Popstar Sabrina Carpenter, who was initially known for her starring roles on TV, recently released her 5th album, A Man’s Best Friend. Fans were ecstatic about the quick release, but were shocked to find that it wasn’t what they expected. Recently, the album has sparked a debate over the off-putting question: is Carpenter setting back the notion of femininity?
A Man’s Best Friend was intended to showcase Carpenter’s artistic wit through an irritating and satirical exploration of female objectification. With a new set of pop songs filling all 12 tracks, fans question whether the album truly showcases diversity and effectively conveys the overall message Carpenter intended.
Pembroke Pines Charter High School sophomore Pragathi Natarajan says, “I felt like every song sounded the same, and I only really liked two songs. Her last album was a lot better.”
Carpenter released her previous album Short ‘n Sweet on Aug. 23rd, 2024, and continued to publish the deluxe edition, go on tour, and release more singles. Multiple fans argue that her new album felt rushed, claiming that she shouldn’t have dropped two albums in a year.
Fans also express great disappointment, not only because of the repetition of the same beat between songs but also because of the album cover. The cover depicts Carpenter portraying a dog initially given the name “a man’s best friend.” This has led people to assume that Carpenter is mocking the idea of women being treated like a “loyal companion.” In contrast, others believe she is making a bold statement about power dynamics in relationships.
Despite the controversy, some fans still praise Carpenter for her vocals and style. “Manchild,” the first track—originally published as a teaser single—was released on June 6, 2024. Just one day after its release, it debuted at No.1 on the Global Spotify chart, with approximately 8.05 million streams. It also topped the U.S. chart with 3.3 million streams on the same day.
This made fans even more excited for the new album as they hoped it would deliver a hit similar to “Manchild.” However, the rest of the record didn’t live up to the hype. This caused a divide among the fandom, with some celebrating Carpenter’s risk-taking, while others called it her weakest work yet.
Senior Bradley Powe says, “Some people say she’s setting women back, but I think she’s actually [mocking those stereotypes] and showing she can control the narrative.” Along with students, the album has been buzzing on social media.
The situation has sparked discussions about whether A Man’s Best Friend went too far or if it was a clever move. This has led to divided opinions that fuel conversations about gender, empowerment, and music. Although some fans don’t think it’s her strongest album, the controversy surrounding it has made Sabrina Carpenter more visible in pop culture.
