Singer-songwriter Sabrina Carpenter delivered a haunting new rendition of Taylor Swift’s hit “I Knew You Were Trouble” for Spotify Singles. It arrives as she prepares to join Swift’s Eras Tour this fall.
Carpenter stripped away the pulsing EDM production of Swift’s original, instead offering a stripped-down, melancholic country-pop interpretation. Her subdued version highlights the pain and disillusionment in the lyrics.
The 23-year-old’s cover epitomizes her current Red era, channeling the angst of her latest album “Emails I Can’t Send” and its deluxe edition. Her voice quivers with emotion on lines like “I knew you were trouble when you walked in” and “Now I’m lying on the cold hard ground.”
Carpenter will open for Swift on the Latin America leg of her record-breaking Eras Tour, which continues through March 2023. She first joined part of the tour in August, dazzling Mexican crowds.
During her opening sets, Carpenter has played a childhood video of herself singing Swift’s 2006 hit “Picture to Burn.” It demonstrates her enduring admiration for the pop icon.
In an interview earlier this year, Carpenter called Swift “one of my main inspirations ever since I was a little girl.” She said Swift’s songs serve as a “how-to book on how to survive as a young woman.”
“I admire her work ethic and her talent and she’s just so amazing,” Carpenter added. “Watching her in and of itself is how you learn.”
Beyond covering Swift, Carpenter is establishing her own distinctive pop/R&B sound. Her Spotify Singles release also includes a sultry live rendition of her song “Feather” from her album.
As she continues opening for Swift in stadiums, Carpenter is poised to reach wider audiences with her soulful, confessional songs. Swift has shown she appreciates Carpenter’s precocious talent ever since hearing her cover as a child.
With her Spotify releases, Carpenter proves she can reinvent hit songs like “I Knew You Were Trouble” while still cultivating her own emotive brand of introspective pop.
Her heartfelt rendition of Swift’s breakup anthem showcases Carpenter’s versatility and appreciation for her mentor. It bodes well for their ongoing Eras Tour union highlighting two generations of female singer-songwriters.
