There’s no question that Sabrina Carpenter has taken over the music industry. While she’s been releasing music for over a decade, she’s exploded in popularity just recently with the release of her sixth album, Short n’ Sweet. This album was a huge success, with singles “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The album also won her two Grammys for best pop vocal album and best pop solo performance, as well as six nominations. With the release of her latest album, Man’s Best Friend, Carpenter’s career is only getting bigger.
I think what makes Carpenter stand out from other pop artists is her aesthetic and visuals. She’s known for being very girly and playful. Her outfits and songs often give off that “Old Hollywood Glamour” vibe. This is definitely reflected through her music videos, and I think this style makes her stand out. Carpenter is also known for using horror movie references in her music videos that many people don’t even notice.
Here are some of her most iconic horror references in her music videos. Not only do you get to watch some iconic videos, but you also get some movie or costume recommendations for the upcoming spooky season!
Horror References in the “Taste” Music Video
Carpenter’s music video for her song “Taste” starring Jenna Ortega came out Aug. 23, 2024. It’s full of campy horror references, the primary one being from the 1992 cult classic Death Becomes Her. The plot of the music video follows two women who fight over a man while trying to kill each other in the process, a very similar plot to the 1992 movie. In the video, Carpenter and Ortega are both seen wearing long black gowns just as Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn did in the final funeral scene.
We continue to see references to the movie through the fight scenes between Carpenter and Ortega. In the music video, Carpenter is thrown off the balcony and impaled by the fence posts, leaving a huge hole through her stomach. In the movie, the same happened to Goldie Hawn’s character. Throughout the video, Carpenter and Ortega keep injuring each other in lethal ways, but they miraculously don’t die.
In addition to being a cult classic film, Death Becomes Her has been adapted for Broadway. I had the chance to see it this summer, and if you liked what you saw in Carpenter’s music video, you should definitely check out the musical!
The “Taste” music video also references Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill. After Carpenter’s fall in the video, she’s taken to the hospital, where Ortega is dressed as a sexy nurse wearing an eye patch. This outfit references Elle Driver, one of the villains in Kill Bill. Ortega wears this eye patch right after she got stabbed in the eye, a gory moment undoubtedly inspired by the violence in the movie.
And of course, leave it to Carpenter to reenact the iconic shower scene from Psycho. In the video, she marches up to Ortega, knife in hand, while she showers with their shared lover. Sabrina pulls the curtain in a surprise attack and strikes. In true Sabrina Carpenter fashion, she adds her own twist to the scene by having Ortega chop her arm off with a machete.
Horror References in the “Tears” Music Video
Those aren’t all the horror references Carpenter has been sprinkling into her music videos. On Aug. 29, she dropped the music video for her song “Tears” from her new album Man’s Best Friend. Throughout this video, there are many references to the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
One reference comes from Carpenter’s outfits, which are similar to those worn by Janet, played by Susan Sarandon, and co-star Colman Domingo’s outfits, channeling Dr. Frank-N-Furter, played by Tim Curry. The music video is campy and fun, which is what Carpenter does best.
The video begins with Carpenter waking up from a car crash and walking up to a creepy-looking house, just like Janet does in the film. Sabrina is given a tour of the house by Domingo (referencing Dr. Frank-N-Furter), and she strips down and sheds her layers of clothes, embracing her sexuality. Her outfits throughout the video reference Janet with Carpenter’s own flair. She dances with Domingo and the other inhabitants of the house in an iconic sequence.
Many fans have noticed some other references from iconic horror movies in Carpenter’s music videos. In one scene from “Tears,” Carpenter is seen standing in front of a spooky house, which is very similar to a shot in the cult classic film Jennifer’s Body. Some people also believe Carpenter’s first outfit, a blue suit and white hat, is referencing Carla Lynde, a vampire in the 1971 horror film The House That Dripped Blood.
I, for one, am excited to see more references that Carpenter utilizes in her music videos because no one does horror like her. I think this confirms what we all know is true: she definitely needs to be cast in a horror movie soon!
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