"Feather" is a song by American singerSabrina Carpenter fromEmails I Can't Send Fwd, the 2023 deluxe edition of her fifth studio album,Emails I Can't Send (2022). Carpenter wrote it with songwriterAmy Allen and producerJohn Ryan.Island Records released itssped-up version on August 4, 2023, andRepublic Records promoted its original version to radio stations on September 12, 2023. A combination ofpop,dance,disco, andbubblegum genres that features influences ofsynth-pop and1980s-inspiredsynthwave, "Feather" is a post-breakup track which celebrates the freedom and relief one feels upon ending a relationship and shedding its weight.
Music critics praised the production of "Feather", describing it as light and airy. In the United States, the song peaked at number 21 on theBillboard Hot 100 and became Carpenter's first song to reach the top 40; it was also her first number 1 on thePop Airplay chart. The song reached the top 20 in Honduras, Latvia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. It received adiamond certification in Brazil and platinum or higher in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Sabrina Carpenter signed a five-album contract withHollywood Records at the age of 14.[1][2] In the following years, she released several albums, which charted outside the top 25 on the American albums chart and did not produce any top 40 singles.[3] In January 2021, Carpenter signed a deal withIsland Records.[4][5] She achieved her firstBillboard Hot 100 chart entry with "Skin" (2021), perceived to be ananswer song toOlivia Rodrigo's 2021 single "Drivers License" by critics.[2][6] Carpenter pursued a more personal songwriting style on her first album with the label,Emails I Can't Send (2022), which was conceived during theCOVID-19 lockdowns and inspired by emails she would write to herself.[7][8] The album was released on July 15, 2022, and included the single "Nonsense", which reached number 56 on theBillboard Hot 100.[9][10]
Shortly before embarking on theEmails I Can't Send Tour in September 2022, Carpenter recorded the song "Feather", which she wrote withAmy Allen andJohn Ryan.[11][12][13] They conceived it within two hours while "just literally dancing around" according to Carpenter, as Ryan played "a cool, feathery thing" on a piano.[14] It was included on the album's 2023 deluxe edition,Emails I Can't Send Fwd:, which she did not view as a follow-up to the original album but "just a few songs that belong in theEmails world" to thank her fans.[15] Carpenter's manager thought the song would help extend the album campaign and aligned its release with the promotion for "Nonsense".[13] Island released a sped-up version of "Feather" as a single on August 4, 2023, and included it on a7-inch vinyl alongside the original version.[16][17] Carpenter's manager wanted to employ a "traditional pop single campaign" and waited for the song to gain popularity following its music video's release before sending it forairplay.[13] Carpenter also gained more recognition while serving as an opening act onTaylor Swift's 2023–2024 concert tour,the Eras Tour.[18]Republic Records promoted the song to US radio[19] on September 12, 2023, as reported by the trade magazineHits.[20]
"Feather" is a post-breakup song which celebrates the freedom and relief one feels upon ending a relationship and shedding its weight.[21][28] Carpenter begins by describing a toxic relationship characterized by immaturity and inconsistency, illustrating the dynamic where her partner initially seems thrilled but then becomes distant and uncommitted when she attempts to make plans. She resolves to not get entangled in a back-and-forth and decides to step away from him to unwind, and in thepre-chorus, expresses that she will block and ignore him in the future.[21] Carpenter compares the lightness she feels upon leaving him to a feather.[28][29] Reminiscing about their memories together, she refers to him as a "waste of time" who used to "act like a bitch".[21][30][31]
Music critics praised the production of "Feather", describing it as light and airy.[21][32][33]Slate's Chris Molanphy described the song as "a neo-discobop", andAmerican Songwriter's Alex Hopper called it a "pop gem".[3][21] Hopper further described Carpenter's vocals as those of a "pop-princess" and the chorus as light and digestible "pure pop fodder".[21] He thought its melody was infectious and perfectly satisfied his craving for a danceable beat.[21] Vaidya included "Feather" at number 57 inRolling Stone India's list of the top songs of 2023 and believed it was tuneful, astutely personal, and sincere.[27]Billboard's Madison E. Goldberg described it as "a masterclass in 2020s pop music".[32]
"Feather" was Carpenter's first song to reach the top 40 on theBillboard Hot 100 and peaked at number 21 on the chart issued for April 27, 2024.[10][34] The song also became her first to peak at number one on thePop Airplay chart or any radio-focusedBillboard chart.[19] It received a 2× platinum certification from theRecording Industry Association of America.[35] "Feather" charted at number 25 on theCanadian Hot 100 issued for April 20 and was certified quadruple platinum byMusic Canada.[36][37] The song reached number 19 on theUK Singles Chart and received a platinum certification from theBritish Phonographic Industry.[38][39]
In Australia, "Feather" peaked at number 23 and was certified quadruple platinum by theAustralian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).[40][41] The song charted at number 40 in New Zealand and received a double platinum certification fromRecorded Music NZ.[42][43] It reached number 43 on theBillboard Global 200.[44] "Feather" also peaked within the top 50 at number 14 in Honduras and Singapore,[45][46] number 16 in Latvia,[47] number 18 in Malaysia,[48] number 25 in Ireland,[49] number 26 in the Netherlands,[50] and number 48 in the Philippines.[51] The song received a diamond certification in Brazil[52] and gold in Central America,[53] Denmark,[54] France,[55] Poland,[56] Portugal,[57] Spain,[58] and Sweden.[59]
