On Feb. 4, pop star Sabrina Carpenter took to Instagram to make a big announcement: she would be releasing the deluxe version of Short n’ Sweet on Valentine’s Day as a thank you for the two Grammy awards she received for the album, Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance. The deluxe cover has a light blue background with Carpenter looking over her kiss-marked shoulder seductively. The deluxe tracks include “15 Minutes,” “Please Please Please (feat. Dolly Parton),” “Couldn’t Make It Any Harder,” “Busy Woman” and “Bad Reviews.” The penultimate deluxe track had already been released in a previous deluxe version of the album Short n’ Sweet(er), released on Aug. 29, 2024.
“15 Minutes,” an upbeat track, refers to the phrase “15 minutes of fame” as a way to reflect on her sudden rise in stardom last year, though she has been making music since the mid-2010’s. With lyrics like, “Clock is tickin’ lately / Guess that means I’m doing something right / Been here a long time, baby / My gosh, I hope I make it through the night,” Carpenter reflects back on her Disney Channel days, reminding her audience that—although she recognizes her spiked popularity within the past year—she is not new to the game and has been making music for a while. She also confesses that people have begun being fake now that she is more famous than before: “Where did all these parties come from? / When did all you b—s get so nice? / Running out the woodwork and / Hoping there’s no brain between my eyes.” Of course, the chorus contains another classic Sabrina Carpenter innuendo. All in all, the song’s highly reflective lyrics complement the ‘80’s pop synth in the instrumental, proving that Carpenter is a natural entertainer.
“Please Please Please” was already an iconic song when it came out, but there is a kind of mother-daughter energy that is brought into the mix when Dolly Parton joins in. In contrast to the original 2024 track, the remix has a more classic country feel as if it is originally Parton’s song. The new version of the song is also accompanied by a music video, in which Carpenter drives a retro car with Parton in the passenger seat–the two of them blissfully singing the lyrics. There is something nostalgic and comforting about “Please Please Please” being turned into a country song; it sounds as if it was released in a completely different era, which in itself is a solid—yet unexpected—addition to the album.
“Couldn’t Make It Any Harder” and “Bad Reviews” are both the slower, sadder inclusions to the deluxe album. In the former, Carpenter apologizes to her lover for being so hard to love after all the emotional trauma she has been through. She sings, “Oh, what I’d give to be / Meeting you as the glass-half-full version of me / I was easier than I am now / Would’ve folded, but I can’t now.” In the end, she acknowledges that he will want someone easier to love than her, making for a heartbreaking conclusion. Meanwhile, in “Bad Reviews,” it is rumored that Carpenter makes a nod to her ex-boyfriend, Barry Keoghan. She sings, “I’ve heard all the bad news and the bad reviews / Couple bad gut feelings, well, I’ve had them too / But, still, I choose to be in love with you.” Despite her having seen the red flags in him from the beginning, she still allowed herself to fall in love with him.
Finally, “Busy Woman”—the track that was originally released in late August—has the same vibe as “15 Minutes.” It’s a danceable track that pokes fun at rejection. Hence the title, Carpenter claims that she is a “busy woman” and wouldn’t make time for just anybody, except if “you call tonight.” It is a definite confidence-booster, affirming that she is a catch and doesn’t have time for guys who don’t want to. With this kind of message, it is a fitting song for Valentine’s Day—though she wants love, she doesn’t have time for the fickle ones, and wants guys who want her.
Short n’ Sweet (Deluxe) is now available on all streaming platforms.
