Sabrina Carpenter released two Spotify Singles today (October 18), one of which is a smooth, stripped-down version of Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble.” The song is originally from Swift’s 2012 album Red, which was re-released in November 2021 as part of the “Taylor’s Version” take-back of Swift’s albums.
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Carpenter’s cover shows off her sweet, easy voice and a touch of her range, which is further on display when she “hits the octave” in the song “Nonsense” from her 2022 album emails i can’t send. “I Knew You Were Trouble” benefits from a slower, lower performance in contrast to the heavy drumbeat and staccato vocals of the original. Even in Taylor’s Version, there’s a subtle difference that highlights Swift’s growth as an artist.
Sabrina’s Version is almost completely stripped-down, opening with crystalline guitar phrasing and employing a soft, thumping beat that complements her vocals. It’s a look at the song in its most raw form and giving it new life.
“I Knew You Were Trouble” isn’t Carpenter’s only brush with Swift, though. She’s been on tour with the megastar (and friend) this year, making her Eras debut in Mexico City. There, she performed an impressive cover of Selena Quintanilla’s hit “Dreaming of You” from 1995. Carpenter is returning for the Latin American leg of The Eras Tour in November, as well as in Australia and Singapore in February and March 2024.
“[Taylor Swift] is one of my main inspirations ever since I was a little girl, and now to just be able to watch that show every night is going to be so special,” Carpenter told Billboard in August when she was embarking on The Eras Tour. “It’s so funny,” Carpenter continued, “I’ve been growing up with her advice in her songs because it’s very much a how-to book on how to survive as a young woman, which is really special. Watching her in and of itself is how you learn. I admire her work ethic and her talent and she’s just so amazing.”
Carpenter released her debut album Eyes Wide Open in 2015, when she was 16, and her most recent album emails i can’t send in 2022. She recently released emails i can’t send fwd:, a deluxe version of her fifth studio album, which features the song “Feather,” which she also performed for Spotify Singles.
Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for MTV
