Sabrina Carpenter’s latest work, Man’s Best Friend, holds empowered women, drag queens and heartbreak all wrapped in a pretty bow. She keeps it lighthearted and fun, mixing a disco sound with country. Inspiration from ABBA can be identified in songs like Goodbye and Dolly Parton vibes in Manchild.
Combining Sabrina’s feminine and bubbly sound with composers and producers like Jack Antonoff, Amy Allen and John Ryan, the album is destined to be a pop hit. She turns her experiences with heartbreak into a dance party that is fun for everyone.
Carpenter expands on ideas presented in Short n’ Sweet tracks Good Graces and Busy Woman of being loyal to a man who deserves it, but switching up if they don’t treat her right.
Even before the album’s release, Man’s Best Friend was causing an uproar due to its controversial cover photo, depicting Sabrina on the floor as a man plays with her hair. Some viewed it as anti-feminist, assuming the man is in control of Sabrina; she is a loyal puppy following around her owner. However, when taking the time to tie in the themes and lyrics within the tracklist, it becomes clear that it is quite the opposite. An alternative album cover reveals that she asserts dominance at a table full of men.
Man's Best Friend alternative cover. Photo courtesy of Island Records
She uses her album to express her constant disappointment in men, which was teased with the release of Manchild. The song, with lyrics such as “Won’t you let an innocent woman be?” and “I like my men all incompetent” makes for a sassy and brutally honest intro to the track.
In Don’t Worry I’ll Make You Worry, she seems to be manipulating men and identifying her faults in relationships. She is giving the illusion of being the obedient puppy, when in reality, she has control of the relationship. “Silent treatment and humbling your ass” is how she claims to treat men, clearly going against accusations of worshipping them.
She is often criticized for suggestive outfits that are “for men,” but this work just continues her tradition of empowering women. She is not dressing or singing about sex for men. It is all about giving power back to women, encouraging them not to give in to a man’s sugar-talking.
Sabrina Carpenter advocates For trans rights In MTV VMAs performance Of ‘Tears’. Arturo Holmes. Photo courtesy of Getty Images
Even a sexual song like Tears was used by Sabrina to support trans rights and drag queens as shown in her music video and VMA performance. She uses her large platform to support what she believes in, so if showing skin gets those messages views, more power to her.
Besides the empowering aspect of the album, she also uses it to poke fun at herself. Much like in her previous album’s song Please Please Please, she jokes about her poor choices in men. Nobody’s Son explores a repetitive tale of a boyfriend hurting her and how she “should have guessed he’s like the rest,” but she continues to date bad men. She not only shows a disdain toward men, but also her own habits, making her music all the more relatable.
This is also evident in My Man on Willpower, which explains the intense determination and strength required to stay in a relationship with Sabrina Carpenter. She exposes herself by saying she uses “slutty pajamas” to get his attention, which proves unsuccessful. Instead of wanting to pose as the perfect woman and push all the blame onto the men in her life, she can still acknowledge her flaws in a fun way.
She keeps humor alive in art within Never Getting Laid and Go Go Juice, wishing agoraphobia on a man and slurring her words to display her drunk personality. Carpenter continues to show her personality through her music, rather than releasing whatever is expected of her. She stays true to herself, keeping the same wit presented in her last album.
She closes off the album with Goodbye, a song heavily influenced by the disco music group ABBA. Sabrina has been open about her love for the band in concerts so it’s no surprise that their vibe comes through in her songs. The “Aha’s” heard in the song sounds similar to the one in ABBA’s “Voulez-Vous,” and the instrumental resembles that of “Dancing Queen.” It is a wonderful tribute to such an iconic group and helps younger generations keep older music alive and relevant.
Man’s Best Friend is no doubt a showcase of Sabrina’s vocal and creative talent, along with her team of producers and composers. Men and women can benefit from listening to her music and taking the time to read the meaningful but fun lyrics. She continues to prove she is this generation’s pop princess.
