Sabrina Carpenter is undeniably having a moment. Her infectious track, “Espresso,” is dominating global charts and vying for the top spot with her equally catchy follow-up single, “Please Please Please.” This pop princess is riding a wave of success, but a closer look behind the curtain raises a critical question about female artistry in the music industry: Does Sabrina Carpenter Write Her Own Songs, and what does it reveal about gender dynamics in pop?
While Carpenter’s vocal talent and star power are undeniable, the landscape of popular music often sees female artists presented as the face of a project largely driven by male creators. This isn’t to diminish Carpenter’s achievements, but to examine the broader context of authorship and gender within the industry she thrives in. It’s a conversation about equity and representation, acknowledging that even in the 21st century, the music industry can still operate under traditional gender biases.
Looking at the data, the underrepresentation of women behind the scenes is stark. Since 2000, women have fronted or co-led 47% of UK number one singles – a seemingly balanced figure. However, digging deeper reveals a significant disparity. Out of 275 chart-topping songs by female artists, only a tiny fraction are truly women-led in terms of songwriting and production. Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful,” Kate Bush’s resurgent “Running Up That Hill,” and Kenya Grace’s “Strangers” are rare examples of songs where women held significant creative control.
Christina Aguilera performing onstage, highlighting her vocal talent as a female artist
In fact, “Strangers” by Kenya Grace stands out as an anomaly – the only female-led number one single in the 21st century with no male involvement whatsoever in its creation. This represents a mere 0.2% of female-led hits in over two decades. Conversely, a staggering 57% of male-led songs involve no female creators. Non-binary artists, while representing a small percentage, also predominantly collaborate with male songwriters and producers. These numbers paint a clear picture: the music industry, despite featuring prominent female performers, remains heavily skewed towards male authorship behind the scenes.
A University of Southern California study from early 2020 further illuminates this imbalance, revealing that less than 3% of music producers are women, and female songwriters account for less than 13% of the industry. When we apply this lens to Sabrina Carpenter’s recent hits, “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” the picture becomes more nuanced. Carpenter is indeed credited as a songwriter on both tracks, and women comprise 75% of the songwriting teams. This is a positive sign, indicating female involvement in the creative process.
However, the production side tells a familiar story. “Espresso” was produced by Julian Bunetta, and “Please Please Please” by Jack Antonoff – both men. Furthermore, the mixing, programming, engineering, and mastering for both tracks were also handled by men. In the case of “Espresso,” male musicians performed everything except the lead and backing vocals.
Sabrina Carpenter performing live, showcasing her presence as a pop artist
This data isn’t meant to detract from Sabrina Carpenter’s success, but rather to contextualize it within a larger system. Media coverage often sidesteps these crucial details. For instance, a GQ article praised Charli XCX’s “authenticity,” attributing her album “Brat” to her sole creative vision. Yet, it conveniently overlooked the extensive male presence in the album’s production, with ten male producers and twelve male songwriters contributing to the final product under Atlantic Records. This selective framing perpetuates a narrative that centers female artists while obscuring the male-dominated structures that often underpin their work.
So why does this gender disparity in music production and songwriting persist? Award-winning producer Lauren Deakin Davies points to culturally ingrained biases that begin in childhood. She argues that societal norms often steer young girls away from music production and technology-related fields, reinforcing the idea that these aren’t “girl things.” This early conditioning manifests in educational choices, with only a quarter of A-Level music technology students being female between 2018 and 2022 – a figure that sadly mirrors university enrollment in similar programs.
While systemic change is slow, there are glimmers of hope. Although the UK government disappointingly rejected recommendations from the Women and Equalities Committee’s Misogyny in Music report, data indicates a positive trend. The percentage of female producers in the industry nearly doubled between 2022 and 2023, rising from 3.5% to 6.5%, and female songwriters also saw an increase from 14.1% to 19.5%. Deakin Davies suggests that the increasing affordability and accessibility of studio equipment may be contributing to this shift.
Initiatives like the Youth Music NextGen Fund and the Fix The Mix annual report are actively working to address gender imbalance. These programs aim to support underrepresented groups in the music industry and promote the inclusion of women in traditionally male-dominated roles.
These are encouraging steps, but the current charts still reflect a significant gender gap in songwriting and production credits. While Sabrina Carpenter’s songwriting involvement is a positive example, the broader industry needs continued and concerted effort to ensure that female talent can flourish not just in the vocal booth, but in every aspect of music creation. Until we see more hit songs conceived and produced entirely by women, the music industry, despite its progress, remains a space where true creative equity is still a distant goal.
