Sabrina Carpenter's rise to stardom was no small feat. Starring in roles on Disney Channel at the early age of 12, Carpenter made her major on-screen debut in the series, Girl Meets World. Her music career followed shortly after, having signed a record deal with Disney's Hollywood Records at the same time as ing the cast of the spin-off of the beloved '90s sitcom in 2014.

Before the release of the record that millions came to know and love, Short n' Sweet, the artist released a slew of albums. From the blissful, teenage debut that is Eyes Wide Open to the daring and confident Singular Act I and Singular Act II, Sabrina Carpenter's complete discography is nothing short of impressive. A total of five records span the artist's discography before Short n' Sweet came to be, and they simply cannot go overlooked when reviewing the young artist's career trajectory as a whole.

5 Eyes Wide Open

Hollywood Records (2015)

Released at a mere 15-years-old, Sabrina Carpenter made her full-length debut with Eyes Wide Open. Including four tracks from her previously released EP, Can't Blame a Girl for Trying, Carpenter made herself known as a budding pop star. Eyes Wide Open draws influence from genres across the board, including teen pop and a hint of folk. She was a recipe for success with her impressive vocal range and performance ability, drawing in pre-existing fans of her Disney Channel show to follow her musical ventures.

Both singles off of the Can't Blame a Girl for Trying EP, one of the EP's same name and "The Middle of Starting Over," saw comparisons from critics to that of Taylor Swift's early work. The tracks are presented from a lighthearted, teenage perspective, exploring themes from falling head over heels for a first crush to making harmless mistakes in life and love. Additions to Eyes Wide Open, including the title track, "Darling I'm a Mess," and "Best Thing I Got," see Carpenter dive further into this youthful exploration of love and what it means to truly fall for someone.

Eyes Wide Open was an early look into Sabrina Carpenter's potential for mass success.

Eyes Wide Open saw early success for the Disney star, particularly in radio plays as multiple songs from the record were frequently featured on Radio Disney. The record brought Carpenter her first placement on the Billboard 200 chart, reaching its peak slot at number 43. Though a teen pop record at best, Eyes Wide Open was an early look into Sabrina Carpenter's potential for mass success.

4 EVOLution

Hollywood Records (2016)

Following 2015's Eyes Wide Open, Sabrina Carpenter took a leap toward major fame with the release of EVOLution only a year later. EVOLution takes a step away from the folk-leaning sound explored on her debut record, opting for a more dance-driven angle for a pop record. The record is easily one of the most pivotal moments in the artist's career, defining a massive shift in creative direction and presentation. Carpenter recognized this shift herself, drawing the name for the record from this "evolution" in her sound that she was experiencing.

EVOLution is one of the most underrated works from Carpenter's discography in its entirety. The record brought the artist her first Billboard charting song, "Thumbs," on the Pop Airplay chart, on which it peaked at number 28. The track is an addicting dance-pop hit that is nearly impossible not to snap along to, and there is no doubt why this is one of the first major chart accomplishments achieved by the artist.

"Thumbs" helped Carpenter reach new audiences across the globe as the final single leading up to the release of EVOLution in its entirety. This track alone earned her appearances on nationwide television broadcasts, including The Today Show and what would be her first late-night talk show performance on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

Succeeding the release of the record as a whole, Sabrina Carpenter took to the road for her first headline tour in of the album. Unknowingly, this would spark the beginning of a frenzy over the young artist's incredible capabilities in live performance. With tracks such as "On Purpose" and "Feels Like Loneliness" already a display of vocal expertise in their studio versions, Carpenter went on to impress audiences with her stunning range when taking these songs into the atmosphere of her live performance.

3 Singular Act II

Hollywood Records (2019)

Concluding her record deal with Disney's Hollywood Records, Sabrina Carpenter released the stunning and mature follow-up record, Singular Act II. As a second part to the predecessor, Singular Act I, the artist begins to hint at a more vulnerable and mature side of herself in her music. From the leading single "Pushing 20," discussing the separation of herself from the opinions of others, to the emotionally charged "Exhale," Singular Act II begins to see Sabrina Carpenter truly grow into herself as a young woman and artist alike.

Earning herself another slot on the Billboard 200 chart with the record, Carpenter explores genres previously untouched in her work. Combining the signature dance-pop style with an entrancing R&B sound, Singular Act II is a record leaning on the experimental side while the artist explores her most vulnerable methods of creating.

