ELLIE SKJERSAA / ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

For most aspiring performers, fame and success do not come in the blink of an eye. It takes endless hours, lots of sweat and tears and a bit of luck. Up-and-coming artists Sabrina Carpenter and Chappel Roan, although in different ways, have both shown the world that hard work can indeed pay off.

Sabrina Carpenter is well-known for her leading role in the Disney show, “Girl Meets World.” Since then, she has continued her acting career and, in 2015, released her debut album, “Eyes Wide Open.” After joining a leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, Carpenter has transformed from a Disney child star into an A-list mega pop-star. 

Recently, Carpenter released her newest album “Short n’ Sweet,” which has quickly risen to the top of the charts. Some students feel that although they didn’t enjoy her previous albums, “Short n’ Sweet” transformed their opinions on her music.

“I don’t love all of her old songs, but I think her newest album is a masterpiece,” USD senior Katie Ingrey said. “It’s a no skip album and I like the variety of the songs. You have the fun ‘going out’ songs and then the more heartwarming songs, and on top of that, she is a lyrical genius.”

For many students, Carpenter’s sudden boost into the spotlight can be attributed to her widespread presence on social media. Ingrey explained that she started listening to Carpenter after seeing her performances on social media platforms.

“I  first  saw  performances  of   her ‘Nonsense outros’ on Tiktok when they were trending,” Ingrey said. “That was my first real introduction to her music.”

Although Carpenter began as a Disney child star, she has completed many projects since then. Some  students  feel  as  though this  has  been  her effort  to  separate herself  from that  previous  Disney image, and that she has done it flawlessly.

“She released three albums before this one, and I don’t believe they were as popular as ‘Short n’ Sweet,’” junior Devin Reyes said. “I think a big part of that is trying to divorce herself from the Disney kid-star image. With this album she really did that. This is not the character from ‘Girl Meets World’ singing the song, this is Sabrina.”

After her most recent VMA performance on Sept. 11, she stirred some controversy for its element of sexuality. However, some students feel that this is important to her new image. 

“She’s so confident and I love how open she is about sex too,” Ingrey said.

Similar to Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan has grown in popularity very quickly, although not without years of dedication to her craft. According to Vox, Roan first signed a record deal at age 17. Today, she is 26. Her first album was released in 2015 and included singles from her bestselling album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” but it did not gain attention as it has today. 

Ingrey recounted the first time she heard one of her songs while in her friend’s car. 

“I feel like it’s hard for me to like a song after the first listen but I really enjoyed it, and since then, I have been listening to her all the time,” Ingrey said. 

Many students enjoy Roan’s music, not only for its distinctive sound, but also for the representation she contributes to the music industry. As an openly queer woman, Roan’s voice has already played a role in shifting the narrative toward a direction of embracing the spectrum of sexual and gender identities that are ever-so-present in society.

“As a queer girl, it’s really nice to have someone other than Hayley Kiyoko or Girl in Red who have really fun songs, but I find that a lot of the sapphic stuff that I was consuming was kind of sad and pining whereas this is just like, I’m gay dude,” Reyes said.

Chappell Roan has been known to incorporate drag into her performances  in  an effort to amplify the voices of LGBTQ+ voices within society. Her outfits and performances are greatly inspired by and pay homage to drag queens. In an interview with Rolling Stone she explains that dressing in drag is what separates her on-stage and off-stage identity.

“I wear gray and black IRL because I can’t handle the s*** that I wear [when I’m performing],” Chappell Roan said. 

As a drag performer, Roan has been recognized as a monumental artist because she has transformed the musical stage to a place where one can feel  comfortable   expressing a wide range of identities. In  this   way, she   has given  many  in  the queer community hope for a progressive future. 

Chappell Roan’s album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Currently, she sits at No. 3, just behind Post Malone at No. 2 and Sabrina Carpenter, who currently sits in the No. 1 position.

“I think that this year there has been a shift in the way female artists have been viewed,” USD senior Gray Ehling said. “Obviously there are iconic artists like Beyoncé and Lady Gaga who have played major influential roles in the industry, but I think that the influx of female voices that have recently entered the scene marks an important shift in musical history.”

Although there have been many incredible female artists throughout the years, gender inequalities are still present. According to the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, over the past 11 years, there has been an average ratio of 3.5 male artists for every female artist present on the Billboard Hot 100 Year-End Chart. On top of that, around 5% of producers are female. 

This leaves a large gap between the representation of male and female musical voices. Students like Ingrey explain that having a feminine aspect to the music they listen to is something that they  appreciate for its empowering aspect.

“I like Chappell and Sabrina’s songs because they make me feel like a girl but in the best way,” Ingrey said. 

With the power of passionate songwriting, a strong voice and a vibrant stage presence, these two have captured the hearts and playlists  of many USD  students. Only time will tell what else  they  have  in  store  for the  world as they continue their journey. 

Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan are the two pop princesses of the year. Photo Courtesy of @sabrinacarpenter and @chappellroan/Instagram