Pop singer and actress Sabrina Carpenter released her new holiday EP on Nov. 17 titled “fruitcake” on all music platforms, just in time for the Christmas season. This EP was written by Carpenter, Steph Jones, and John Ryan, who is also the producer of “fruitcake.”

Her other popular music releases include albums “emails i can’t send,” “Singular: Act l,” and “Singular: Act ll.” Christmas music seems out of left field concerning the rest of her discography, but it proves to fit well. 

With “emails i can’t send,” Carpenter explored both serious and silly lyrics, striking a great balance between impactful and fun. The same goes for “fruitcake,” as many lines are there simply to be entertaining, while others are surprisingly hard-hitting. 

Furthermore, Carpenter is not a stranger to the Christmas music genre, since she released the single “Silver Nights” in 2014 and “Christmas The Whole Year Round” in 2015. She has also covered the Christmas classic “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” and has been featured in covers of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” and “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” 

She has also performed many songs from this EP at the annual iHeartRadio Jingle Ball alongside Olivia Rodrigo, SZA, OneRepublic, and many more. 

It is too early to tell but her spectacular Christmas performances may just make Carpenter this generation’s Mariah Carey.

My Overview

“A Nonsense Christmas”

This song starts the EP on a familiar note because it is a Christmas remix of her popular 2022 single “Nonsense.” The music stayed the same, but the lyrics were modified to have a Christmas theme. It is an upbeat song with a traditional pop feel, with lyrics jam-packed with cheeky lines that undoubtedly make listeners giggle. 

“buy me presents” 

In this jazzy pop song, Carpenter expresses her desire for her love interest to put in the effort to see her, buy her presents, and make time for her, or else she can easily find somebody who will. The ‘somebody’ in question is interpreted as Santa, whom she humorously describes as “a little bit older” with “a bit of a dad bod.” 

Yet, in this song, Carpenter addresses the horrible feeling of a romantic partner not putting in their 100% effort in their relationship. This just left her feeling less loved as she should be, which is so devastating to experience, especially during the holiday season. 

“santa doesn’t know you like i do”

The intro has soft vocals and gives a nostalgic vibe of traditional slow Christmas songs, yet shifts to having a very pop influenced chorus and verses. Lyrically, it’s a plea for a crush of Carpenter’s to be the one he chooses to be with, considering she knows him better than Santa himself. Overall, it evokes a nostalgic feeling but brings it into modern times with the pop beat layered over it. 

“cindy lou who”

In this heartbreaking ballad, Carpenter uses the character from the classic Christmas movie, “The Grinch,” to represent the new love interest of her ex. From afar, she admires her long hair and red lips and even questions if she has met her before, wishing she could have filled that role for the person she loves. The song evokes a melancholy tone with the simple keys of the piano along with Carpenter’s silky vocals, becoming a gut-wrenching fan favorite. 

“is it new years yet?”

The last original song on the EP incorporates elements of electro-pop and disco influence, emulating the flashy nature of New Year’s Eve in comparison to the cozy atmosphere of Christmas. It is a song that complains about the negative aspects of Christmas with lyrics calling out the overplayed songs, relatives not getting along, and not being in a relationship during the holiday season. This all leaves Carpenter wishing for it to be New Year’s, which is seen as the song develops imagery of bubbling champagne and a midnight kiss. 

“white xmas”

This song is the EP’s only non-original song, a modern take on “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby. Yet again Carpenter combines the old with the new, this time using the well-known song and mixing it with her modern vocals. In the end, this is a great way to finish the EP, as it started with something familiar to fans, it ended with something familiar to all.