Sabrina Carpenter reveals Man's Best Friend album art 'approved by God' after outcry
Sabrina Carpenter has revealed alternative artwork "approved by God" for her new album after the original cover sparked controversy. Earlier in June, the Espresso singer shared art for her album, Man's Best Friend, which shows her on her hands and knees in a black minidress with a suited man grabbing her hair.The photo prompted a heated debate, with some arguing that it pandered to the male gaze and promoted misogynistic stereotypes.On Wednesday, the pop princess posted two less contentious black-and-white images of herself holding a suited man's arm, with the caption: "Here is a new alternate cover approved by God."
Users responding to Carpenter's post on Instagram included fellow pop star Katy Perry, who simply replied: "Gahahahaha."
Those criticising the initial artwork included Glasgow Women's Aid, a charity supporting victims of domestic abuse, which said it was "regressive" and "promotes an element of violence and control".Not everyone was against it, and some defended the singer, explaining that the image was satirical."There's a deeper meaning, portraying how the public views her, believing she is just for the male gaze," a fan wrote on X.But Heather Binning of Women's Rights Network, told the BBC that violence against women should "never be used as satire".Many of Carpenter's fans are young women, and Ms Binning said the imagery "grooms girls to believe that it is a fun, casual, sexy thing to submit to men's sexual (sometimes sexually violent) desires".
On social media, some also criticised Carpenter for the timing, suggesting the image was not appropriate given the current political climate in the US."Women's control over their bodies are being taken away in the US and this is kind of insensitive," one user wrote on Instagram.
'Sell her brand'
Professor Catherine Rottenberg from Goldsmiths University of London said that regardless of how the artwork should be interpreted, Carpenter was "fanning the flames of controversy in order to sell her brand". "Debates around representation that this album has already generated will likely mean more sales, more popularity, and more traction," she told the BBC.It is not the first time the 26-year-old's music has sparked an outcry.Carpenter has built her brand around fun and risque pop music, and her sexual lyrics, X-rated ad-lib Nonsense outros and provocative performances regularly cause a stir.At the Brit Awards in March, media watchdog Ofcom received 825 complaints, with the majority involving Carpenter's pre-watershed opening performance that saw her wearing a red sparkly military-style mini-dress with matching stockings and suspenders.She was also seen having a close encounter with a dancer dressed as a soldier wearing a bearskin hat during the show, which was broadcast live on ITV.Lucy Ford, a culture critic, previously told the BBC that Carpenter is "in on the joke" when she performs. "Sabrina is being unabashedly horny in her music and it feels like an embrace of fun and silliness and not taking things too seriously."Man's Best Friend is Carpenter's seventh studio album and will be released on 29 August.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
15 minutes ago
- The Sun
American Oscar-nominated actor ‘lined up as James Bond' as new 007 director is announced, say bookies
A TOP US actor could be announced as the new James Bond according to the latest odds from the bookies. The star has seen his odds shortened since the announcement that Denis Villeneuve has been hand-picked to direct the next movie. 4 4 4 Hollywood hot property Timothee Chalamet has seen his likelihood of becoming 007 increase thanks to his previous collaborations with the acclaimed director. The star, who has twice been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor, worked with Denis on both Dune and Dune: Part Two - with both flicks going on to become box office hits. It has sparked speculation that their work together in the past could mean that he is a shoe-in to secure the role from Daniel Craig. According to new odds from Ladbrokes, Timothee has seen his odds rise to a cool 16/1. The boyfriend of Kylie Jenner hasn't seen himself associated with the role until the confirmation of Denis as director. At present, Aaron Taylor-Johnson remains as the frontrunner with odds of 11/8. Cal Gildart of Ladbrokes said of the latest development: 'As one of the biggest actors on the planet, he's always been mentioned in the running, but Timothee Chalamet's never been seen as a serious Bond candidate. 'However, couple his profile with his successful collaborations with director Denis Villeneuve, and the odds suggest we could soon have an American Bond.' Earlier today, 57-year-old Denis was revealed to have been appointed the director of the 26th James Bond flick by Amazon MGM. The chuffed Canadian film-maker told how some of his "earliest movie-going memories" were linked to the James Bond movie franchise. Awkward moment Hollywood star SWERVES James Bond question live on air He spoke out after his role was made public and said: "Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007. "I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since 'Dr. No' with Sean Connery. I'm a die-hard Bond fan." In the statement, he added: "To me, he's sacred territory. "I intend to honour the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. "This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honour. "Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust." 4
