From the iconic “that me espresso” lyric to her signature pin-up look, pop star Sabrina Carpenter’s newfound dominance in the cultural zeitgeist has been hard to ignore. Fresh off of her first two Grammy wins and soon to embark on the European leg of her first arena tour, Carpenter finally released the long-awaited deluxe tracks for her 2024 breakthrough album “Short n’ Sweet.” Featuring four brand-new songs and a Dolly Parton feature on the remix of smash hit “Please, Please, Please,” Carpenter continues to flaunt her genre versatility, indicating that while she may be short in stature, her time in the spotlight certainly will not be.
The first new track, “15 Minutes,” explores Carpenter’s hopes of sustaining her viral momentum for as long as possible, considering the typical brevity of stardom. As a longtime Carpenter fan — she has been my number one artist on Spotify Wrapped for as long as I’ve had the app — who has been avidly following her hard work across her decade-long career, I found pride and catharsis in listening to her commentary about her recent rise to the top of the charts.
In the song, she recalls the fierce “hatedom” she acquired in 2021 at the peak of her alleged drama with Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett. Reflecting on how many of those same haters have now become superficial supporters, “15 Minutes” is full of confident lyrics that show off the ambition that has brought her to this point and an infectious melody that fits right in with other upbeat songs on the album like “Good Graces” and “Juno.”
The revamped version of Carpenter’s synth-pop chart-topper “Please, Please, Please” features country legend Dolly Parton and her classic Southern twang. While I love that Carpenter had the chance to collaborate with one of her childhood idols, I wish the two artists’ vocals were mixed better. The volume discrepancy between the two is distracting, and I would have loved to hear the country affectations Carpenter often adopts during her live performances of the song. Blending their vocal tones could have produced a more cohesive track and filled its potential to meet the acclaim of its original version. Regardless of these minor flaws, it is certainly a cute remix, and I think the hate it has received on social media is an overreaction.
The next track, “Couldn’t Make It Any Harder,” immediately grabbed my attention. Carpenter leans further into the vintage Old Hollywood aesthetic she has emulated throughout the “Short n’ Sweet” era and showcases the range of her powerful vocals. The song details Carpenter’s disillusionment with the culture of modern relationships and is melodically similar to Olivia Newton John’s “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” a song Carpenter has added to her tour repertoire as a cover performance. The melodic ascension of the pre chorus into the chorus stopped me in my tracks, simultaneously breaking my heart and giving me goosebumps; this song immediately shot its way up into the upper echelon of my favorites in Carpenter’s catalogue — hearing it performed live someday is not a want, but a need.
After six long months of playing “Busy Woman” via Spotify podcast, the formerly digital-download exclusive was finally released for everyone’s listening pleasure. Infused with disco-pop production and Carpenter’s trademark witty pen, “Busy Woman” is perfectly poised to become the breakaway hit from this deluxe. Lyrics like, “I’m so mature, collected and sensible / Except when I get hit with rejection,” have me giggling on my walk to class while the prominent synths have me dancing in my dorm instead of doing my homework. I can already visualize a delightfully campy video for this track a la the horror-inspired videos for “Taste” and “Feather.”
The final song, stripped-down tune “Bad Reviews,” is the perfect way to conclude the album. Carpenter muses on her romantic escapades over the years and the public’s unsolicited opinions. In a thematic parallel to her assertions of having “good judgment” in “Please, Please, Please,” Carpenter claims she’s “fresh out of good judgment” after opening herself up to so many people. She proclaims she’s “heard all the bad news and all the bad reviews” but won’t let outside voices taint her opinion of her lover. Carpenter tells her partner that “Still I choose to be in love with you,” even to the point of ignoring her own close friends’ opinions on the matter.
This offered refreshing closure after nearly four years of the media critiquing Carpenter’s romantic decisions en masse. This introspective track neatly wraps the album up with a bow, showing that Carpenter has chosen to not let the scrutiny get to her and wants to live her life as she sees fit — with folksy instrumentals to boot.
“Short n’ Sweet (Deluxe)” is the cherry on top for Carpenter’s monumentally sweet year. Premiering alongside a music video paying homage to her love of old Westerns, a delightfully theatrical performance at the Grammys, and a revival of the viral “Domingo” parody skit for the 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live,” Carpenter is blasting beyond her “15 Minutes” of fame to cement her status as pop royalty, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.
