The Middle of Starting Over

After the release of her debut single, Carpenter was choosing a second single to promote her EP, Can't Blame a Girl for Trying. In an interview with Teen.com, Carpenter said "The whole song is really just about taking in life's mistakes and just finding fun ways to get through life. Even if you are starting over, even if you do have to try new things, just make the best of it and have fun with it."{{cite web|url=http://www.teen.com/2014/11/08/celebrities/sabrina-carpenter-facts-quotes-pictures-interview/|title=Sabrina Carpenter Facts, Quotes, Pictures and Interview with teen.com|work=Teen.com|date=November 8, 2014|access-date=May 1, 2017|archive-date=July 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170714002944/http://www.teen.com/2014/11/08/celebrities/sabrina-carpenter-facts-quotes-pictures-interview/|url-status=dead}} The song was released as a single on August 19, 2015 and it had a radio impact on Radio Disney a month before. The song was also included on Carpenter's first studio album, Eyes Wide Open, which was released on April 14, 2015.{{cite news|title="Eyes Wide Open" by Sabrina Carpenter|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/eyes-wide-open/966304973|publisher=iTunes|access-date=May 6, 2017}}

"The Middle of Starting Over" was written in 2013 by Jim McGorman, Robb Vallier and Michelle Moyer, and was originally released by Moyer as part of her Last Ones Standing EP the same year. Carpenter's version was produced by Brian Malouf and co-produced by McGorman and Vallier. Malouf mixed the track at Cookie Jar Recording, located in Sherman Oaks, California and Chris Thompson engineered the track. In the track, Malouf and McGorman played keyboards and Marc Slutsky played drums. McGorman also played acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass and piano. Daniel Kalisher played mandolin while Vallier and Moyer contributed backing vocals to the track. The song was mastered by Eric Boulanger at The Mastering Lab, Inc., located in Ojai, California.Eyes Wide Open liner notes [CD] Hollywood Records (2015)

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Musically, "The Middle of Starting Over" is a three minutes and thirty-two seconds acoustic guitar-driven midtempo folk pop song with teen pop and country pop influences. In terms of music notation, "The Middle of Starting Over" was composed using Time signature in the key of D major, with a lively, pushing forward tempo of 92 beats per minute.{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0145284|title=Sabrina Carpenter "The Middle of Starting Over" Sheet Music in D Major|date=12 January 2015 |publisher=Musicnotes.com|access-date=July 15, 2017}} The song follows the chord progression of D–A/C{{music|sharp}}-Bm-G and Carpenter's vocal range spans from the low note A3 to the high note of A4, giving the song one octave of range. Lyrically, the song speaks about moving on, starting all over again and forgetting the mistakes. According to Carpenter, the song talks about taking in life's mistakes and finding fun ways to get through life.

On September 17, 2014, Radio Disney shared a teaser of the music video on their Instagram account.{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/tD8rU9F5ek/|title=Check out our #RDExclusive teaser of @sabrinacarpenter's #TheMiddleOfStartingOver music video! The full video premieres Sunday on @disneychannel! 🎉🎥🎵|work=Instagram|access-date=July 28, 2018}} The music video was directed by The Young Astronauts and it was released on Vevo and YouTube on September 21, 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.vevo.com/watch/sabrina-carpenter/The-Middle-of-Starting-Over-(Official-Video)/USH5V1422155|title=Sabrina Carpenter – The Middle of Starting Over (Official Video)|work=Vevo|access-date=May 13, 2017}} A lyric video was premiered on August 19, 2014 on YouTube and it features various scenes of her playing with her sister, Sarah Carpenter, with an inverse filter.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJDGXg6IiT4|title=Sabrina Carpenter – The Middle of Starting Over (Official Lyric Video)|work=YouTube|date=19 August 2014 |access-date=July 28, 2018}}

The music video begins with Carpenter walking with a guitar in her hand to a set with a ladder, a sofa, boxes and paint cans. Throughout the video is shown several scenes where Carpenter is in different backgrounds singing the song. At the first line of the song, Cast out of sea, Carpenter is shown standing on a piece of land. Throughout the music video are shown various fun scenes like pillow fights, balloons plays, changing scenarios, taking pictures and drawing and throwing flower petals. In all the sets, Carpenter and her music videos partners are having fun. The music video ends up with Carpenter walking out of the first set.

