Sabrina Carpenter has once again made it clear that her creative drive comes from unexpected places. According to the pop star, seeing the journey of figure skater Alysa Liu changed how she looks at her own career, and trying to ignore that influence would not feel right.
Sabrina Carpenter says Alysa Liu is the reason she’s staying grounded
Speaking about her new music and the pressure of fame, Carpenter said seeing Liu’s comeback and her attitude toward the spotlight was a turning point.
“I’ve felt so inspired by hearing her speak because she’s so young but has this perspective that takes people years to find,” Carpenter explained.
She added that seeing someone handle that level of elite pressure made her own life feel more manageable. “Do you want to see a version of me that isn’t paying attention to people like Alysa?” Carpenter said. “The answer is no.”
For Carpenter, the inspiration is inseparable from Liu’s grit and her “just keep going” mentality.
She has repeatedly said she has no interest in being a manufactured pop star who doesn’t look at other disciplines for motivation. In her view, any artist who doesn’t acknowledge the hard work of people like Liu is simply missing the point.
Carpenter has also become more outspoken about protecting her own creative space. She and her team have reportedly been looking at how athletes manage burnout to ensure her upcoming projects don’t fall short of her fans’ expectations.
Recently, Carpenter joked that her answer to people asking if she ever takes a break is simply a laugh. Despite the humor, she said she truly believes that too many modern stars ruin their momentum by not finding real-world inspirations like Liu to keep them steady.
Instead, Carpenter believes the way Liu carries herself, especially after her recent return to the ice, remains the perfect blueprint for her own next steps.
Although the two work in completely different worlds, Carpenter has continued bridging the gap in other ways.
She has been spotted supporting skating events and sees the discipline of the sport as a companion to her own stage work rather than something separate.
Carpenter is also reportedly working on her own tour visuals for 2026, which is expected to be released soon, and look back at the various influences that shaped this chapter of her life.
