Why Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Espresso’ Is Suddenly Everywhere

Sabrina Carpenter’s latest energetic single, “Espresso” is a front-runner for song of the summer. The infectious song, which hit No. 1 on Spotify’s global charts on Tuesday, came out on April 12 and has become massively popular within two weeks.

“Espresso” and the Dave Meyers-directed music video for the song were released the day before Carpenter performed it at Coachella, to fanfare. The video has gained over 14 million views on YouTube and “Espresso” peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 (only to be dethroned by Taylor Swift), and is No. 5 on Spotify’s Viral 50 U.S.A. chart.

The breezy song, about being the subject of a lover’s desire and getting a partner so excited it wakes them up—like an espresso—showcases Carpenter’s love for hidden meanings and innuendos. See lines like “I know I Mountain Dew it for ya” and “My honeybee, come and get this pollen,” an unassuming lyric that could be interpreted as a reference to her current boyfriend, actor Barry Keoghan, who was seen supporting her at Coachella.

The addicting lyrics have also made the song viral meme fodder, with lines like “That’s that me espresso” and “I’m working late, cause I’m a singer." TikTok creator @Lifeby_tatiana uploaded a comedic video about being unable to stop saying the line. “My name is Tatiana, and I’m addicted to saying, ‘I’m working late cause I’m a singer,’” she sayo. “This addiction has gotten really out of hand since Coachella 2024 when Sabrina first performed her song ‘Espresso,’ and now I can’t stop saying ‘I’m working late cause I’m a singer.’”

Carpenter commented under the video saying that she, too, can relate because she is, you guessed it, working late because she’s a singer.

The earwom has wiggled its way into brains everywhere, with no signs of leaving.