Sabrina Carpenter claps back at Man's Best Friend cover controversy

Los Angeles, California - Sabrina Carpenter is getting the last laugh after the cover for her new album, Man's Best Friend, sparked a wave of controversy on social media.

Sabrina Carpenter is getting the last laugh after the cover for her new album, Man's Best Friend, sparked a wave of controversy on social media.
Sabrina Carpenter is getting the last laugh after the cover for her new album, Man's Best Friend, sparked a wave of controversy on social media.  © Collage: Screenshot/Instagram/@sabrinacarpenter & IMAGO / i Images

Earlier this month, the 26-year-old pop star unveiled the artwork for her upcoming record, which is set to drop in August.

The cover of Man's Best Friend sees Sabrina on all fours as she reaches up to a man, who is holding her by the hair.

"Does she have a personality outside of sex?" one X user wrote in response to the cover reveal.

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"girl yes and it is goooooood," Sabrina replied on Monday.

While sexuality has become a famous element of the Espresso singer's brand, some fans complained that the album cover was more degrading than it was empowering.

Speaking with Rolling Stone recently, Sabrina said she wasn't concerned about what people might think of Man's Best Friend, saying bluntly, "I can not give a f**k about it, because I'm just so excited."

Sabrina also brushed off criticism about her songs and live performances being too sexual, telling the outlet, "It's always so funny to me when people complain."

"They’re like, 'All she does is sing about this.' But those are the songs that you've made popular. Clearly, you love sex. You're obsessed with it," she quipped.

Sabrina Carpenter calls out scrutiny of female artists

Sabrina Carpenter's 2024 album Short n' Sweet earned her two Grammy Awards at this year's ceremony.
Sabrina Carpenter's 2024 album Short n' Sweet earned her two Grammy Awards at this year's ceremony.  © FRAZER HARRISON / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

The Nonsense artist further dished on the pressure female artists are under, especially in the age of social media. This scrutiny came into focus with the album cover rollout, but Sabrina was already feeling it long before that discourse began.

"I don't want to be pessimistic, but I truly feel like I've never lived in a time where women have been picked apart more, and scrutinized in every capacity," she said.

"We're in such a weird time where you would think it's girl power, and women supporting women, but in reality, the second you see a picture of someone wearing a dress on a carpet, you have to say everything mean about it in the first 30 seconds that you see it," Sabrina added.

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Still, the Grammy winner has largely been able to brush off the pressure, at least publicly, with plenty of clapbacks and her trademark sense of humor.

But Sabrina's success can certainly speak on its own these days, as the first single from Man's Best Friend, Manchild, recently debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100.

Cover photo: Collage: Screenshot/Instagram/@sabrinacarpenter & IMAGO / i Images

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