Pop star Sabrina Carpenter unveiled the cover for her upcoming album “Man’s Best Friend” last week — and it’s sparking controversy for all the wrong reasons.
The star’s current stage persona is a far cry from her former Disney Channel days. Carpenter now takes the stage, performing sexually suggestive choreography while singing even raunchier lyrics.
Her new album cover? It features her kneeling beneath a man gripping her hair, along with a photo of a dog wearing a collar engraved with the phrase “man’s best friend.”
🚨 Sabrina Carpenter announces new album ‘Man’s Best Friend.’ Out August 29th. pic.twitter.com/2aXa70OKG7
— Pop Base (@PopBase) June 11, 2025
Keep in mind, Carpenter’s fan base is roughly 75 percent female, mostly aged 18 to 24. Many of them might remember her from her Disney Channel days - at least I do. But she also has a significant following among teens and tweens.
Parents aren’t the only ones raising eyebrows over Carpenter’s raunchy turn. Even adult women online are done with the act:
Sabrina Carpenter’s new album cover.
— Reagan Conrad Rohrbach (@ReaganConrad) June 12, 2025
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Other reactions echo the same sentiment - disappointment and discomfort:
Why is it that so many successful, talented women within the music industry feel the need to push sexually explicit content? Is raw talent no longer enough?
The hypersexualization of female pop stars, especially when their fan base includes teens and young girls, has gone too far. Carpenter’s brand seems less about music and more about staying provocative enough to trend.
Sure, her songs are undeniably catchy. But when you pair explicit lyrics with overtly sexual performances, the message becomes clear: in today’s music industry, sex sells faster than skill.
Some are calling it “marketing genius,” saying she’s baiting the public with controversy. Maybe. But, at what cost?
Young fans aren’t just listening to the music; they absorb the message.
Imagine if a male artist released a cover like hers or acted out similar routines on stage. He’d be accused of objectifying women. Yet when the roles are reversed, it’s called “empowerment”?
Let’s be honest: hypersexualism doesn’t lead to empowerment. It doesn’t lead to respect. And it certainly doesn’t uplift the next generation of girls watching from the front row.
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