is it real, everything we've got?
Is it real, is it real or not?
Is it real, everything we've got?
Or is it just a mirage?
All these Hollywood gods
And everything that we've got
Is it just a mirage?
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Is it just a mirage?
@amuletg7911
Why is this album so underrated it’s the best she’s ever made
@Jessica.Shawnte
Exactly
@milica9107
agree
@_marianali
I think the same 💔
@lillie-maeoldlane2528
This is so true
@charlottegoodman5568
It was always my favorite album of hers 🙂
@taylorswiftreal8839
Honestly this is one of the greatest albums of all time. In my opinion. And nobody knows about her, because they look back at her older songs and judge her by thinking she's too young t moving and touching music. They don't bother with her music. But it's simpy amazing. The touching, well thought out, beautiful lyrics, wonderful just otherworldly vocals, and AMAZING MUSIC, the instrumentals are hypnotizing! Everything just blends so well together and her voice is literally goals. I know there's probably thousands of artists who create music but this album is so good. Anyone who listens to it can understand!
@bb4life141
I can understand! I love her songs, I think I am the only guy that loves Sabs in my high school, even worst... I think I am the only one that actually like/know her songs! She is WAY too underrated. (And also I love Sabs) <3
@flora.8223
Yess I so agree this album is just amazing
@AnnaF33
Ohh bfrrrr. How tf can u call this one of greatest album off all time? Is basic af, is not masterpiece