"Nonsense" is a song by American singer Sabrina Carpenter from her fifth studio album, Emails I Can't Send (2022). Carpenter wrote the track with Steph Jones and Julian Bunetta; the latter also handled its production. Originally released alongside the album as its ninth track, "Nonsense" became the album's fifth single after gaining traction on the video-sharing app TikTok. It became known as one of Carpenter's signature songs along with 2024's "Espresso".[1][2][3]

"Nonsense"
A woman with long, blonde hair showing her hand to a store with a neon sign reading 'Kwik-E-Mart', wearing a black and white cap reading 'Dipshit'.
Single by Sabrina Carpenter
from the album Emails I Can't Send
ReleasedNovember 14, 2022
StudioEnemy Dojo (Malibu, California)
GenrePop · R&B
Length2:43
LabelIsland
Songwriter(s)
  • Sabrina Carpenter
  • Julian Bunetta
  • Steph Jones
Producer(s)Julian Bunetta
Sabrina Carpenter singles chronology
"Because I Liked a Boy"
(2022)
"Nonsense"
(2022)
"That's Not How This Works" (Sabrina's Version)
(2023)
Music video
"Nonsense" on YouTube

The song drew associations with Ariana Grande's style.[4][5] An accompanying music video for "Nonsense" was released on November 10, 2022.[6] Additionally, a sped-up version and a holiday remix, entitled "A Nonsense Christmas", were released.[7] As of March 2023, the song has reached the top 10 in the Philippines and Singapore, as well as number 36 on the Billboard Global 200 chart. A remix of the song with Coi Leray was released on March 23, 2023.

Background and release

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On June 30, 2022, Carpenter announced the release of her fifth studio album Emails I Can't Send and unveiled its tracklist on July 5 via her social media accounts, where "Nonsense" was to be the ninth track on the album.[8] The song was released on July 15, 2022, alongside the rest of the album.

During her Emails I Can't Send Tour and various other live appearances, such as Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve and the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, Carpenter began altering the song's outro after the original last lyrics "How quickly can you take your clothes off pop quiz?" to reference the city or the event where she was performing.[9] There are usually three sentences for the special outros in each city or concert. Performing in her hometown of Philadelphia, she sang:

This crowd is giving me all the endorphins.

I wish someone would rearrange my organs.

Philly is the city I was born in!

The various ad-libbed moments went viral on the video-sharing social media app TikTok.[10] The song's virality, along with having become an immediate fan-favorite off Emails I Can't Send, led Carpenter to choose "Nonsense" as the album's next single.[11]

Carpenter released a Christmas version of the song, where she put a "more festive, flirty spin" on various lyrics from the original.[12]

Accolades

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Awards and nominations for "Nonsense"
Organization Year Category Result Ref.
iHeartRadio Music Awards 2024 Best Lyrics Nominated [13]

Commercial performance

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"Nonsense" initially debuted at number 8 on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, an extension of the Billboard Hot 100, on the chart December 24, 2022, and spent 3 weeks on the chart.[14] On the chart dated January 28, 2023, "Nonsense" debuted at number 75 on the Hot 100, becoming the album's first single to chart and earning Carpenter her second career entry after her 2021 single "Skin".[15] The song debuted on the Mainstream Top 40 at number 35 on the chart January 28, 2023. It later entered the top 10 of the chart at number 10 on the week dated May 20, 2023, marking Carpenter's first top ten hit on the format. During the tracking week of its chart debut, the track received over 5.82 million on-demand streams in the United States alone, which was a 66% spike from its previous week in streaming data.[16] Globally, "Nonsense" has reached number 73 on the Global 200 chart.[17]

"Nonsense" initially debuted at number 69 on the UK Singles Chart, on the chart January 26, 2023 (week ending), entering the top 40 a week later at number 32. This became Carpenter's second UK top 40 single following "Skin" which peaked at number 28 in February 2021.[18]

Music video

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The music video for "Nonsense", directed by Danica Kleinknecht, premiered on her Vevo channel via YouTube on Thursday, November 10, 2022.[9] The music video has Carpenter, as well as her friends, played by Paloma Sandoval and Whitney Peak, going to a party. There they meet a trio of boys, which are played by the actresses themselves. Carpenter is shown flirting with her male counterpart, who is wearing a "dipshit" hat.

