Sabrina Carpenter recalled the “beautiful experience” she had when meeting Paul McCartney earlier this year.
The singer stopped by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert to discuss her Grammy nominations and Netflix Christmas special A Nonsense Christmas With Sabrina Carpenter. While speaking with the late night host, she looked back on growing up as a major McCartney fan, how he contributed to her love of songwriting and what it was like to meet the Beatle.
“I just actually formed tears in my eyes, and then he was just so normal and casual and was so charming,” she told Stephen Colbert of meeting the legendary rock star. “It just felt like I was kind of entering an alternate universe, like the Upside Down vibes, like Stranger Things, but a lot happier than Stranger Things.”
She continued, “He was so sweet, and the one thing I say about him is every room that he enters, he makes everyone feel seen and heard. And it was such a beautiful experience for me to see that from someone that I admired so much. He’s great. Yeah, I’m obsessed with him.”
The “Espresso” singer explained that her love of McCartney stems from her childhood when her dad played her the Beatles song “Rocky Racoon” for the first time.
“I was so mesmerized by that song and the songwriting of it that I fell in love with Paul McCartney,” she shared. “I was convinced that was my husband, my future husband. But he was quite old, and I was so young, I didn’t understand that he was much older than me, because I was looking at all these photos. I was like, ‘No, he’s young. He’s only like, 10 years older than me.’ I didn’t understand math. I was a child. So when I grew up, I just fell in love with the songwriting.”
Carpenter has been nominated for six Grammys: album of the year, song of the year, record of the year, best new artist, best pop solo performance and best pop vocal album. When she attends music’s biggest night on Feb. 2, it’ll be her first time at the Recording Academy’s awards show, and that’s intentional.
She explained to the host that she told herself she did not want to attend the show until she was nominated, but she could’ve never imagined she’d be recognized in so many categories during her first year.
“When you’re young, you sort of just vibe it out. I don’t know how to describe it. I probably in five years will look back on this moment and be like, ‘Wow, so much happened at once,’ but it’s hard to process it in the moment,” the “Please Please Please” artist said. “I feel so lucky. Singing is all I’ve ever wanted to do. Writing songs is my favorite thing in the world, so the fact that I could do it and people listen is sentimental, but it’s a gift, so I’m very grateful.”
Carpenter wrapped the first leg of her Short n’ Sweet Tour in Los Angeles in November and begins the international leg in March. Her Christmas special is currently streaming on Netflix.
