Valley native Sabrina Carpenter gets a lot of attention at Grammys — except in wins

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Singer Sabrina Carpenter, a Lehigh Valley native, certainly has gotten a lot of attention lately — a No. 1 album, hit singles, performing on “Saturday Night Live” and more.

That attention on Carpenter continued Sunday at the 68th Grammy Award show.

Except when the winners were announced.

Carpenter, who originally is from Lower Milford Township, was up for six Grammys this year — the same number for which she was nominated last year.

Only two artists this year were nominated for more performance Grammys than Carpenter: Kendrick Lamar for nine and Lady Gaga for seven.

But unlike last year, when she won Best Pop Solo Performance for “Espresso,” and Best Pop Vocal Album for “Short n’ Sweet,” Carpenter went home empty-handed on Sunday.

Lamar was the night’s big winner with five awards, including Record of the Year for his song “Luther” with SZA. It beat out Carpenter’s “Manchild.”

Lama also won Best Rap Album for “GNX,” bringing his total career wins to 27 and surpassing Jay-Z as the most-awarded rapper in history.

Gaga’s night also was underwhelming: She won just two: Best Pop Vocal Album for “Mayhem” and Best Dance/Pop Recording for “Abracadabra.”

But that included her album “Mayhem” taking home Best Pop Vocal Album over Carpenter’s “Man’s Best Friend.”

That kept Carpenter from becoming the first artist to ever win in the Best Pop Vocal Album category in consecutive years — she won last year for “Short ‘n Sweet.”

Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny also had a big night Sunday; he took home three of the six awards for which he was nominated — including Album of the Year.

His “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” took home the prize, making it the first Spanish-language disc to win that category. It beat out Carpenter’s “Man’s Best Friend.”

Song of the Year went to Billie Eilish’s “Wildflower” over Carpenter’s “Manchild.” “Manchild” also missed out on Best Pop Solo Performance to first-time-winner Lola Young’s “Messy.”

Carpenter won the category last year for her hit “Espresso.”

This year, “Manchild” also was passed over for Best Music Video in favor of “Anxiety” by rapper Doechii.

Attention still on Carpenter

It’s the second year in which Carpenter has been disappointed at the Grammys.

Despite being nominated for all “Big Four” categories last year — among only 14 artists ever to receive those nominations in one year, and with her first Grammy nominations ever — she won none of those awards.

But winning the two categories she did last year made her the first Lehigh Valley native to win a Grammy Award for performance.

“Man’s Best Friend,” released in August, was Carpenter’s second No. 1 disc in a row and already has achieved platinum sales and produced three gold and platinum hits.

But not winning any awards doesn’t mean Carpenter didn’t get any attention on the Grammy Awards broadcast Sunday.

She performed her hit “Manchild’ in an airport-themed performance, dressed as a sexy pilot and the entire Grammy stage converted into a terminal.

It was the second time she performed at the Grammys. She made her debut last year, performing her hits “Espresso” and “Please Please Please.”

Carpenter got plenty more time on the CBS-TV broadcast of the Grammys on Sunday.

When Lady Gaga won Best Pop Vocal Album, Carpenter was shown applauding for her, and for Young when “Messy” won Best Pop Solo Performance.

It also showed her dancing along to Bruno Mars’ performance of his latest release, “I Just Might.”

And later in the broadcast, host Trevor Noah raved over Carpenter’s performance of “Manchild.”

And as for attention, Carpenter still is getting a lot of it.

The spotlight will be on her again Sunday when she will be the star of a commercial for Pringles potato chips during the Super Bowl, which is scheduled to air at 6:30 p.m. on NBC-TV.