Track listing

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  • Digital download / streaming – Sped Up version
  1. "Nonsense" – 2:43
  2. "Nonsense" (Sped Up version) – 2:17
  • Digital download / streaming – "A Nonsense Christmas"
  1. "A Nonsense Christmas" – 2:33
  2. "Nonsense" – 2:43
  • Limited 7-inch single
  1. "Nonsense" – 2:43
  2. "A Nonsense Christmas" – 2:33

Credits and personnel

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Recording and management

  • Recorded at Enemy Dojo (Malibu, California)
  • Mixed at Henson Recording Studios (Los Angeles, California)
  • Mastered at Sterling Sound (Edgewater, New Jersey)
  • Sabalicious Songs (BMI), Music of Big Family/Dragon Bunny Music (BMI) administered by Hipgnosis Songs Group, Vistaville Music (ASCAP) obo itself and Steph Jones Who Music (ASCAP) and Hipgnosis Hits (ASCAP)

Personnel

Credits adapted from Emails I Can't Send and single's 7" vinyl liner notes.[19][20]

Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for "Nonsense"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[46] 2× Platinum 140,000
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[47] Diamond 160,000
Canada (Music Canada)[48] 3× Platinum 240,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)[49] Platinum 30,000
Poland (ZPAV)[50] Gold 25,000
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[51] Gold 30,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[52] Gold 400,000
United States (RIAA)[53] Platinum 1,000,000
Streaming
Central America (CFC)[54] Gold 3,500,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Release dates and formats for "Nonsense"
Region Date Format Version Label(s) Ref.
Various November 14, 2022 Sped-up Island [55]
December 7, 2022 Christmas remix [56]
March 23, 2023 Coi Leray remix [57]
United States December 19, 2022 Contemporary hit radio Original
[58]
November 18, 2023 7-inch Urban Outfitters Exclusive Island [59]

References

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  1. ^ Rowley, Glenn (November 21, 2022). "Sabrina Carpenter Reveals the 'Emails I Can't Send' Song She Thought Was 'Never Gonna Be Put Out'". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 21, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  2. ^ "Top 10 Sabrina Carpenter Songs". Live365 Blog. September 15, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  3. ^ England, Adam (August 6, 2024). "Sabrina Carpenter says she "was completely alone in wanting to release 'Espresso'"". NME. Archived from the original on August 24, 2024. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  4. ^ "Sabrina Carpenter sounds just like Ariana Grande in her new song". Capital. Archived from the original on August 26, 2024. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  5. ^ Rivieccio, Genna (November 25, 2022). "Sabrina Carpenter's "nonsense" and Ariana Grande's "break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored": A Study in Two Types of Alter Ego-Based Narcissism". Culled Culture. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  6. ^ "Sabrina Carpenter Becomes the 'Dipshit' Boy She Likes in Silly 'Nonsense' Video". Rolling Stone. November 11, 2022. Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  7. ^ "A Nonsense Christmas - Single". Apple Music. Apple. December 7, 2022. Archived from the original on June 11, 2024. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  8. ^ "Tracklist 💌 emails i can't send-July 15th presave now". Instagram. July 5, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Mier, Tomas (November 11, 2022). "Sabrina Carpenter Becomes the 'Dipshit' Boy She Likes in Silly 'Nonsense' Video". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  10. ^ "Watch Sabrina Carpenter Perform "Nonsense" at Teen Vogue Summit 2022". Teen Vogue. November 14, 2022. Archived from the original on June 11, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  11. ^ Lani, Lexi (November 11, 2022). "Sabrina Carpenter Is Taking No 'Nonsense' In Her New Music Video". UPROXX. Archived from the original on June 11, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  12. ^ "Sabrina Carpenter Celebrates the 'Hoelidays' With 'A Nonsense Christmas'". Billboard. December 7, 2022. Archived from the original on June 11, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  13. ^ "Taylor Swift Leads 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards Nods, With Jelly Roll, 21 Savage & SZA Close Behind: Full List". Billboard. January 18, 2024. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
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  20. ^ Nonsense / A Nonsense Christmas (vinyl case). Sabrina Carpenter. United States: Island Records. 2023. B0038286-21.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  54. ^ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Certificación Fonográfica Centroamericana. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
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  56. ^ A Nonsense Christmas, Spotify: Sabrina Carpenter, December 7, 2022, archived from the original on June 11, 2024, retrieved January 27, 2023
  57. ^ Nonsense (Remix), Spotify: Sabrina Carpenter, March 23, 2023, archived from the original on May 31, 2024, retrieved May 31, 2024
  58. ^ "Top 40/M Cool New Music". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on November 30, 2016. Retrieved January 26, 2023. Type Sabrina Carpenter in the Search field.
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