LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — With her signature honey blonde blowout and a “Polly-Pocket-esque” style, one of the biggest pop girls in the current music scene, Sabrina Carpenter, released her widely anticipated album, “Short n’ Sweet” on Aug. 23. 

“Short n’ Sweet” is Carpenter’s sixth studio album and is uniquely different from her original pop songs with an upbeat and trendy tone. Mixed with country, rock and pop influences, the 12 songs provide her audience a sound that resembles a matured “emails i can’t send” (her last released album). 

Carpenter’s rise to super pop stardom has been a steady and slow incline throughout her career, originally beginning in acting with the 2014 Disney television series, “Girl Meets World.” Her experimentation set the stage for her first viral song, “Nonsense,” from her album “emails i can’t send.” Setting her stage with the pop songs of the summer, “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” the singer and songwriter left her fans excited and longing for more, and Carpenter did not disappoint.

Songs we found particularly sweet

In the album’s fifth track, Carpenter reveals the upbeat, almost country, song, “Coincidence.” Throughout the song, Carpenter continues a common trope throughout this album, the complicated love triangle. As she opens, it seems like Carpenter is talking about her ex still being in her life. As the song moves forward, however, it is clear that her love interest is still being drawn. 

The lyrics and sarcastic tone in this song were what really stood out to us. Lines like “Oh, wow, you broke up again / what a coincidence” demonstrates Carpenter’s sense of humor towards her love interest’s choices. She seems to be taunting her ex while simultaneously saying I told you so. 

Carpenter’s sixth song in the album, “Bed Chem,” begins with a light feel, immediately transporting listeners to the sandy beaches of vintage summers. With its initial track music, it feels straight out of her “Espresso” music video chock full of creamy ice cream, pastels and palm trees. Narrating the meeting of a “cute boy with the white jacket and thick accent,” many speculate that the song is dedicated to her on-and-off boyfriend, Barry Keoghan. 

Successfully delivering a catchy chorus and punny wordplay, “Bed Chem” was an absolute triumph for Carpenter. She once again proved that she wasn’t done providing her audience with fabulous songs after her success with her earlier releases, “Espresso” and “Please Please Please.”

Music Video – “Taste”

Sabrina Carpenter’s daring new music video, released as a companion to “Short n’ Sweet,” was released this past Thursday at midnight. The music video features her new song, “Taste,” which focuses on the message the narrator sends to her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend. In the song, Carpenter seems to be warning the new girlfriend that her ex really isn’t over her and that she will still have influence in their relationship. 

Some fans believe that the song is a reference to the popular singer, Shawn Mendes, who was rumored to have briefly dated Carpenter in 2023 before Mendes got back together with Camilla Cabello, whom he dated from 2019 to 2021 and later from 2023 to 2024. With lines like “I heard you’re back together / And if that’s true / You’ll just have to taste me when he’s kissing you,” fans suspect Carpenter is teasing how influential her relationship with Mendes was. 

Fans were shocked at how graphic the video was, with (spoilers ahead!) Carpenter and the other love interest (played by Jenna Ortega) both being stabbed, maimed and harmed in various ways. Ortega’s role in the video was a complete shock to fans, but, retrospectively, not a complete surprise given the horror aspects of the video and Ortega’s propensity for the genre. 

“I don’t know what it is about my face, but people always want to throw blood on it,” Ortega said in 2023 to Tudum by Netflix. 

What’s next?

Following the album release, Carpenter is also preparing for her upcoming international tour, which kicks off on Sept. 23, in Columbus, Ohio and concludes on March 26 in Milan, Italy. The tour is set to have tour dates in North America, the UK and Europe and drops off in countries such as France, Germany and Ireland. 

Needless to say, Carpenter’s newest album does not disappoint as the subtle hinting of her real-life relationships and bold lyrics has solidified her as one of the biggest artists of pop.

The release date of “Short n’ Sweet was Aug. 23, not Aug. 24. This was corrected on Aug. 29 at 10:12 p.m.