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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Leeds chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This summer, Sabrina Carpenter unexpectedly, yet generously, gifted us Man’s Best Friend, her seventh studio album, which succeeded globally adored Short n’ Sweet. With twelve unskippable tracks, the album has performed incredibly well, notably charting at number 1 on the Billboard 200 and setting the tone for all the pop princesses this year. Despite this, the fallout from the album was far from sunshine and rainbows. Aside from initial excitement at the prospect of a new album so soon after the last, audiences were quick to discuss the elephant in the room – the cover.
The cover in question pictures Sabrina kneeling on a carpeted floor with her hair being pulled by a man. Originally announced on Instagram in June, following the release of ‘Manchild’, only a couple of seconds scrolling through the post’s comments reveals the prevalent feeling from fans:
“I don’t care if this is ironic or satirical, it’s in poor taste and degrading. ‘That’s the point’ okay???? Doesn’t make it any less harmful, so many other ways this concept could’ve been portrayed”
“This isn’t satire, this is not empowering to women. You’ve missed the mark by so much hun.”
“Women fought decades for rights, and this is what they get??”
“Don’t girl!! Don’t normalize this”
It’s fair to say the cover felt the hit of public backlash, specifically amongst her predominantly female audience. Many fans felt the cover displayed a belittling and harmful portrayal of women, pandering to the problematic ‘Male Gaze’, with some even arguing it glorifies domestic and sexual abuse. As well as this, with the title itself being Man’s Best Friend, outraged fans were quick to presume that Sabrina’s on-all-fours position implied she was a ‘bitch’ – female dog – or a subordinate pet for the man. These critiques did not exactly help her case. Some went as far as to say it was anti-feminist and even set women back years in the work they have done, emphasising that the size of Sabrina’s social platform comes with a lot of responsibility.
Context is also important to note, as since before the time of release, women in the US have been fighting for their own bodily autonomy, with abortion laws becoming stricter and scarier by the day. In this sense, many believed Sabrina’s cover appeared thoughtless or disrespectful towards the battles many women are facing in America’s current political climate.
Despite the social media upshot, some fans were just as quick to defend the cover and Sabrina herself, with the basis of the counterargument proposing that, as an adult woman, Sabrina has the freedom to express sexuality and even kinks, ironically, enabled by the progression of feminism. In addition to this, many pointed out that Sabrina is known, if not famous for, her openness surrounding sex and pleasure in her music and performances, meaning this cover is actually ‘on brand’ for her. These fans argue Britney Spears, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus and countless other successful female music artists have also released covers that could be deemed ‘sexually provocative’ or controversial, so what makes Man’s Best Friend different? On this side of the debate, fans also insist that the cover is purposefully ironic and satirical, pointing out that ‘Manchild’ undoubtedly criticises a lack of male maturity (presumably in her ex, Barry Keoghan). Furthermore, in the cover itself, Sabrina is arguably portrayed as being in control; she looks at us directly and appears to be enjoying her role, whereas the man in shot is faceless and perhaps, in this sense, powerless.
But what does Sabrina herself have to say about all this?
In response, Sabrina sequentially released two alternative versions, with the first one captioned “& here is a new alternate cover approved by God”, indirectly addressing the backlash. However, many fans saw this as petty and immature, lacking an apology with accountability that they were hoping to receive. Fast forward to now, after the unquestionable success of the album, Sabrina has directly responded to the criticism through interviews. In an extended CBS interview with Gayle King, when asked directly about the cover backlash, Sabrina quickly responded, “Y’all need to get out more”, emphasising the cover is a perfect representation of the album, showcasing the complex relationship between control and humanity in making mistakes. Sabrina also highlighted that the perception of the cover is down to individual interpretation and life experience, noting people were quick to judge and “point fingers” without even the sound of the album itself. Whilst Sabrina acknowledged some people could take offence if they don’t know her or her music, she concluded that “true fans” know the artistic purpose of the cover, which, again, seems exclusionary and condescending, and does not suggest she is going to apologise to those whom she has offended.
So, what’s the verdict?
I don’t think this is a black or white situation; like most art, this cover is a complicated grey area that prompts discussion and debate amongst audiences. Until this cover, Sabrina was frequently praised for her girl’s girl energy and appeal towards the female gaze alongside her unapologetically and openly sexual lyrics. Despite this, it’s easy to grasp both sides of the argument. On the one hand, and without context, it could be seen as degrading to women and too closely associated with physical abuse. However, having now heard the album and its empowering, playful songs, it’s also possible to see Sabrina’s intended messages mentioned in the CBS interview. Alongside this, and more recently, Sabrina performed ‘Tears’ (from Man’s Best Friend) on the VMAs stage. As well as having undeniable star quality, she also openly campaigned for transgender rights, making it hard to see her as anything but a feminist advocate.
While it is important to view art through a critical lens, ultimately, it’s subjective. Despite the initial stir, Man’s Best Friend is an absolutely captivating album, and from a strategic perspective, this controversial cover was good for publicity. So, was this perhaps a business move that profits from the dominance of cancel culture?
Or, as Sabrina proposes, maybe it’s just not that deep.
Editor: Grace English
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English (US) ·