Pop star Sabrina Carpenter has fired back at online critics after the release of the cover art for her upcoming album, Man's Best Friend, stirred controversy for its bold and provocative imagery.
The cover, shared earlier this month, shows Carpenter on her hands and knees, wearing a tight black dress and heels, with one hand resting on the leg of a faceless man in a suit.
The man is holding a lock of her hair while her neck is wrapped in a collar bearing the album title.
According to ENews, the image sparked immediate backlash, with many accusing the singer of leaning too heavily into sexual themes.
One social media user reposted the image and asked, "Does she have a personality outside of sex?" In response, Carpenter clapped back, writing, "Girl yes and it is goooooood."
The 26-year-old singer didn't stop there. In a Rolling Stone interview published June 12, she addressed the backlash more directly.
"It's always so funny to me when people complain," she said. "They're like, 'All she does is sing about this.' But those are the songs that you've made popular. Clearly you love sex. You're obsessed with it."
i don’t care if the songs on this album are about “hating men” or “taking back control” this imagery is honestly so disgusting and disturbing i’m honestly so disappointed in Sabrina Carpenter right now. pic.twitter.com/kUJmeF0c6c
— aryanna (@thewayilvdu) June 11, 2025
Sabrina Carpenter Defends "Juno" Stage Moves Amid Criticism
The singer also pointed to her recent performances on the "Short n' Sweet" Tour, where fans have consistently shared clips of a certain moment in her song "Juno."
After singing the line "Have you ever tried this one?" Carpenter poses in a new suggestive position each night.
"There's so many more moments than the 'Juno' positions," she said, "but those are the ones you post every night and comment on. I can't control that."
Beyond individual criticism, some groups have raised concerns about the imagery itself. Women's rights advocates argue the image promotes harmful stereotypes and reduces women to objects.
Glasgow Women's Aid, for example, expressed concerns about the cover, saying it reflects tired ideas of control and submission, IBT said. Still, others believe the image is meant to challenge those very ideas.
Fans and pop culture observers say the cover could be read as a commentary on toxic power dynamics, especially considering Carpenter's recent single "Manchild," which criticizes immature masculinity.
Sabrina Carpenter's Man's Best Friend is set for release on August 29.
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