Sabrina Carpenter has delighted fans recently as she announced her seventh studio album Man’s Best Friend which drops 29 August. From what fans already know, it seems to be a continuation of the sexy, sultry themes explored in Short n’ Sweet (2024). Her newest single and album cover has sparked quite a discussion on social media.
Carpenter, who signed a record deal with Disney when she was just twelve years old, rose to success as an opener for Taylor Swift’s Era’s Tour, followed by her hit summer single, ‘Espresso’. A new album, Short n’ Sweet, took her in a different direction musically, compared to her earlier albums such as Evolution, Singular: Act I and Singular: Act II. It achieved enormous success, securing her sold-out shows throughout the US and Europe with many fans disappointed to not get tickets.
Now, it seems she took “short n’ sweet” quite literally; as after just ten months of that era, she is back with a brand new album.
Many fans immediately expressed their excitement, while others were a bit critical, due to its apparent anti-feminist sentiment. The cover features Carpenter on her hands and knees, supposedly posing as a dog, (referencing the album title, which is a phrase that typically refers to a dog being a man’s best friend), while what appears to be a man is grabbing her by her hair. It has caused quite a stir for its supposed ‘degrading’ look. @elysia.exe commented under Carpenter’s album cover announcement stating: “Explain to me again how this isn’t centering men? How this isn’t catering to the male gaze?”, while @fondaparinaux asked: “Are gen Z the new boomers??? lol what’s with the comments”. Carpenter’s fans rushed to her defense, explaining that the singer is simply being ironic and satirical of the male gaze and that this cover is a swipe at how many men in society view women. Some are not as convinced, stating that she has gone too far for it to be truly productive for the feminist agenda. What is clear is that Carpenter is not leaving the limelight anytime soon!
Carpenter released a new single ‘Manchild’ on 5 June, but many were not expecting an album announcement so soon. This song also brought about discussion with some asking, “why is she still singing about men?” On the whole, the reaction has been positive as ‘Manchild’ debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard Hot 100 and has gone viral on TikTok. Carpenter herself started a ‘line dancing’ trend to the song which many have started to copy and post themselves.
The dance, which is not typically ‘sexual’, is an interesting choice when paired with the conversations surrounding the perversely provocative image she is thought to portray in her music. The lyrics themselves have also caused a stir as many are convinced that they are directed at her recent ex-boyfriend, Irish actor, Barry Keoghan. These lines are especially seen to reference Keoghan: “What do you call it?/ Stupid / Or is it / Slow? / Maybe it’s / Useless? / But there’s a cuter word for it / I know / Manchild.”
What is not up for debate is the fact that this album is set to smash even more records for Sabrina Carpenter, solidifying herself as one of the most successful women in pop music today. Many fans are wondering what we can expect from forthcoming singles ahead of the album’s release on 29 August. While Carpenter has repeatedly clapped back at people ‘shaming her’ for embracing her sexuality, the question lingering on people’s minds is if the cover is a bold feminist statement, echoing the way women are portrayed in the media, or an image framed for male attention. Maybe the answer lies in the next single.
Words by Emma Mahon
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