As we bid farewell to a blistering summer teeming with ragebait and an unforeseen ’90s/’00s fashion trend comeback, Sabrina Carpenter’s seventh studio album, Man’s Best Friend, channels the feminine rage we felt these past few months.
Sabrina Carpenter bodaciously chronicles her dating experiences through clever wordplay that targets deeply ingrained societal issues with a raunchy, comedic twist. This old-fashioned take on modern issues acts as a striking reminder that, despite our progress, lingering gender roles and misogyny echo in the modern dating scene. Through a provocative cover and complementing tendentious lyrical genius, Carpenter brilliantly challenges the subjugation of women in relationships and reclaims her power in the face of heartbreak.
Released on June 5, 2025, the smash hit “Manchild” was our first glimpse into the album, keeping fans eagerly awaiting its full release — and it certainly did not disappoint. The upbeat, witty and comically harsh lyrics, delivered beautifully by the former Disney star’s flirty, feminine vocals, have fans raving.
Channeling the amorous theme set in her iconic sixth studio album, Carpenter’s merciless seventh record introduces country-pop to her audience, masterfully blending the two opposing genres with hints of R&B. The 26-year-old singer showcases her skills by breaking boundaries and creatively weaving genres, allowing her to find her footing in the music industry and break out of the mold Disney placed her in.
Short n’ Sweet signalled Carpenter’s rebrand and expanded her fanbase, teaching listeners to delve into the double entendre of her amusing, lighthearted innuendos that expose the emotive topics in Man’s Best Friend. She uses brusque language, marking a shift in how women are expressing control after generations of relational subservience.
In “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night,” Carpenter sings, “Yeah, your paragraphs mean shit to me/ Get your sorry ass to mine.” Later, in “Never Getting Laid,” she expresses, “I just hope you get agoraphobia some day.” For centuries, men have spoken down to women with relentless disrespect, expecting esteem and obedience in return. Man’s Best Friend is a countercultural pushback against decades of mistreatment, allowing women to reclaim their energy and define relational boundaries.
In “House Tour,” Carpenter slyly snuck in the comment, “I promise none of this is a metaphor.” Surely, the entire song — and record — is metaphorical. She goes on to sing, “My house is on Pretty Girl Avenue” and “Some say it's a place where your dreams come true,” likely a jab at Disney being known as “The Place Where Dreams Come True.” She reflects on the company’s aim to create a magical reality for visitors and viewers, recognizing she, too, possesses that power in relationships. As the former Girl Meets World star regains her dreams and voice, she diverges far from the act Disney made her put on, fiercely reigning on the charts in the world of pop. Sensually so!
Over the course of the album, the message of reversing and challenging gender roles in modern relationships quickly falls into place. The pop singer takes on themes of lust in a toxic masculine manner all with a flirty, feminine voice. An example from the queue is “Go-Go Juice” — arguably a groundbreaking country hit — which prescribes alcohol as a cure for heartbreak. She soberingly critiques how men excuse their toxic masculine behavior with claims of drunkenness. She sings, “Ain't nobody safe when I'm a little bit drunk” and “Sippin' on my go go juice, I can't be blamed.”
Similarly, in “Don’t Worry I’ll Make You Worry,” Carpenter channels her inner menace by bluntly proclaiming, “You think that I'm gonna fuck with your head?/ Well, you're absolutely right.” Later in the song she adds, “That emotional lottery is all you'll ever get with me.” Through this song, she remorselessly bites back at how the men in her life toy with female emotions, draining women of their confidence and power.
And, since the two-time Grammy winner refuses to end any track without eliciting a few smirks from listeners, in “When Did You Get Hot?,” she sings, “You were an ugly kid, but you're a sexy man” and “Thank the Lord, the fine you has risen.” These lyrics pose as a clear clapback to the way many men sexualize girls throughout coming-of-age milestones.
While some of her lyrics may seem questionable on the surface, Sabrina Carpenter empowers her fans to unapologetically discover their voices and recreate themselves, even in the midst of heartbreak. Through jovial, snarky remarks, Carpenter illustrates the detrimental effects of internalized male animosity toward women in the dating scene and the normalized absurdities women face at the hands of partners and men in general.
But beware, if you thought Short n’ Sweet was dirty ... don't listen to this album. Honestly, I need a spiritual detox after those twelve cheeky tracks. Man’s Best Friend redirects mainstream pop in a new trajectory — uncovering strength through an amusing feminine rage. Personally, I am completely here for it.
Ava Tafreshi is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at ant63@cornell.edu.
