Sabrina Carpenter released her seventh studio album “Man’s Best Friend” Friday, and the cheeky pop star is not shying from the criticism of her album cover.
When the “Espresso” songstress first announced the follow-up to her viral album “Short n’ Sweet,” the internet was quick to judge the album cover of the singer on her knees, with some calling her promiscuous and a bad example for young girls.
Carpenter herself did not anticipate the response, and she told Gayle King as much on “CBS Mornings” Friday.
“Between me and my friends and my family and the people that I always share my music and my art with first, it just wasn’t even a conversation,” she said. “It was just, like, it’s perfect for what the album is.”
“Everything about it to me just felt like so opposite of the world ending,” she added. “Y’all need to get out more.”
In response to the criticism initially, Carpenter released alternate covers for the album, which she deemed “approved by God.” The singer-songwriter said her interpretation of the album cover is about “being in on the control, being in on your lack of control and when you want to be in control.”
“For me, this whole album was about the humanity of allowing yourself to make those mistakes, knowing when you’re putting yourself in a situation that will probably end up poorly,” she said. “But it’s going to teach you something, so there was a lot of different meanings.”
And for those who still won’t jump on board, Carpenter seemed unbothered: “They hadn’t heard the project. They don’t know me. They don’t know my intentions.” Then she joked to King that her parents actually loved it.
The “Manchild” singer opened up about leaning into her sexuality as she has gotten older. She said weaving that part of her life into the music has come naturally.
“I didn’t realize it was as taboo of a topic until I started writing about it more freely,” she said. “I just do what makes me happy, what makes me laugh.”
As for her suggestive lyrics, she said those are always what jumps out for her first then she conceptualizes how she packages the music for her fans. She said making this album felt like a band in many ways, working with collaborators Jack Antonoff, Amy Allen and John Ryan.
When asked about her upcoming duet with Taylor Swift on “The Life of a Showgirl,” Carpenter said her lips are sealed.
Watch the full interview here:
