Sabrina Carpenter sparks controversy with provocative 'Man's Best Friend' album cover
Sabrina Carpenter's next musical era doesn't have everyone wagging their tail.
Following the release of her latest single "Manchild," the Grammy-winning pop princess revealed the title and release date for her new album, "Man's Best Friend," on her social media pages June 11.
"My new album, 'Man's Best Friend' 🐾 is out on August 29, 2025," Carpenter, 26, wrote. "I can't wait for it to be yours x"
The post also included an image of what appears to be the album's cover. The photo shows Carpenter, dressed in a black dress and high heels, kneeling on the ground in a dog-like pose while an unidentified individual stands off to the side and pulls her by the hair.
"Man's Best Friend," Carpenter's seventh studio effort, follows the release of her breakthrough 2024 album "Short n' Sweet." The album, which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, spawned the hit singles "Espresso," "Please Please Please," "Taste" and "Bed Chem," as well as solidified the singer's playful pin-up girl image.
Carpenter first teased "Man's Best Friend" with the release of "Manchild" on June 5. The music video for the synth-pop track drew buzz on social media for Carpenter's bold look, which consisted of a white button-up, baby blue heels and denim "micro" shorts.10 bingeable memoirs to check out: Celebrities tell all about aging, marriage and Beyoncé
Carpenter's album cover for "Man's Best Friend" set the comments section ablaze, with fans online chiming in with their hot takes on the provocative image.
"Love (you) Sabrina but in this political climate with Trump as president and women's control over their bodies being taken away in the US… this is kind (of) insensitive," Instagram user @taylorrram wrote.
"This just set us back about 5 decades," @uhhhlexa_ wrote, while user @mgracegunderson weighed in, "Excited for new music but this cover is a big no from me, dawg. In this political climate?? Girls, get up!"
However, other fans welcomed Carpenter's daring imagery along with the announcement of new music. "SUMMER OF SABRINA FOR A SECOND YEAR IN A ROW," Instagram user @aislinndalston exclaimed.
Sabrina Carpenter teases 'Manchild' in 'micro' shorts, fans are in awe
"Sabrina is coming for album of the year, artist of the year, pop vocal album, all of it and I'm here for it 😍," @erik_osterberg wrote.
Responding to some of the criticism aimed at Carpenter, X user @wickednewshub offered a more analytical view of the album artwork.
"For those of you who may lack critical thinking skills, the cover is clearly satirical with a deeper meaning, portraying how the public views her, believing she is just for the male gaze," the user wrote.
Carpenter channels sexual desire unapologetically in nearly every song from her most recent album "Short n' Sweet." On "Juno," a cheeky track about wanting to become pregnant because of how much she adores her partner, she croons: "Wanna try out some freaky positions?"
The singer's tour performance of "Juno," in which she flaunted a sequined mini skirt and pantomimed a sex position while singing the line "Have you ever tried this one?," sparked fierce debate among fans, with some defending Carpenter's saucy performance style and others criticizing it as "male-focused."
This debate actually focuses on a "false dichotomy," Leora Tanenbaum, author of "Sexy Selfie Nation: Standing Up For Yourself in Today's Toxic, Sexist Culture," previously told USA TODAY. "(People) ask if she's trying to appeal to the 'male gaze' — appearing hot to cater to hetero men's sexual desires — or to the 'female gaze' — looking sexy on her own terms to make a point about women's confidence and sex-positivity."
Sabrina Carpenter, hookup culture and why the way we talk about sex is changing
In a changing cultural landscape, in which views on female sexual agency are being reevaluated, women like Carpenter are often scrutinized for their overt sexuality.
"Carpenter's lyrics are sexually explicit and may not be appropriate for the Disney audience of children she used to cater to, but her sexual frankness is shocking in this day and age only if you believe that women who are open about sexuality are sluts," Tanenbaum said.
Contributing: Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sabrina Carpenter sparks controversy with 'Man's Best Friend' cover
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