Sabrina Carpenter’s newest studio album, Man’s Finest Good friend, has sparked loads of dialog on either side, however the singer isn’t letting it get her down.
“It’s at all times so humorous to me when folks complain,” she mentioned in her Rolling Stone cowl story revealed in Might 2025, particularly referring to the backlash over her provocative Brief n’ Candy Tour. “They’re like, ‘All she does is sing about this.’ However these are the songs that you just’ve made standard. Clearly, you love intercourse. You’re obsessive about it.”
Carpenter revealed on June 11, 2025, that her subsequent studio file can be launched on August 29, 2025.
“[It] wasn’t written from a spot of ‘How do I one-up myself?’ or ‘How do I recreate one thing else?’ ” the Grammy winner informed Rolling Stone. “Brief n’ Candy [her 2024 album] was this magical present; it fed me, and it fed quite a lot of different folks on the earth. It felt true to me, and it felt genuine to quite a lot of different folks. It’s uncommon that these line up ever, not to mention greater than as soon as. It unlocked my mind to know myself an increasing number of.”
Sabrina Carpenter spoke out concerning the backlash to her new album cowl for the primary time — and he or she stays unbothered. An X person shared a photograph of the Man’s Finest Good friend album artwork with the remark, “Does she have a persona outdoors of intercourse?” earlier this month, and Carpenter, 26, didn’t hesitate to reply. […]
Preserve scrolling for a full breakdown of the controversies surrounding Carpenter’s Man’s Finest Good friend:
‘Man’s Finest Good friend’ Album Cowl
For the official LP artwork, Carpenter posed on all fours like a domesticated pet whereas an unidentified man appeared to tug her hair. Some social media customers believed that the picture glorified home violence.
“Girls face horrific home abuse and degradation by the hands of males each single day worldwide, however she needs to revenue off of images of herself being degraded, evaluating herself to a canine,” one X person wrote. “pandering to males won’t ever be feminist, I don’t care if the lyrics say ‘f*** males.’”
One other X person questioned whether or not Carpenter had “a persona outdoors of intercourse.”
“Woman sure and it’s goooooood,” the pop star replied in June 2025.
Sabrina Carpenter performs in the course of the 2025 Brit Awards in London in March 2025. Samir Hussein/WireImage
‘Manchild’ Lyrics
Carpenter’s debut single from Man’s Finest Good friend was launched in June 2025, and its lyrics shortly raised eyebrows amongst listeners.
“It’s all simply so acquainted, child, what do you name it? Silly / Or is it sluggish?” she sings within the prechorus. “Possibly it’s ineffective? / However there’s a cuter phrase for it. I do know: Manchild.”
A handful of followers identified that “sluggish” could possibly be thought of an ableist slur.
“Everyone seems to be so targeted on Sabrina Carpenter’s new album cowl that not a single particular person is speaking about her use of the phrase ‘sluggish’ in manchild, which is a traditionally ableist time period,” one person claimed through X, as one other alleged the musician was “ignorant at greatest, [and] willfully ableist at worst.”
Different followers defended Carpenter, arguing that her lyrical selection presumably “wasn’t that critical.”
“Sabrina is extremely sensible and nuanced with the way in which she curates her picture and dare I say, that’s why she will get misunderstood quite a bit [because] the overall viewers lacks important considering and likes to activate standard girls,” one other defender mentioned.
Carpenter has not publicly addressed the “Manchild” backlash.
What Sabrina Carpenter Has Stated In regards to the Album
Whereas Carpenter has remained mum concerning the “Manchild” controversy, she made it clear that she doesn’t give weight to the haters or criticism.
“I’m residing within the glory of nobody listening to it or understanding about it, and so I cannot care,” she informed Rolling Stone. “I cannot give a f*** about it, as a result of I’m simply so excited.”
With “Manchild” particularly, Carpenter gushed that the writing course of was “particular.”
“That was a type of instances, which is why it feels extra particular. If I’m not on the studio proper now writing one thing, then I’m going to die,” she quipped. “I have to make sense of what I’m feeling and what I’m going by, and put it down on paper.”
Carpenter added, “I’ve actually simply been making issues, enthusiastic about them, after which persevering with forth. To not be dramatic, however what can I do whereas my legs nonetheless work? I’m limber, let’s use it. My mind is sharp, let’s write. I attempt to not get unhappy about the truth that nothing lasts perpetually, however genuinely, it’s such a wonderful time proper now. I need to soak it up and preserve making issues whereas I’m feeling this manner.”
What Producer Jack Antonoff Has Stated About ‘Manchild’
Antonoff labored with Carpenter on each Brief ’N Candy and Man’s Finest Good friend. He praised her work on “Manchild” within the Rolling Stone interview.
“After I heard these three, that was the second once I was like, ‘Oh, my God,’” he recalled, referring to the one and two extra new tracks. “You may think about your complete album from that time, as a result of the songs had such an identification. I discover quite a lot of this album to be among the most trustworthy work I’ve ever heard.”
He continued, “There’s one thing actually celebratory about it, however many of the lyrical content material is about disappointment in relationships and all of the totally different shapes it takes. I believe it’s a celebration of those that allow you to down.”