Pop star Sabrina Carpenter is speaking out about the buzz surrounding the cover of her new album, Man’s Best Friend.
The 25-year-old singer, best known for hits like Please Please Please, released her seventh studio album on August 29 through Island Records. But it wasn’t just the music that caught attention — the album cover art stirred up debate online.
In the image, Sabrina is shown kneeling beside a faceless person in a suit who is holding her hair. Some fans and critics quickly labeled the artwork as “submissive” and even “degrading to women.”
Carpenter, however, says the meaning behind the cover is deeply personal and not intended to provoke in the way people might assume.
“I don’t do anything based on how people might react,” she explained in an interview with Interview Magazine. “I only choose things that feel right to me and make sense once you hear the music. When I came up with the cover concept, it was so clear what it meant to me — so watching people react is fascinating.”
She went on to say that submission isn’t always one-sided.
“Submission can be both dominant and submissive. It depends on your intentions, your needs, and what you crave,” Carpenter noted. “For me, the image is a metaphor. Others may see it differently, and that’s fine.”
As for whether the online chatter upsets her, Sabrina admits it’s a mix of emotions.
“Sometimes I laugh, sometimes I feel a little sad. My perspective is unique to my own life experiences. What I’m expressing in this record is about loss, heartbreak, celebration, and figuring out who I am as a young woman. I’m not above it all, but I’m not beneath it either.”
Despite the controversy, Man’s Best Friend is already sparking conversations — and that seems to be exactly what Sabrina expected.
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