A particularly notable track from the record is "Looking at Me," which remains one of the most frequently streamed songs on Spotify for the artist. As the final track on the record, Carpenter has revealed she feels it sums up the message of the record as a whole in one song. In an interview with Popcrush, she shares:

The album is all about that — it's all about that owning your confidence. It's like, yeah, I'm the center of attention right now and I'm gonna deal with who I am and love it.

Singular Act II is undoubtedly one of the most emotional releases from Carpenter to date, and it stands in contract to the record that came before it. Both albums, Singular Act I and Singular Act II, find the artist at her most authentic self, but one is much more stripped down and vulnerable than the other. While this record is brilliant in the way it follows the previous release, it does not produce as many memorable moments as what came before.

2 Singular Act I

Hollywood Records (2018)

2018's Singular Act I follows Sabrina Carpenter's previous record, EVOLution, while taking a step further into her unique style of dance-pop. At the time, the release was the most mature of her records, seeing the artist step into a glamorous, old Hollywood-inspired aesthetic. The album's leading single, "Almost Love", takes on a sharp and edgy style compared to her lighthearted and teenage-spirited releases that came before, giving listeners the first glimpse into what was to come from the artist.

Accompanied by the release of the album was the final single, "Sue Me," a long-beloved track by Carpenter's fans. The song is a confident, unapologetic anthem that radiates a message of empowerment. "Sue Me" starts out a bit jazzy, progressing into the beat-driven electronic track that drives the song forward.

The instrumentals are overlaid by Carpenter's incredibly strong vocals, seeing the artist belt some of the most impressive lines in any song up to this point. The strength in her voice is seen yet again on the closing song to the record, "Diamonds Are Forever." The track is a powerful, uplifting anthem about owning and recognizing your own worth, something that Carpenter embraces throughout the entirety of the record.

Visually, this album brought about some of the most stunning music videos and styles from the artist, and would spark the beginning of her iconic look that we have come to know and love. In particular, the music video for the hypnotizing track, "Paris," sees Carpenter glammed out in fur coats and luxurious silk robes, fully embracing this newfound glamorous lifestyle.

On stage, the artist frequented sequined and glittery bodysuits and dresses, a look that will become the root of her style today. Singular Act I is one of the most self-assured releases from Sabrina Carpenter pre-dating Short n' Sweet, and there is no doubt why it ranks so highly in her discography among fans and critics alike.

1 emails i can't send

Island Records (2022)

Marking the beginning of her trajectory to becoming one of the biggest pop stars in the world is a remarkable record, emails i can't send. As her first album release after g to Island Records, Sabrina Carpenter took the opportunity to fully embrace herself emotionally and channeled her most authentic feelings into this record.

This is an album of reinvention from a shift in her sound to the simplistic, soft and minimal visuals that accompany the record. It was the first time that we saw Carpenter at her most true and honest self, and it was a breath of fresh air to the genre of pop music. Opening on the stripped-back piano ballad, "emails i can't send" serves as a prologue to the record as a whole.

It is an equally beautiful and jarring track, hinting at how little she holds back on this record, from directly calling out her father to swearing in anger and disappointment. The album came to take on the same name as this song, representing the rambling thoughts that can come out in drafted messages that never reach the point of being delivered. In an interview with Rolling Stone on the naming of the record, she shares:

I started to realize that some of those lines and some of those words that jumped out at me from emails that I wrote to myself were songs: verses, choruses, bridges. There were all these things that I wasn’t afraid to say when I was writing an email that I knew no one was ever going to read that I was like, 'Oh, these are my unfiltered thoughts,' as opposed to when you go into a studio and there’s all these expectations for what you’re supposed to leave the studio with. When I was just writing to myself alone in my room, I wasn’t thinking about anyone hearing it or judging it or liking it or disliking it. It’s always been the hardest thing to name albums for me, so the fact that this kind of came somewhat naturally said a lot to me.

It was not just her authenticity that brought Carpenter to the center of attention, however. Much of the album explores the artist's experiences in dealing with a complicated love triangle between herself, Joshua Bassett, and Olivia Rodrigo, both of whom are fellow Disney stars. As Carpenter took the role of the "other girl" in this situation, she received endless amounts of backlash and hate from the internet. The result was a collection of songs on complicated relationships, and, in particular, the single "because i liked a boy."

emails i can't send is not all just doom and gloom, however. Major highlights of the record include the massively successful, playful hit "Nonsense" and the groovy, impulsive song "Fast Times." The record is a stunning collection of vulnerable moments, not shying away from the highs or lows in her life, and as a result, is easily one of the most impressive works Sabrina Carpenter has released to date.