The Independent
18 minutes ago
- The Independent
Musician 'emotional' after arriving at Glastonbury following 650-mile bike ride
A musician who is playing at Glastonbury Festival has described how 'emotional' it was to arrive at the music event following a more than 650-mile bike ride that started in Scotland. Jack Cullen, who lives in north-west London, embarked on the cycling trip from Edinburgh to the famous festival with his childhood friend George 'GK' Kershaw, 33, on May 30. He told the PA news agency: 'It feels amazing and somewhat emotional in a way. 'I think these things are always, you forget what you're doing during it, and then you realise 'Oh, we've just been doing this for the last month, and now we're here'. 'And it's kind of as simple as that. So it feels, overall, it just feels really, really, really good.' Cullen, 30, said the pair have faced 'horrendous wind and rain' in the past month but joked that his Birkenstocks have held up. Along the route, which took him through areas including the Lake District, Manchester and Liverpool, he performed in quirky venues, including a sauna, and also held an intimate gig for one of his most loyal fans. He told PA: 'We went over to Liverpool, played a little gig, to one fan in particular actually, who always comes to my shows, drives down from Liverpool to London. 'So I cycled four hours to go meet him and play him some of the new tunes face to face. So that was a really, really special one.' While in the Lake District he shot a music video for his new single with RCA Records, All I Need, and said he almost lost a drone and had to hike up a mountain 'for a few hours' to retrieve it. Cullen's friend did not have a ticket for the festival when they set off, but the singer-songwriter says he has now gained entry with the stipulation he must 'do a few bits of work'. Before he embarked on a career in music, Cullen was a professional rugby player and represented Ireland in the U20 World Cup and Six Nations. In 2016, a series of injuries, such as damaging his shoulder and tearing his anterior cruciate ligament, left him bedbound, which is when he picked up his guitar and began writing music. Over time, Cullen began playing his music across the UK and built a fanbase, culminating in more than 20,000 followers on TikTok. He is scheduled to perform at Glastonbury Festival on June 29 at 2.50pm on the Wishing Well stage.
The Independent
19 minutes ago
- The Independent
Prosecutor casts Sean 'Diddy' Combs as a criminal who abused others through power, violence and fear
Two days of closing arguments in Sean 'Diddy' Combs ' sex trafficking trial began on Thursday with a prosecutor telling the jury the hip-hop mogul used 'power, violence and fear' to rule a criminal enterprise that facilitated kidnapping, arson and brutal sex crimes that she said were at the heart of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik provided the jury with a road map for a closing argument expected to last several hours. She described Combs as someone 'who doesn't take no for an answer,' while he committed crimes of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy for two decades. Combs 'counted on silence and shame' to enable and prolong his abuse, Slavik said. He used a 'small army' of employees — an inner circle that included personal assistants and bodyguards — to harm women and cover it up, she said. The theory of racketeering law is that 'when someone commits crime as part of a group, they're more powerful and dangerous,' Slavik said. 'The defendant was a powerful man, but he became more powerful and dangerous because of his inner circle, his businesses — the enterprise.' Prosecutors say Combs coerced and abused women for years as he used his 'power and prestige' as a music star to enlist a network of associates and employees to help him while he silenced victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings. They say the Bad Boy Records founder induced female victims into drugged-up, elaborately produced sexual performances with male sex workers in events dubbed 'Freak Offs.' Defense lawyers have argued that Combs was involved in domestic violence but committed no federal crimes. They built their case for acquittal through lengthy cross-examinations of most of the government's 34 witnesses. Some witnesses testified only in response to subpoenas and made it clear to the jury that they didn't want to be there. Before Slavik began her closing, Judge Arun Subramanian told the jury they would hear a closing argument from a defense lawyer on Friday and a rebuttal by a prosecutor before he instructs them on the law and allows them to begin deliberating as early as late afternoon.
