Empowerment Redefined: Does Espresso Miss the Mark?
- 25020047
- Oct 7, 2024
- 1 min read
On a superficial level, Espresso comes off as this hyper-energized, in-your-face kind of confidence and taking-control anthem. Sabrina comes off pretty forward, sure of herself, and the words could arguably be one form of empowerment that Gen-Z can easily get behind. Take, for example, the bars: 'I'm the one running the show, getting what I deserve.' Those are some boss-energy vibes right there. Espresso heavily relies on the performance of confidence related to material success and appearance. In the music video, Carpenter is in a very stylized, trendy environment and really projects power and control. There's, of course, nothing wrong with confidence, but this indicates that external validation—a concept that might be reinforcing potentially toxic media-driven narratives about women's worth related to how they appear or what they have—is where it comes from.
This rather myopic view of empowerment could be seen as problematic when one considers existing expectations placed upon the women of Gen-Z. Rather than empowering women to explore inside themselves for motivations, these songs—especially Espresso—plant ideas that one's self-worth is dependent upon external factors: success, beauty, and social status.
As we continue to dissect pop culture, let us strive for the kind of narratives that emancipate at the core, not just superficially.
I have been listening to this song on repeat, been grooving over it. But what you said offered a very different yet extremely accurate perspective that I had not thought of before, but should have. The emphasis you place on Sabrina Carpenter’s performance of confidence, driven by external validation such as material success and appearance, brings attention to a deeper issue—how empowerment is increasingly defined by societal standards rather than individual self-worth. This aligns with the concern that pop culture, especially in music, can perpetuate toxic narratives around women's value, centering it around how they look or what they have, rather than who they are.
I've heard this song countless times but this interpretation had never occurred to me. It's a unique way of looking at this song and I agree with it to some degree. The song does focus on a lot of material factors that the author of this blog has mentioned such as success, beauty, and social status. These factors mentioned above do get ingrained in the minds of people whenever they listen to it especially young girls which is detrimental to the way they view themselves and their lives. But another aspect is that the song is not intended for this purpose. While looking at the song you also have to look at the artist. Lyrics do matter but Sabrina Carpenter…
This blog post provides a very unique view and critique of the song. Generally, while listening to music, one does not focus on the meaning and message behind the lyrics but rather just takes it as a form of entertainment.
In particular, this post highlights that this song, amongst various others have hidden yet impactful meanings behind their lyrics if critically analysed. It highlights the notion of empowerment presented in the song, arguing that it may reinforce superficial standards based on external validation. This insight helps us think about what true empowerment means and challenges the idea that confidence is tied to success and appearance.
The concept that internal motivation and external validation are two distinct ideas is very crutial…
I strongly share your concerns about how the song perpetuates harmful ideas about women’s self-worth being tied to external validation, and I think this issue resonates even more strongly when viewed through the lens of the Pakistani context.
In Pakistan, where societal pressures on women are already immense, the messaging in songs like Espresso can have particularly damaging effects. The glorification of beauty, material success, and the performance of confidence based on appearances adds yet another layer to the deeply entrenched expectations of how women should present themselves in public spaces. Pop culture, both global and local, has increasingly emphasized that a woman’s value comes from her ability to conform to a certain ideal—one that is not only gendered but often…