Critics have discussed the song's impact on Carpenter's success the following year. Kelsey Barnes ofGrammy.com thought its performance showcased her bold style gaining traction and paved the way for "an even bigger 2024".[33][a] Goldberg listed "Feather" among Carpenter's 10 most essential songs and believed it laid the groundwork for her signature sound.[32]Billboard's Jason Lipshutz thought the song'spop radio success was significant and helped her reach the biggest radio stations in the US.[2]
Mia Barnes directed thehorror-inspired music video for "Feather",[28] which featuresMilo Manheim as one of the male characters.[60] Carpenter's stylist chose baby blue and baby pink outfits to convey femininity, fragility, and purity, which he thought would be humorous in contrast to the deaths in the video.[61] Carpenter teased the horror theme by sharing a clip on Instagram on October 30, 2023. The video was released the following day to coincide with Halloween, and Carpenter shared behind-the-scenes photographs of her posing with castmates, showcasing her wardrobe, and others of her splattered with fake blood and in a crop-top.[28][62]
The video begins with shots of a pastel-colored coffin that reads "RIP bitch", neon crosses, and a gravestone etched with "He was just okay"[63][64] inside theOur Lady of Mount Carmel/Annunciation Parish church, following which Carpenter arrives outside in a bubblegum pink hearse.[65][66] Three men reading a book titledTampons Should Be Free follow andcatcall her,[63][67][68] before getting run over by a truck. Carpenter takes a boxing class in a gym while clad in stilettos andknee highs.[31][65] Several men there fight each other and she becomes covered in their blood.[67][69][70] Another man (Manheim) non-consensually takes a photograph up Carpenter's skirt with the flash turned on while they are in an elevator together.[65][71] She pulls his tie while exiting it and puts it between the elevator doors, decapitating him in the process.[65][72] Carpenter is seen at the church during a joint funeral for the men who died over the course of the video.[73] Wearing a short blacktulle dress and veil,[74][75] she dances in front of the coffins and several religious items at the altar, instead of mourning their deaths.[70][72]
Two days after the video's release,Robert J. Brennan, the CatholicBishop of Brooklyn, issued a statement that he was "appalled" by what was filmed inside the church. He indicated that the parish did not adhere to the diocesan policy on filming within church grounds, which requires a review of the scenes and script.[74][77] The administrative duties of Monsignor Jamie J. Gigantiello, the priest who gave Carpenter's team the permission to shoot inside the church, were subsequently terminated.[78][79] He stated that he had approved the filming because his online search about Carpenter did not reveal anything worrisome and he wanted to increase the church's appeal to youth.[80][81] While he was informed that a funeral scene would be filmed inside the church, he believed most of it would be done outside the church building and Carpenter's team did not appropriately represent the video's content.[81][82][83] In September 2024, investigations possibly spurred by Gigantiello's granting Carpenter permission to use the church were tied to afederal criminal investigation of New York City mayorEric Adams.[84]
The church held a Mass of Reparation on November 4, 2023, to "restore the sanctity of this church and repair the harm".[81][82][83] While some parishioners and churchgoers supported Gigantiello and believed the punishment was too harsh, others were offended by his actions.[67][85] Carpenter responded to the controversy by saying "we got approval in advance" and proclaiming that "Jesus was a carpenter."[86][87][88] Writing forThe A.V. Club, Emma Keates believed "the video rules" and the controversy contributed to Carpenter's "new, cool girl persona", also praising her response.[18]
Carpenter performed "Feather" on theEmails I Can't Send Tour (2022–23) and while opening forTaylor Swift'sThe Eras Tour (2023–24).[13][89] She reprised "Feather" and "Nonsense" at the2023 MTV Video Music Awards pre-show on September 12, 2023.[90][91] Carpenter began by singing "Feather" with a black-and-white retro theme before transitioning into the latter song; Hopper believed she delivered "heavenly" and impeccable vocals alongside a playful demeanor and outstanding choreography.[92] The following month, Carpenter released a live version of "Feather" for the Spotify Singles series, whichPeople's Jack Irvin believed was elevated but stayed true to the original song.[93][94] She opened herKIIS-FM Jingle Ball sets with the song in December 2023, clad in a red mini-dress and gloves on one date and a white corset top, shorts, and gloves on another.[30][95] Carpenter sang it at the 2023Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with male dancers in suits.[96][97]
On May 18, 2024, Carpenter performed a mashup of "Feather" and "Nonsense" onSaturday Night Live in a rose gold jumpsuit decorated with feathers alongside background dancers dressed in white. She replaced the lyric "I'm so sorry for your loss" with "I'm onSNL and you're not."Uproxx's Alex Gonzalez described the performance as "angelic" and believed she dominated the stage but the dancers were equally energetic.[98][99][100] Carpenter reprised "Feather" atCapital's Summertime Ball 2024 and at theOutside Lands festival on August 10, 2024.[101][102][103] She included ajazz-influenced rendition of the song on theset list for theShort n' Sweet Tour (2024–2025).[104][105]
Kelly Clarkson performed a cover of "Feather" onThe Kelly Clarkson Show in February 2024 with backing vocals from the ensemble My Band Y'all. The group provided afour on the floor beat through guitar and bass instrumentation.Rolling Stone's Kory Grow thought Clarkson and the band successfully conveyed the "live" characteristic of the rendition.[106]