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Anna Marie of A Kid's Point of You praised "The Middle of Starting Over" by saying "A folk-meets-pop jam, "The Middle of Starting Over" is certain to be added to countless sleepover playlists everywhere. It has an inspirational message and a unique, unforgettable sound only made stronger by Sabrina's powerful vocals. Dolph Malone of Headline Planet pointed "The Middle of Starting Over" and "Your Love's Like" as catchy and versatile songs for Carpenter's career. Malone said "Songs like "The Middle of Starting Over" and "Your Love's Like" feature punchier grooves, but they too function most prominently as platforms for Carpenter's unique artistry. They help to create variance in the sound without fostering a sense of dishonesty. They aid but do not define."{{cite web|url=https://headlineplanet.com/home/2015/04/13/sabrina-carpenter-eyes-wide-open-album-review/|title=Sabrina Carpenter is the Right Kind of Great on "Eyes Wide Open;" Review|date=14 April 2015 |publisher=Headline Planet|access-date=July 28, 2017}} The song received several comparisons with Taylor Swift's early works.{{cite news|title=Sabrina Carpenter's "The Middle Of Starting Over" Is Completely Irresistible: Watch The Candy-Colored Video|url=http://www.idolator.com/7563889/sabrina-carpenter-middle-of-starting-over-video|accessdate=August 3, 2017|archive-date=July 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230716173039/https://www.idolator.com/7563889/sabrina-carpenter-middle-of-starting-over-video|url-status=dead}}{{dead link|date=April 2025}}

Carpenter first performed the song at the 2014 Radio Disney Music Awards along with her debut single.{{cite news|title=The Middle of Starting Over- Sabrina Carpenter live|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHMyt4HhvM8|publisher=YouTube|date=April 27, 2014|accessdate=May 1, 2016}} A few time later, she performed at the Disney Social Media Moms Conference 2014.{{cite news|title=Sabrina Carpenter sings The Middle of Starting Over at #DSMMS 2014|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GdPrfZ8FVs|publisher=YouTube|date=June 11, 2014|accessdate=August 5, 2016}} She performed the song at Fox&Friends Concert on New York in June 29{{cite news|title=Sabrina Carpenter "The middle of starting over" Live in New York at Fox&Friends Concert|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQe65PBg8q0|publisher=YouTube|date=June 29, 2014|accessdate=August 5, 2016}} and in July 19 at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles Benefit Concert.{{cite news|title="Middle of Starting Over" Children's Hospital Los Angeles Benefit Concert 7/19/14|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6wvEgYQOP4|publisher=YouTube|date=July 20, 2014|accessdate=August 5, 2016}} She performed the song on Big Ticket Summer 2014{{cite news|title=Sabrina Carpenter – The Middle of Starting Over – Halifax|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP3tqxcwhbQ|publisher=YouTube|date=22 August 2014|accessdate=August 5, 2016}} and she performed an acoustic version of the song on Perez TV along with "Can't Blame a Girl for Trying".{{cite news|title=Sabrina Carpenter – "The Middle Of Starting Over" (Exclusive Perez Hilton Acoustic)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyGbSg1N2Nk|publisher=YouTube|date=September 24, 2014|accessdate=May 1, 2017}} She performed the song on Slimefest on 26 September{{cite news|title=The Middle of Starting Over – Sabrina Carpenter Slimefest 26/9/14|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfBdZk1No8M|publisher=YouTube|date=26 September 2014|accessdate=August 5, 2016}} and in November at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2014.{{cite news|title=Sabrina Carpenter – "Middle Of {{sic|Sta|rtng|nolink=y}} Over" Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2014|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep7sgcPWA0s|publisher=YouTube|date=November 29, 2014|accessdate=May 1, 2017}} In 2015, she performed the song at D23 Expo in 2015 along with "Take on the World", "We'll Be the Stars", a cover of "FourFiveSeconds", "Can't Blame a Girl for Trying" and "Eyes Wide Open".{{cite news|title=Sabrina Carpenter D23 Performance [Aug 15 2015]|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfL540YiA5Y|publisher=YouTube|date=August 16, 2015|accessdate=May 1, 2016}}

Recording and management

• Mixed at Cookie Jar Recording (Sherman Oaks, California)
• Mastered at The Mastering Lab, Inc. (Ojai, California)
• Val Derringer Music (ASCAP), Little Cyclone Music (ASCAP), Moyer Publishing (ASCAP)

Personnel

{{div col}}

• Sabrina Carpenter – lead vocals
• Jim McGorman – songwriting, co-production, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, piano, keyboards
• Robb Vallier – songwriting, co-production, backing vocals
• Michelle Moyer – songwriting, backing vocals
• Brian Malouf – production, mixing, keyboards
• Chris Thompson – engineering
• Marc Slutsky – drums
• Daniel Kalisher – mandolin
• Eric Boulanger – mastering

{{div col end}}

Credits adapted from Eyes Wide Open liner notes.

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Category:2014 singles

Category:2014 songs

Category:Sabrina Carpenter songs

Category:Hollywood Records singles

Category:American folk rock songs