Over the summer, pop superstar Sabrina Carpenter took to her Instagram to announce her newest single, “Manchild,” within a year of releasing “Short n’ Sweet” and in the midst of its corresponding tour. The single, along with the music video, were released on June 5. The song— similar to those from the Grammy Award-winning previous album—has a catchy, 80’s-inspired synth beat, accompanied by playful lyrics. As the song title suggests, Carpenter reflects on her poor dating choices, well aware that she has gotten herself in a toxic cycle. She sings, “Oh, I like my boys playing hard to get / And I like my men all incompetent / And I swear they choose me, I’m not choosing them / Amen, hey, men.” The song even begins with a light chuckle, establishing its lighthearted tone and teasing the start of a new era.
Just under a week later, on June 11, Carpenter officially announced her seventh studio album “Man’s Best Friend” with a release date of Aug. 29. Right away, the controversial cover stirred up conversations online, one Instagram comment even describing it as “dehumanizing” to women. The photo features Carpenter on all fours, a man standing off to the side with a fistful of her hair. She boldly looks into the camera, holding up a hand to the man’s leg. Despite the backlash, she defends her artistic choices for the album, as shown in her CBS interview with Gayle King. Acknowledging that her art is not for everyone, Carpenter wanted the artwork to display the concept of control as a woman—in her words, “Fans that know me and know the person behind the music would look at that photo and know exactly what it is.” And, despite the controversy, “Man’s Best Friend” went on to great success, earning Carpenter her second No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Not only that, but the album also became known as having 2025’s best performance week by a female artist.
With a 38-minute runtime, “Man’s Best Friend” features 12 tracks: “Manchild,” “Tears,” “My Man on Willpower,” “Sugar Talking,” “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night,” “Nobody’s Son,” “Never Getting Laid,” “When Did You Get Hot?,” “Go Go Juice,” “Don’t Worry I’ll Make You Worry,” “House Tour,” and “Goodbye.” The album’s second single, “Tears,” was released along with the rest of the album, joined by its own spooky, dancy music video starring Tony Award-winning actor Colman Domingo.
From top to bottom, the album is inspired by deep heartbreak in Sabrina’s life, but in more of a reflective, fun coping mechanism. Carpenter sat down with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe to talk more in depth about the creative process, her collaborators, and the inspiration behind the project. Carpenter confirms the album’s intended optimistic undertone, explaining her thought process as she learned to navigate her new heartbreak, saying, “You kind of just have to get back out there, and not even in a dating way, but just get back out there in terms of, if you’re staying inside and you’re thinking about how everything’s going wrong, everything’s going to go wrong.” This way of thinking manifests itself strategically through each aspect of “Man’s Best Friend,” from the lyrics, to the instrumentation. Rather than harp on her sadness, Carpenter laughs at her attraction to the bare minimum, as shown in “Tears”; she exaggerates the ever-declining population of good men in “Nobody’s Son”; and she shakes her head at men begging for a second chance in the last track, “Goodbye,” just to name a few.
On Sept. 7, to promote the new album, Carpenter took the stage at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, debuting a live performance of “Tears,” joined by numerous dancers, choreography, rain, and a Britney Spears-inspired outfit. Her success does not end there, though. That night, she took home three awards: Best Pop Artist, Best Album (“Short n’ Sweet”), and Best Visual Effects (“Manchild” music video).
“Man’s Best Friend” is now available on all streaming platforms.
