Pop star Sabrina Carpenter has released her seventh studio album Man’s Best Friend, telling fans it is “not for any pearl clutchers” in reference to those easily offended by risqué lyrics and provocative themes. The record, which dropped on Friday, features 12 tracks – 10 of them labelled explicit – and was co-produced with Taylor Swift collaborator Jack Antonoff and songwriter John Ryan. Carpenter described the project as “just fun,” adding that it was designed to capture the energy of her live shows where, she said, “young women in the front row scream at the top of their lungs with their best friends.”
The album arrives after months of controversy over its artwork. Carpenter was forced to release an alternative cover “approved by God” after the original, which showed her on her hands and knees with a suited man grabbing her hair, was criticised as pandering to the male gaze. CBS News host Gayle King praised the new record as “sexual, powerful, vulnerable and unapologetic,” but Carpenter acknowledged its boldness might shock some listeners. “Sometimes people hear the lyrics and go, ‘I don’t want to sing this in front of other people,’” she said. “But I think even pearl clutchers can find something that makes them smirk.”
Critical response to Man’s Best Friend has been mixed. The Times described it as “negligee-thin, surprisingly vanilla,” while The Independent praised stand-out track House Tour as “a chugging slice of 80s power-pop” but said much of the album “struggles for lift-off.” The I newspaper dismissed it as “TikTok slop,” while The New Statesman noted that despite muted music, Carpenter remains “the only popstar with comic talent.” Many reviews highlighted her strong visuals and stagecraft, with her videos and artwork described as “uniformly inspired.”
Carpenter, 26, celebrated the album’s release with a Spotify fan event at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, telling Rolling Stone the project was not about “one-upping” her Grammy-winning 2023 album Short n’ Sweet but about authenticity. “That record was a magical gift… it unlocked my brain to know myself more and more,” she said. Known for pushing boundaries, the former Disney star has faced criticism for her sexually charged performances, including 825 complaints to Ofcom over her provocative Brit Awards routine earlier this year.
Despite the controversies, Carpenter remains one of pop’s most talked-about performers. Recent shows have seen her adapt her stage act, with a Hyde Park performance in July notably toned down to include family-friendly moments, such as firing T-shirts into the crowd instead of suggestive choreography. Still, her bold lyrics and unapologetic persona continue to divide opinion, ensuring Man’s Best Friend will be one of the year’s most debated pop releases.
