Female artists are not allowed to change
Photo courtesy of Ralph_PH / Wikimedia Commons
Pop singers with Disney backgrounds, like Sabrina Carpenter, often face backlash for their mature content.
Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter are celebrated pop stars with a great deal of accomplishments, including sold-out shows, award recognition, and top-charted songs. Because both artists began their careers on the Disney Channel— Rodrigo on Bizaardvark (2016–2019) and Carpenter on Girl Meets World (2014–2017) —the two stars have been in the public eye for quite a long time.
As a longtime fan of both women, I am grateful their music careers have been fulfilling and met with a lot of love from listeners. Both artists still have so much to do and accomplish; their mainstream careers have taken off and have the capacity to go in any direction. But being so young means they are destined to change— their music, style, and personality will evolve as they navigate life. Unfortunately, for young women in the spotlight, that kind of change is often met with public scrutiny instead of support, even though change is a fundamental part of growing up and the human experience.
Rodrigo’s pop career began with the release of her debut single, “Driver’s License,” when she was just 17 years old. Her first album, Sour (2021), was branded with “Y2K” nostalgia (glitter, stickers, purple, and butterfly clips), capturing teenage innocence, heartbreak, and angst. Reflected in her tour outfits, this style won the hearts of fans, but many pigeon-holed Rodrigo as the embodiment of this teenage-d innocence.
Now, in the South American leg of her Guts World Tour, 22-year-old Olivia Rodrigo is facing online backlash for her “new” dances and outfits in her performances. Commenters generally think the singer is “over-sexualizing herself,” “too angsty,” and “cringe.” In viral TikTok videos of her tour, many express that this new look does not suit her and that she is “not herself.”
I think every artist is susceptible to critique, but a part of me feels that if Olivia Rodrigo was introduced to the pop scene as a 22-year-old, rebellious, pop-rock performer, her new methods of performing would be easily digested by the media. This explicit performance style is trending right now, with artists like Charli xcx spitting on the floor during shows, yet it is those with the Disney Channel background, or who skyrocket to notoriety while young, who are held on different pedestals.
People need to expect that the music of young artists shifts with their life experiences. Honestly, I would be concerned if Rodrigo, a full-grown woman, continued with the “cutesy, school-girl act.” Guts (2023) is a lyrically and musically superior album to Sour (2021), and most fans share this sentiment. I can concede that people are entitled to find her grunge attitude "cringe," but I feel there's something much more nuanced behind this backlash. I believe some critics are not voicing what they truly mean: that a woman is growing up with confidence and autonomy, and to them, that feels unnatural.
Former Disney star Sabrina Carpenter has faced similar flack, with some online commenters voicing discontent over the silhouette and sensual choreography featured in her performances. While I can understand preferences, I cannot back the argument that Carpenter needs to be “cautious of children in her audience.” This woman markets her explicit music to an adult market, not to mention that many who watched her on Disney Channel are now themselves adults or late-teens; thus, she is not responsible for catering to a younger group in her concerts.
Compared to men, women often face disproportionate criticism for sexualizing themselves during performances (Usher, Chris Brown, and The Weeknd, who are equally provocative, receive half the judgment). Female artists already have it hard with this double standard, so when a young woman with an innocent image transitions to a more adult brand, this evolution has little chance of not being rejected. This unfortunate reality reinforces this uncomfortable, societal ideal that women need to stay as innocent —pure— teenage girls for the rest of their lives.