Nonsense (song)

On June 30, 2022, Carpenter announced the release of her fifth studio album Emails I Can't Send and unveiled its tracklist on July 5 via her social media accounts, where "Nonsense" was to be the ninth track on the album.^[6] The song was released on July 15, 2022, alongside the rest of the album.

"Nonsense" has been described as a pop,^[7][8][9] R&B,^[8][10][9] bubblegum,^[11] and pop rock song^[12] with a sound reminiscent of Ariana Grande.^[10][13] Carpenter released a Christmas version of the song,^[5][14] where she put a "more festive, flirty spin" on various lyrics from the original.^[14]

During her Emails I Can't Send Tour and various other live appearances, such as Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve and the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, Carpenter began altering the song's outro after the original last lyrics "How quickly can you take your clothes off pop quiz?" to reference the city or the event where she was performing.^[15]

The various ad-libbed moments went viral on the video-sharing social media app TikTok.^[16] The song's virality, along with having become an immediate fan-favorite on Emails I Can't Send, led Carpenter to choose "Nonsense" as the album's next single.^[17]

The custom outros were retired when Carpenter performed the song during the Short n' Sweet Tour in 2024, with her mic "malfunctioning" as she was lowered from the stage and a satirical "Technical Difficulties" screen showing on the overhead screen.^[18]

"Nonsense" initially debuted at number 8 on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, an extension of the Billboard Hot 100, on the chart December 24, 2022, and spent 3 weeks on the chart.^[20] On the chart dated January 28, 2023, "Nonsense" debuted at number 75 on the Hot 100, becoming the album's first single to chart and earning Carpenter her second career entry after her 2021 single "Skin".^[21] The song debuted on the Mainstream Top 40 at number 35 on the chart January 28, 2023. It later entered the top 10 of the chart at number 10 on the week dated May 20, 2023, marking Carpenter's first top ten hit on the format. During the tracking week of its chart debut, the track received over 5.82 million on-demand streams in the United States alone, which was a 66% spike from its previous week in streaming data.^[22] Globally, "Nonsense" reached number 35 on the Global 200 chart.^[23]

"Nonsense" initially debuted at number 69 on the UK Singles Chart, on the chart January 26, 2023 (week ending), entering the top 40 a week later at number 32. This became Carpenter's second UK top 40 single following "Skin" which peaked at number 28 in February 2021.^[24]

The music video for "Nonsense" was directed by Danica Kleinknecht and filmed on October 26, 2022. It premiered on Carpenter's Vevo channel via YouTube on November 10, 2022.^[15] The music video has Carpenter, as well as her friends, played by Paloma Sandoval and Whitney Peak, going to a party. There they meet a trio of boys, which are played by the actresses themselves. Carpenter is shown flirting with her male counterpart, who is wearing a "dipshit" hat.

• Digital single – sped up version

1. "Nonsense" – 2:43
2. "Nonsense" (sped up version) – 2:17

• "A Nonsense Christmas" digital single

1. "A Nonsense Christmas" – 2:33
2. "Nonsense" – 2:43

• 7-inch vinyl

1. "Nonsense" – 2:43
2. "A Nonsense Christmas" – 2:33

Credits adapted from Emails I Can't Send and single's 7" vinyl liner notes.^[25][26]

Recording and management

• Recorded at Enemy Dojo (Malibu, California)
• Mixed at Henson Recording Studios (Los Angeles, California)
• Mastered at Sterling Sound (Edgewater, New Jersey)
• Sabalicious Songs (BMI), Music of Big Family/Dragon Bunny Music (BMI) administered by Hipgnosis Songs Group, Vistaville Music (ASCAP) obo itself and Steph Jones Who Music (ASCAP) and Hipgnosis Hits (ASCAP)

Personnel