Ever since the release of her last album, “emails i can’t send,” in 2022, Sabrina Carpenter’s fame has steadily been on the rise. With her memorable performances opening for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and iconic sense of style, Carpenter has become a household name and formed a devoted fan base who are always awaiting her next move. This year, Carpenter pleased the masses Aug. 23 with the release of her latest album, “Short n’ Sweet,” Leading up to the album’s release, Carpenter put out the singles “Espresso” and “Please Please Please”, which were thereafter decreed “songs of the summer,” further building anticipation for her album.
The title perfectly captures both the album’s compact and enjoyable nature — like the 5 foot artist herself. The petite singer’s stature is even mentioned in the album’s first track and third single, “Taste,” where Carpenter sings, “Oh, I leave quite an impression / Five feet to be exact.” In the “Taste” music video, Carpenter brings Jenna Ortega in to do a masterful rendition of a woman seeking revenge on her ex-lover’s new girl. Carpenter’s lyrics follow this same plot as she sings, “Every time you close your eyes / And feel his lips you’re feelin’ mine / And every time you breathe his air / Just know I was already there.”
There are speculations that “Taste,” along with other songs on the album, are references to Carpenter’s brief fling with Shawn Mendes. Mendes was photographed in public with his ex-girlfriend Camila Cabello shortly after being with Carpenter. Unfortunately, when it comes to Carpenter, it seems a love triangle is never out of the picture. The Carpenter-Mendes-Cabello situation is reminiscent of Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bassett and Carpenter’s love triangle that made headlines back in 2021 and inspired songs on Carpenter’s previous album, “emails i can’t send.”
However, listeners are not left with too much time to dwell on Carpenter’s past relationships — immediately after “Taste,” she launches into “Please Please Please,” accompanied by a music video starring Carpenter’s current boyfriend, Barry Keoghan. Similar to “Taste,” the song is slower, with Carpenter lamenting the push and pull that comes with falling in love with a questionable person. With lyrics like “Don’t bring me to tears when I just did my makeup so nice / Heartbreak is one thing / My ego’s another,” Carpenter describes the allure she still has to this person, regardless of their jarring flaws.
The album’s third song, “Good Graces,” is one of the more upbeat tracks to come from the album, with Carpenter singing about how quickly she can drop her partner if they prove to be not what she wants. She sings, “You should stay in my good graces / Or I’ll switch it up like that, so fast.” Similar self-empowering lyrics are seen in her older songs such as “Nonsense” and “Feather,” and it is satisfying to see that she has not strayed far from her roots. The lyrics, as well as the catchy tempo of the song, make it a certified hit.
Amongst the stream of upbeat hits, Carpenter introduces more mellow themes to the album with songs like “Sharpest Tool,” “Coincidence,” “Dumb & Poetic” and “Lie to Girls.” Despite the slower tempo, these songs follow the same theme of Carpenter feeling betrayed by her lover. In “Sharpest Tool” and “Dumb & Poetic,” Carpenter expresses her attraction to her ex-lover but, at the end of the day, concludes they weren’t good for her.
“Coincidence” continues this storyline with Carpenter berating her partner for being involved with someone else, sarcastically saying that it was a coincidence when her lover and the other women would end up in the same city and be back together. In “Lie to Girls,” Carpenter blames herself for falling in love and describes how she didn’t see (or chose to ignore) the red flags. “Lie to Girls” is by far the most heartbreaking song on the album, as Carpenter describes the lengths she would go to stay in a relationship. While Carpenter’s more radio-ready songs are what draw attention to the album, these softer hidden gems showcase her duality as an artist.
Carpenter combats tepid themes with more lighthearted songs in both musicality and theme. “Bed Chem,” for instance, exudes the same energy as her hit “Nonsense” from her previous album. With its sultry tunes, Carpenter’s twisted sense of humor is deftly woven throughout the lyrics. Similarly, “Espresso,” the album’s first single, has peppy beats and jubilant lyrics that create a confident and playful vibe for the listener. “Juno” is a song about falling in love, envisioning a future with a person and carrying their child. Throughout the song, Carpenter weaves themes of infatuation with a cheerful beat while spilling her feelings to listeners. Any Carpenter fan is aware of her “Nonsense” outros, where the singer creates new witty three-liners to end one of her most popular songs at each live performance. Carpenter’s sense of humor is one that has been well-received in the past, so it’s great to see her elaborate on this style of lyricism.
The final song, “Don’t Smile,” concludes the story Carpenter has been telling throughout the album. With its lyrics, “Don’t smile because it happened, baby, cry because it’s over,” Carpenter twists the classic adage, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Through this, Carpenter captures the longing in the aftermath of a breakup. She wants her ex to feel the same pain that she does, however, she is finally concluding that the relationship is done. In “Don’t Smile,” Carpenter weaves incredibly personal lyrics in with her vast range of vocals to capture her raw emotions.
“Short n’ Sweet” perfectly depicts Carpenter’s newly developed range in lyricism and vocals. She showcases her vulnerability through the different themes and raw emotions she conveys throughout the album. The album blends light, upbeat tracks with more introspective ballads, creating the perfect mix of lyricism and musicality. As a rising artist, the album distinguishes Carpenter in the music industry, proving that she is not just another generic pop star, but someone capable of capturing pure feelings and entrancing listeners. Carpenter proves to be an incredibly talented artist, and, if this album is any indication, that her spotlight will only get bigger.
