Sabrina Carpenter - too sexy?

[pinotgrigeeeeo]

I'm late 30s, not really target audience for Sabrina Carpenter and was unaware of her existence until a few weeks ago, however for some reason my social media algorithm is bombarding me with her.

Anyway, I now know two of her songs and they are VERY catchy. Great pop songs.

She is undeniably beautiful.

However. Does anybody else feel a bit uncomfortable / surprised with the overt sexuality that she exudes?

And I don't know how else to put it without sounding like a prude. Because I'm really not a prude.

She dresses in lingerie a lot of the time. And at the end of one song I believe she says "do you know this position?" and each time she performs it she then enacts a different sexual position on stage.

The lyrics to some of her songs are very dirty. (Just heard one that's about a partner getting back with his ex and she sings that "now you'll have to taste me when he's kissing you").

This is nothing new to me. Genuinely not a prude.

So I'm not sure why I feel uncomfortable with her. It's possibly because she looks very young and I got them impression her music was targeted at young girls, similar to Taylor Swift.

She's not really doing anything that Madonna didn't....yet it just feels different.

I also feel Madonna was pushing boundaries. Those boundaries have no been pushed, and what SC is doing isn't new. So why do I find it noteworthy? I don't really know.

I can't put my finger on it.

Something about it seems quite dated to me. Females like Debbie Harry, Shirley Manson etc just seem a lot more fresh to me. They were sexy, but there was more to them. More to the music. Their sexuality wasn't so "in your face".

I don't have a problem with SC just doing pop music, as I've said, I actually like two of the songs.

I just can't put my finger on why the overt sexuality is bothering me. I think it must be because of who I perceive the target audience to be.

I've seen people comparing her to Dolly Parton, and whilst nobody has elaborated, I guess I can see the similarities in curvy, blonde, petite, confident. But there is something....dare I say it.....seedy about SC that Dolly just doesn't have.

Anyway, just musing. Wondering if anybody else feels similar or if I am just a miserable old bag these days.

Yes, you are right, it doesn't have to be progressive. It can just be pop music.

But I do feel it goes the other way though. All the comments about men dicks etc I just find so unnecessary and male-centred and just generally moving in the wrong direction.

@pinotgrigeeeeo the Sabrina of my youth. Couldn’t sing a note. Wore hideous outfits. However, the video was never off the video jukebox thing down my local, young fellas playing it on a loop!

I have to agree but my 11 year old DD loves her and is going to see her live in March 😳

Interesting. This isn't something I know much (or anything!) about.

I know next to nothing about Ariana Grande and not much more about Miley.

Taylor Swift has a lyric that's says

'My bed sheets are ablaze, I screamed his name building up like waves crashing over my grave'

I mean... it's dirty in a poetic way 🤣

Never heard of her. I was all set to be outraged based on the comments in this thread but after watching her performance and seeing women/girls going wild in the crowd, it’s not for me but I get the appeal. It isn’t for men. It’s like that expression ‘when you see it you know it’. This isn’t that. It’s tongue-in-cheek and OTT on purpose.

Yes people say she has a lot of songs that are "ovulation" songs. Like Guilty as sin. I don't see her as writing music for little girls at all considering she has a song called Slut lol

SC is hardly the first artist to use her sexuality to sell herself. Her "niche" is more babydoll/sexy baby than Christina's dirty phase or Miley Blurred Lines era which were overtly sexual lads mag personas. She also seems more in control of her image than Christina or Britney ever were. It also to me feels more "her" and not for the sake of controversy.

Ultimately this is a 25 year old woman who is enjoying great success and is old enough to make her own decisions.

@pinotgrigeeeeo

for goodness sake! “she wears too much makeup” you forgot to add to that “in my opinion”. Cos that’s all it is - your opinion, not a fact. Plenty of people would disagree with you.

also a “natural look” is not somehow better than full beat glam. They’re just two different looks. Why do you think a “natural look” is better?

Bang on! I’m 25 and I love her 😂

@LuckySantangelo35 well yes, it's my opinion. Sorry, I thought that was a given.

Yes, I think it's the "sexy baby" thing that I am not keen on.

Ok, I can see what you are saying.

It hasn't quite landed that way with me, but I can see I am in the minority.

I can't get past the fact that Bart Simpson is her Aunt.

Agree. She's a fully adult female pop singer making money. Millionaire already, probably (I don't know much about her). She doesn't owe anyone 'empowerment', she doesn't have to be 'progressive' if she doesn't want to, she can wear whatever she chooses and wear makeup, she's not the mother of any of your kids and doesn't need to be 'a suitable role model' for them.

She's in business, she's making money. It's not really worthwhile music or high art, she's more a businesswoman than an artist. And good for her. I don't like her, so I don't listen to her. Plenty of people do and that's fine. Just don't see the need to pearl clutch. If she wants to cater 'for the male gaze' or whatever, it's her prerogative.

I mean she's not exactly a feminist role model is she?

Why not?

I don't think her image is aimed at men. I can pretty much guarantee men aren't listening to her music or providing her with much revenue.

@QuintessentialDragon But I'm not pearl clutching?

I was just trying to have a discussion about why something about her wasn't quite resonating with me, despite the fact that many others doing similar things don't make me feel uncomfortable the way she does.

Many posters have understood this and I've found it to be a useful discussion.

Not sure why you need to come in accusing me of "pearl clutching".

You can't list off a load of prudish opinions about how you think a woman should present herself in a less sexy manner, and then just say "I'm not a prude" and have it be true.

She just reminds me of those 5 year old american pageant contestents all dressed up in adult outfits and makeup with blonde wigs. Its just a bit weird. I feel like Sabrina is doing what she thinks other people want her to be like and a very male version of sexuality rather than actually embracing her own sexuality. It just comes across as very put on.

I’m not a fan of her stage costumes, but that might just be a personal taste thing. I can see why her aesthetic might not do it for you.

The horny pop, tongue in cheek humour I enjoy greatly though. Her songs are funny and aimed at women. Kids have been singing along to catchy pop songs they don’t understand the lyrics to forever, it doesn’t mean the songs are aimed at their demographic.

@LuckySantangelo35

sure!
just out of interest though why do you think her having a more “natural” look would be better than her current makeup?

@LuckySantangelo35 I feel that the excess make-up doesn't serve to make her more attractive, but does make her look more porcelain doll-like. She would be just as attractive without it, but more real looking.

The very smooth, rosy cheeks in particular are very doll-like.

I appreciate this is the look she is going for, but the childlike / doll-like image is what I find jarring alongside the overtly sexual and submissive lyrics.

She's not going for a child like image. That's not what "sexy baby" is. Ultra feminine and doll like maybe. It's nothing Bridget Bardot and Vanessa Paradis haven't done before her