The Year of the Pop Girl got started early. Between March and June, the roster of veteran pop artists who released albums included Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Dua Lipa, Taylor Swift, Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, and Kacey Musgraves. Around that time, ascendant stars like Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan finally broke through. For Roan, it was the combination of a viral Tiny Desk performance and her first bona fide hit, the single “Good Luck Babe!,” that took her mainstream. Carpenter’s fame skyrocketed with the megahit “Espresso,” followed up by “Please, Please, Please,” which paired with the momentum she generated with some fun opening-act performances on the Eras Tour—though, really, you and I both know that “Espresso” was all she needed.
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