Sabrina Carpenter breaks down her TikTok hit 'Nonsense'

Sabrina joined us on For The Record

Sabrina Carpenter
Author: Anna Sky MagliolaPublished 21st Mar 2023
Last updated 17th Aug 2023

Singer and actress Sabrina Carpenter joined us on For The Record. This a chance for fans to hear more about super successful songs, straight from the artist. Sabrina's song 'Nonsense' has been a TikTok viral hit, so we wanted to know more about it.

In this interview, we asked Sabrina to break down her hit, telling us how she came up with the idea of the song, what was going through her mind when she woke up the morning the song was written, and how she felt when it became a massive hit.

What was the inspiration behind the song?

Sabrina revealed that at the time she wrote 'Nonsense' she was also writing another song which was slow and sad, and she had writer's block. She took the opportunity of having writer's block with one song, to write a hit having a light bulb moment.

"It was kind of redirection by fate!" she admitted. "I was writing another song which was quite sad and slow, and I kinda got writer's block. I couldn't really finish it! Maybe probably because I wasn't really in the headspace."

In an effort to get away from that other song she wrote 'Nonsense'. Sabrina explained: "There's a lot of humour infused in the song, which is very similar to how I feel when I'm kind of crushing on somebody the first time. Maybe it's a little too close to home!"

For The Record: Sabrina Carpenter breaks down 'Nonsense':

What was going through her mind the day she wrote 'Nonsense'?

Although she didn't reveal exactly what was going through her mind, when she woke up the morning the song was written, Sabrina said she was probably hungry. Sabrina admitted it was nothing to do with the song, she explained her favourite part about writing songs is: "You start the day without them and then you end the day with a song," explaining it's: "Something special."

How did Sabrina feel when her song went viral?

Sabrina admitted that she didn't feel like her song was viral! "I feel like it's cool when people are like 'oh I love your song!', 'I know your song!'," she said. "But I don't know, it takes like hammering it in, which I just try to stay away and let people enjoy it. It's been really cool to see the reaction on tour, I think that's probably like the first time that I realised that it was a fan favourite."

Watch the music video for Sabrina Carpenter's 'Nonsense':

Did Sabrina Carpenter write 'Nonsense'?

Yes, she did! Sabrina wrote her hit with Steph Jones, and it was produced by Julian Bunetta. As she explained in For The Record, 'Nonsense' was written when she was experiencing writer's block on another song.

What album is 'Nonsense' on?

Sabrina's song 'Nonsense' is on her album 'Emails I Can't Send', the album was released in July 2022 and featured 13 songs on the standard edition. 'Nonsense' is track nine.

What is For The Record?

For The Record is a chance for fans to find out more about a particular song or album directly from the artist who wrote it. Get closer to your favourite artists and find out the inspiration behind the lyrics their biggest hits.

Take a look through tours to look forward to this year:

Noah Kahan

Noah Kahan will be bringing his 'The Great Divide' Tour to the UK this autumn, where he will be performing in Glasgow, Manchester and London. See the full list of dates and how to get tickets.

Hits Radio Live 2026

Hits Radio Live 2026 has now been announced at bp pulse LIVE in Birmingham on Friday 20th November 2026 and Co-op Live in Manchester on Saturday 21st November 2026. Buy tickets now!

The Script

To celebrate their new album, Irish band The Script are visiting Ireland, the UK, Europe, Asia and Australia with 'The Man In The Arena Tour' from October 2026 to April 2027. The band will play dates in the UK in November!

Tinie Tempah

Tinie Tempah announced 'The Night's Not Dead – UK Tour 2026' for November and December 2026. The singer will be taking in five dates across the UK, including Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Bristol and London.

Gnarls Barkley

It's been a massive 20 years since the release of Gnarls Barkley's breakthrough hit 'Crazy'. Now after the duo released their first new album in 18 years, called 'Atlanta', they will be embarking on their 'To Whom It Still Concerns' Tour in December.

Emeli Sandé

As the 15th anniversary of Emeli Sandé's debut album 'Our Version of Events' approaches in February 2027, the singer has announced she will be going on a huge tour across the UK and EU, starting in January 2027 and ending the UK leg in February 2027.

'ALL STARS – The Music of ABBA'

A huge new UK tour has been announced for 'ALL STARS – The Music of ABBA'. The performances, which will unite four well-known performers, Samantha Mumba, Duncan James (Blue), Antony Costa (Blue) and Una Healy (The Saturdays), will include several shows starting in Croydon, in February 2027, and continuing until 11th April in Southampton.

James Blunt

Following the release of his sun-soaked single 'Tastes Like Summer', James Blunt announced a tour across the UK next year, and tickets are now on sale. The singer will be starting in Leeds on Friday 26th March, with dates across England, Scotland and Wales, ending the following month, on Thursday 8th April, in Brighton.

Chase & Status

Chase & Status have announced three UK dates starting at Manchester's Co-op Live on Friday 19th March 2027, continuing on to Birmingham's Utilita Arena, and finishing in London at The O2 Arena on Friday 2nd April 2027.

Gracie Abrams

Gracie Abrams has announced a huge tour with several UK dates in April and May 2027. The singer will be performing in Manchester, Glasgow and London.

David Guetta

In June 2027, fans will get the chance to see David Guetta's iconic Monolith show in London. The performance sees the French DJ perform in front of a huge illuminated monolith, showing visualisations bringing the performance to life on stage.

Now read:

Lewis Capaldi's biggest songs and the meanings behind them 🎶

The inspirations behind some of Ellie Goulding's biggest songs from 'Starry Eyed' to 'Burn'

Dua Lipa: Here's what her biggest songs REALLY mean 🎶

How to listen to Hits Radio:

Turn it up with Hits Radio! Home of Fleur East, Sam Thompson, Gemma Atkinson, Marvin Humes and Kimberly Wyatt playing the biggest hits and the biggest throwbacks, alongside the biggest laughs and life-changing competitions. Tune in on FM, DAB, online, ask your Smart Speaker to 'Play Hits Radio' and download the Rayo app.