‘I was in a ghost town’: Sabrina Carpenter gets candid about birthing ‘Espresso’ and what else she sipped while writing it

Sabrina Carpenter is a go-to for memorable and suggestive lyrics and every song she releases is a total bop. If you asked any fan of Taylor Swift’s BFF what their favorite tune was, they would no doubt say “Espresso” (or start singing “Now he’s thinkin’ ’bout me every night, oh
Is it that sweet?”). Now she’s sharing some BTS details about writing her caffeinated single.

In her cover story interview for the September 2024 issue of W Magazine, Carpenter explained that she penned one of her most popular songs, “Espresso,” in a “ghost town” in France during Swift’s “Eras” tour. (Side note: how lucky were Swifties who got to see Carpenter open, too?!) Since she had 10 free days, she worked on her album in a place with “one little creperie down the road.”

Carpenter was definitely inspired by this dreamy setup, and the lyrics clearly poured out of her. While she drank an espresso shot (which we would have expected!) she also added another delicious beverage to her writing line-up. The singer told W, “I might have had some champagne” and added, “before I knew it the song was written.”

Writing a song in a tiny town in France? Drinking some bubbles along with caffeine? It’s no wonder “Espresso” became Billboard’s “global song of the summer.”

I’m fascinated by different writing routines, especially since conditions will rarely be perfect, and you just have to start putting words down on the page. Some novelists are super organized, like The Amazing Stephen King who writes four hours daily, and that always seems like the way to go. Of course, writing songs is different since you do want to hit when the inspiration strikes. Swift writes down compelling and cool phrases and words so she can put them into a song later, which is another great tip.

Carpenter is also following in the footsteps of many famous artists who include an alcoholic beverage in their creative process. According to The Atlantic, Joan Didion edited for 60 minutes prior to having dinner with a drink. The unique combination of espresso and champagne sounds great since you’re going to be both awake and relaxed, which are two necessary states for writing.

The “Espresso” singer has opened up about writing the song in a few other great interviews. She told The Guardian “no one liked me romantically” at the time she wrote it (what?!) and, even more surprisingly, “the powers above” were uncertain about putting the song out. Living in a world without this banger earworm tune doesn’t sound fun. Let this be your reminder that you have to be confident about what you want to achieve, even if others aren’t so sure.

I can’t start writing until I have a few sips of coffee, and I totally understand that the bars started flowing for Carpenter when she had an espresso shot. So, if you want to get some creative work done, take a cue from Carpenter and enjoy some champagne along with your coffee… but maybe just a small glass.