Sabrina Carpenter releases Mans Best Friend as pop stardom rises

Sabrina Carpenter released her seventh studio album, Mans Best Friend, on Friday, a 38 minute set that arrives amid both critical attention to its provocative imagery and renewed interest in the 26 year old pop star's rapid ascent from Disney actor to mainstream pop fixture. The album follows a string of high-profile moments for Carpenter, including opening for Taylor Swift on the Eras tour, a Versace ambassadorship and multiple nominations ahead of the MTV Video Music Awards.

Mans Best Friend opens with the raucous single Manchild and moves through a mix of cheeky comic vignettes and loungey, sultry tracks. Songs such as Tears and My Man apply Carpenter’s signature conversational lyricism to contemporary scenes, while When Did You Get Hot? and the barnstorming Go Go Juice inject dance beats and irreverent humor. In a review, one critic praised Go Go Juice as the album's high point for its anthemic chorus and comic asides, but also noted that much of the record leans into a restrained, breathy vocal style that rarely soars in the way of some of Carpenter's earlier hits.

The album has prompted debate over its artwork and stage presentation. Thinkpiece writers and commentators...