INTERVIEW: Sabrina Carpenter Plays 'Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down'

Singer/songwriter/actress Sabrina Carpenter may only be 17 years old, but she's already released two full-length studio albums. The Lehigh native released her new album EVOLution on October 14th (2016) via Hollywood Records, which follows her 2015 debut album Eyes Wide Open. EVOLution features ten new songs, including the lead single "On Purpose," and her newest single "Thumbs." The new album has hit the Top 40 on charts in New Zealand and the US, and has received high praise. Currently, Sabrina is on tour across America to help promote her new music.  

Sabrina recently stopped by iHeartRadio HQ in New York City, where she told us about the meaning behind her new song "Thumbs." 

On the meaning behind her single "Thumbs"

"The song is about the world, and I think it was a message that really inspired me because of the time. There's so much hate happening in our world and there's so much of the same things. It feels like everyday we wake up, and it's just another news story, and it shouldn't be that way. We should be the ones that are going out to be different, and change it, and make it better. So 'Thumbs' is basically just, don't be mediocre. Be greater than that."

In fact, this ties in with the stylization of her album title. The first four letters are capitalized for a reason -- they spell "love" backwards. And Sabrina explains to us that love is one of the most important themes in EVOLution. "I think one of the most important themes in the album is love, and not in the way that you think, but in just the universal way. The way that the world needs more love. The love that I put into the album, the love that I've received from it."

[Buy EVOLution on iTunes]

Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down Game

In the spirit of her single "Thumbs," we decided to play "Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down" with Sabrina. We gave her several pop culture moments and real life situations, among other things, and she either gave us a thumbs up 👍🏻 or thumbs down 👎🏻. Check it out below!

The Mannequin Challenge - 👍🏻 or 👎🏻?

"Well I did one, and then my video got deleted, so thumbs down for me. But thumbs up for the Mannequin Challenge. [My Mannequin Challenge] was fun. I was doing it at one of my shows, one of my concerts. I don't think they [fans] understood that you're not supposed to talk. They were really cute, they were screaming the whole time."

The Dab - 👍🏻 or 👎🏻?

"Thumbs down. I'm definitely guilty. I do it more as an ironic, like, doing it as it like a joke, not so much as that's what I whip out on the dance floor. So thumbs down for me. Sorry."

Cheesy Pickup Lines - 👍🏻 or 👎🏻?

"If you mean them literally, then thumbs down. But if you mean them as like, 'I'm a funny person,' then yeah, it's great, right? I mean, are you from Tennessee? 'Cause you the only 10 I see. Like that one's always a classic. It melts my heart really."

Onesies - 👍🏻 or 👎🏻?

"Thumbs up. I mean it's just easy, go to the bathroom. It's so simple. My sister has a Chewbacca onesie, and that one's always fun cause it's cuddly."

Waiting Around In Airports - 👍🏻 or 👎🏻?

"Thumbs down. Actually we're on a bus, which is a lot better than waiting around at airports. Thumbs down, unless they've got good stores. They never do though. I'm always in the wrong terminal."

When Autocorrect Betrays You - 👍🏻 or 👎🏻?

"Why would that ever be good? Thumbs down. Thumbs down all the way."

Seeing An Old Picture Of Yourself That Makes You Wonder Why You Ever Wore That Outfit - 👍🏻 or 👎🏻?

"Thumbs down. I mean I had a thing with fedoras, so I, for one, know what that struggle was like. And I'd rather not go back to that time."

Reading The Comments Section On Social Media And/Or YouTube - 👍🏻 or 👎🏻?

"YouTube? Those are funny. Actually, I think YouTube is the nicest at this point. That's where I go to to be like it boosts my confidence. I think there are definitely a lot of teens on Twitter and social media. They say weird things, there's so many weird comments about feet, and I don't know. There's some weird, weird things on social media. I would say thumbs up for YouTube. YouTube comments are fine."

(Painfully) Breaking In An Awesome New Pair Of Shoes - 👍🏻 or 👎🏻?

"Thumbs up, because at least you got a new pair of shoes. You have to look at the bright side, right?"

Watch Sabrina Carpenter perform "Thumbs" on the Honda Stage at the iHeartRadio Theater LA below.