Sabrina Carpenter’s new album cover

[TERFlawnBOY]

I don’t want to post the photo as it is risqué…

For those who don’t know, Sabrina Carpenter is a sexy young pop singer. Her new album cover was shared this week and it depicts her being held down at a man’s crotch by her hair.

To be honest, the image did shock me. Sabrina’s music is poppy and fun, so to go with such an aggressive image seems off-brand. Moreover, her fans are mostly young girls…

What do others think?

Unless it's confirmed, then that doesn't really help

It’s all obviously to get us all talking, spark interest and make money…which she’s already succeeded in doing already before it’s even released 😂

The usual attention-seeking, headline grabbing, sex sells nonsense

Just another silly girl who thinks she is being empowered and freely expressing her sexuality or whatever these women tell themselves when really it is just about marketing and some record company executives lining their pockets.

I assume she and her team will congratulate themselves for the exposure and sales but in the end she is cheapening herself as an artist.

This is why I respect the likes of Billie Eilish and Chappel Roan. They are in the same market and might sing about sex but they don't feel the need to pander to men or look/act like glamour models.

I'm also worried about the poor bloke in the back of the pickup truck when she and Dolly Parton did 'Please, please, please'. With the spade. (Great vid, IMO.)

Wonder what Dolly thinks?

Obviously we don't have much context on her new album, but a lot of her music is quite critical of men and how they treat women. At least two songs on her last album setting out her standards and what her partners can expect if they fail to meet them (Please Please Please and Good Graces), with other songs about disappointing she finds men's behaviour in general (Slim Pickin's, Sharpest Tool, Coincidence). Considering her newest single is "Manchild" I'd guess she isn't going to be dropping the subject.

I find a lot of her music speaks to the inherent conflict many straight women have, disliking how men treat women while still being attracted to men. Her persona and image are quite sexual, but it seems to appeal far more to women than men; when it comes to her lyrics and her shows there's something quite campy and fun about the sexuality, it's more Betty Boop than Bonnie Blue. I don't know, I'm inclined to trust that she knows what she's doing and she's more than capable of irony in her art; I'd wager it's more making a statement on how people see her than an endorsement of those opinions.

I think she looks like a dog being petted, as well as the sec reference. Man’s Best Friend.

So I object to the subjugation of it.

Why does her face look as if she has had a facelift. Sort of taut and shiny? She’s only twenty six…..

She isn’t doing anything new, is she? So many before her have used sex to sell. I don’t know why people are so bothered about someone doing something that’s been happening for decades already.

I saw a discussion about this elsewhere and someone said "she's just celebrating her sexuality in music" and I wonder why anyone needs to go around celebrating their sexuality publicly? Especially if it's a kinky sexuality. It's just exhibitionism and it's tiresome.

Moreover, her fans are mostly young girls…

I’m so tired of seeing this used as a stick to beat female musicians with if they do something people don’t approve of. They said it as soon as Taylor Swift starting singing about sex, drinking etc and she was in her early 30’s at the time! Sabrina has never ever aimed her music at a young audience so if young girls are listening to it, that’s on their parents.

She can do what she likes, she is beautiful, funny, talented and sexy. It’s her decision and I think it shows power and confidence. Lots of women would hate to do this, which is also fine. She can decide for herself

Silly girl having a massively successful career. And Chappell Roan is brilliant but also very sexual

Chappel roan is sexual i mean she isn't targeting men because she's gay but she is just as Sexual as Sabrina.

Imo she is on the current sex-as-personal-empowerment band wagon which has seen eg actresses speak out in favour of sex work, Anora winning best film and best actress oscars, Kate Nash and her Only Fans work, Bonnie Blue and her infamous stunts, Nicole Kidman even in Babygirl. It's a crowded market and she wants to stand out.

Trouble is, many of her fans are 12 year old girls. They go to her concerts and call radio stations to request her songs. It's a tricky line - all the current pop females are on a spectrum of overly sexy, even while aiming at teens. See Little Mix for example. The older women like Arianna Grande and Taylor Swift are not so provocative but let's see how they react now the dial for mainstream sleaze has been turned right up.

I’m from the Madonna age so find SC derivative.

”This is 1982. Get out of the 60s. We don’t have that mentality anymore.”

43 years later…

The 12 year old girls’ parents are letting them hear the songs. The 12 year old girls’ parents are buying the concert tickets. The 12 year old girls are not Sabrina Carpenter’s responsibility.

Yes, I agree. I’m old enough to remember Madonna in her pomp, I think Sabrina’s the comparatively soft version!

This is a very simplistic, naïve answer. Don’t you think perhaps the OP was referring to whether showing a picture with a woman being held by her hair at a man’s crotch is setting a troubling example for women and girls? I believe OP was looking for an intelligent conversation about it.

Risqué 😂😂😂😂 you do know it’s 2025? I think she’s amazing

By her hair? That’s better?

It’s a shame when sex-positive seems to be women-negative.

I'm unsure what you mean ?

I do know it’s 2025, where online porn has taught a generation of men that what women like is being choked, slapped, spat on and otherwise sexually demeaned, and young women are under a lot of pressure to be cool and go along with it or be damned as vanilla.

These young women performers who are marketed towards young girls as 'strong female figures' - off the top of my head I can only think of Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande, Tyla - combine a kick-ass, don't-mess-with-me-I'm-a-modern-woman attitude, with sexualised outfits, movements and lyrics.

Or videos that start with the singer wearing a reasonable amount of fairly ordinary clothes, but as the video progresses, the outfits become more and more revealing and it's amazing how often the singer ends up with not a lot of clothes on, lying on her front, pouting at the camera and writhing a lot🙄
There's sometimes a bit of aggression thrown in, like slapping or pushing a boy - see, I'm so tough I can dress and act all sexy like this AND hit boys to show them who's boss! Who run the world? Girls. Allegedly.

I think they give very confused and negative messages to young girls about what 'being a strong and independent woman' actually means - and their fans do tend to be very young teens.

They make Taylor Swift seem like a rights-hoarding dinosaur in comparison

I see posts saying so what? and yeah, so what, but I think the 12 year old girls 'consuming' this musical product deserve a more balanced image of how to be a strong young women in 2025.