Buzz
...Is she really singing about coffee? Not quite.
It’s fresh, frothy, irresistible, and undeniably catchy—just like the perfect cup of espresso. Sabrina Carpenter’s pop sensation "Espresso," the lead single from her upcoming album *Short n’ Sweet*, is a summer anthem that will have you hooked. This disco-funk influenced track is light, playful, and packed with energy. If you’re a fan of Sabrina (or a ‘Carpenter’ as her stans call themselves), you’ll want to dive into this track. We’ve explored the song’s lyrics and music video to uncover what makes "Espresso"—and Carpenter—so irresistible.
Quick Overview of the "Espresso" Lyrics
Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso" embodies confidence and embraces the idea of femininity as a superpower, a concept the artist herself describes. The song also portrays how intoxicating and energizing someone can be to their romantic interest, with espresso acting as a metaphor for the addictive, fiery, and irresistible allure Carpenter has on the song’s unnamed lover.
Steps
What Does "Espresso" Really Mean?
"Espresso" celebrates embracing your self-confidence. According to Sabrina Carpenter, "The song is kind of about seeing femininity as your superpower, and embracing the confidence of being that b*tch," she shared with Vogue. The track exudes her self-assuredness and confidence in her allure, highlighted by its energetic nu-funk beat and playful lyrics like “I can't relate to desperation. / My “give-a-f*cks” are on vacation” and the memorable “That’s that me espresso.”
- “I just thought I was the s*it in the moment, and…you don’t always feel that way so you kind of have to capture those moments that you do,” Carpenter shared with New Music Daily.
- “For me, equating [that feeling] to caffeine and that addiction was really fun. And I definitely have a caffeine addiction as it is, so it really ends up being a full circle for me.”
- “‘My give-a-f*cks are on vacation’—it’s such a simple, funny line,” she adds, “but so much of this song really kind of gets to a place where it really measures up with where I’m at right now, and…you have to go through life to get there…. I’m just having fun now.”
"Espresso" also highlights the thrill of knowing someone is addicted to you. Espresso isn't just a metaphor for Sabrina Carpenter's self-confidence—it also captures how irresistible, energizing, and hot she is to her unnamed romantic interest: “Now he's thinkin' 'bout me every night, oh, / Is it that sweet? I guess so. / Say you can't sleep, baby, I know, / That's that me espresso.”
- The song contains playful innuendo, like “That morning coffee, brewed it for ya, / One touch and I brand-newed it for ya” or “Move it up, down, left, right, oh, / Switch it up like Nintendo.”
- Fans, like TikToker @emilyxinfinity, have noted that the innuendo might fly over some listeners' heads—whether due to not recognizing figurative language, policing women’s sexual agency, or underestimating Carpenter’s cleverness. As TikTok user Ashley Ibarria pointed out, “To make espresso, you grind the coffee beans…. You GRIND on the BEAN to make espresso.”
Why Are We So Obsessed with "Espresso"?
The song's quirky language makes it irresistibly fascinating. As Alex Abad-Santos of Vox aptly calls it, "Espresso" features “sexy clown wordplay.” From the moment the song dropped, listeners were captivated by its catchy, unconventional, and often grammatically playful lyrics like “dream-came-true’d it for ya,” “my give-a-f*cks are on vacation,” and the unforgettable “that’s that me espresso.” These odd lines have become meme gold, with linguists undoubtedly staying up late over-analyzing the song’s lyrical wit. Musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding, co-hosts of the podcast Switched on Pop, speculate, “‘Espresso’ plays with language in a way that takes your brain a moment to process… It keeps listeners on their toes.”
- While memes often poke fun, the viral love for "Espresso" shows fans’ genuine admiration. Carpenter has embraced the memes, even sharing some on her social media, like this one.
“That’s that me espresso” is the lyric that won’t leave our minds. While it’s not the only unconventional line in Carpenter’s anthem, it’s the one we can’t stop obsessing over. Maybe it’s the mystery behind what it actually means, or the subtle ambiguity of whether there’s a comma before “espresso,” which could slightly shift its interpretation.
- One take is that “That’s that me espresso” suggests that the espresso in question is personalized—it’s “me”-flavored, giving a full “me” vibe.
- Alternatively, “That’s that me, espresso” might have Carpenter stating, “That’s me” while using “espresso” as a metaphor to describe her addictive, energizing, and scorching presence (which, let’s be real, we’re all here for).
The music video opens with Sabrina piloting a boat with a cute guy on board. In this scene, our girl takes charge—literally steering the boat—which sets the tone for the rest of the track. When she deliberately swerves, knocking the guy overboard, she steals his wallet, then enjoys a sun-filled beach day with her girlfriends and a swarm of hot guys admiring them.
- Directed by the talented Dave Meyers, the video takes place in a glamorous, 1950s-style beach setting where the sun is scorching and the people even hotter. 💅
- “When I first heard the song, I pictured a beach setting,” Carpenter explained. “Specifically, I wanted this old-school meets modern vibe. I wanted to capture the playful energy I bring to all my videos. And I definitely just wanted a pool car, to be honest.”
- It's giving major Barbie Land vibes, probably on purpose: Carpenter has referenced the 2023 *Barbie* movie multiple times in her TikToks, including this one and this one.
- She’s also been compared to iconic figures like Betty Boop, Polly Pocket, and a Bratz doll (and, fun fact, now she is a Bratz doll).
The music video concludes with Sabrina getting arrested. The guy she ditched at the beginning returns, this time with the police in tow. They cuff Carpenter, who remains unfazed, smiling in the back of the cop car. The final scene captures her effortlessly relaxed demeanor.
- Much like the song, the video emphasizes Carpenter’s ability to keep a guy wrapped around her finger, as the men in her orbit can’t help but swoon and serve her (and her girlfriends).
- However, while the video highlights her financial power, the song centers more on her seductive prowess.
How Did “Espresso” Come to Be?
Carpenter came up with the concept for "Espresso" while enjoying a cup of espresso in Paris in 2023. In a Rolling Stone interview from June 2024, Carpenter revealed that the song had been brewing in her mind since July 2023, during a trip to France after her tour. “I decided to share this burden with other people,” she laughed. Truly a queen move.
- The song was co-written by Carpenter, Amy Allen, Steph Jones, and Julian Bunetta.
Learn More About Short n’ Sweet
Carpenter refers to it as her second “big girl” album. While *Short n’ Sweet* is technically her sixth studio release, it marks Carpenter’s second album under Island Records, a label where she finally has full creative freedom. Prior to this, she was tied to Hollywood Records, a Disney-owned label, where she released four albums but felt creatively limited.
- *Short n' Sweet* came out on August 23, 2024, under Island Records and was crafted by producers Julian Bunetta, John Ryan, Ian Kirkpatrick, and Jack Antonoff.
- The album received positive reviews for Carpenter’s smooth songwriting and sharp wit, though some critics thought the lyrics were a bit too safe. It debuted at number one on the *Billboard* Hot 200, with all twelve tracks also charting on the Hot 100.
The album explores themes of love and relationships. “Short and sweet” could describe Carpenter’s own petite frame at 4’11”, or the fleeting but significant relationships she sings about: “some of them were the shortest I’ve ever had, but they impacted me the most,” she reflects.
- She also refers to *Short n’ Sweet* as the “hot older sister” to her previous album, *Emails I Can’t Send*, her first project with Island.
Related Tracks
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“Please Please Please” The second single from *Short n’ Sweet* after “Espresso,” *“Please Please Please”* mixes disco, country pop, and yacht rock vibes. It’s about feeling insecure in a relationship with someone who doesn’t treat you right, and constantly fearing heartbreak: “Heartbreak is one thing, my ego’s another, / I beg you don’t embarrass me, mother f*cker,” she sings in the chorus.
- The music video picks up where “Espresso” left off, with Carpenter in jail. It stars her off-screen boyfriend, *Saltburn* actor Barry Keoghan, as a dangerous criminal she falls for. Director Bardia Zeinali says the video explores a character who is irresistibly drawn to someone with chaotic energy.
- The video culminates in a role reversal where Carpenter ties up Keoghan’s character, silences him with duct tape, plants a kiss on him, and walks away.
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“Taste” *“Taste”* is the third single from *Short n’ Sweet*. A bouncy rock anthem, the song dives into Carpenter’s rivalry with the girl dating one of her exes—played in the video by *Wednesday* and *Beetlejuice* star Jenna Ortega. The chorus sums up the theme: “I heard you're back together and if that's true / You'll just have to taste me when he's kissin' you. / If you want forever, and I bet you do, / Just know you'll taste me too.”
- The music video, directed by Dave Meyers, shows Carpenter and Ortega locked in a darkly comedic feud over a guy, repeatedly killing each other in exaggerated ways—but there's also a sexual tension between them.
- The video draws heavy inspiration from the 1992 film *Death Becomes Her*, starring Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn as rivals (with a much sexier twist). Other film influences include *Psycho*, *Addams Family Values*, *Ginger Snaps*, and *Kill Bill: Volume 1*.
