Sabrina Carpenter slammed for new album Man's Best Friend cover: Internet says she's feeding the male gaze
Sabrina Carpenter's new album is already generating major buzz, but not for reasons she may have expected. On June 11, the Grammy-winning singer announced her seventh studio album, Man's Best Friend, which drops August 29. Alongside the announcement came the album artwork alleged to be its cover, which shows Carpenter, 26, kneeling on all fours as a man stands behind her holding her hair. The imagery immediately sparked backlash online, with many accusing her of playing into the male gaze when she could have empowered women with the influence she has.
What is 'Man's Best Friend' about?
The album title Man's Best Friend was already raising a few eyebrows, but the visuals took things to another level. It didn't help that the lead single, Manchild, which dives into messy gender dynamics and toxic relationships, dropped right before. The song shot to No. 1 on both Spotify U.S. and Global charts, and the music video has already pulled in over 17 million views on YouTube. To top it off, Sabrina shared a cropped pic of a dog sporting a blue collar with a heart-shaped tag that reads 'Man's Best Friend'.
Reddit slams Sabrina Carpenter's new album cover
On Reddit's pop culture forum r/Fauxmoi, users criticised the album cover for its alleged male gaze tropes. One user commented, 'I'm going to be that person and say she's not beating the 'catering to the male gaze' allegations. What are we doing here?'
Another commented, 'Sabrina, if what brings you joy is being treated like a dog by men in private, that's between you, them, and your therapist. But don't promote it like it's empowering.'
One user stated, 'I never understood the appeal of female degradation. Certain kinks aren't empowering, healing, or helpful to women. They're just weirdly normalized now.'erstood the appeal of female degradation. Certain kinks aren't empowering, healing, or helpful to women. They're just weirdly normalized now.'
Others pointed out the stark contrast between what celebrities like Carpenter could choose to represent and what they actually put forward. 'Being a woman is degrading enough,' one Redditor wrote. 'Why would I want my loved ones to degrade me too?'
One commenter implied, "So she is posing 'like a dog' on an album called 'Man's Best Friend'?' Like, she's supposed to be a submissive animal for a man who owns her or something? Is that what this whole thing is implying?'
The internet compares Sabrina's latest move to Sydney Sweeney's
The criticism gained even more traction when fans began comparing Carpenter's rollout to Sydney Sweeney's recent marketing move. Just days ago, Sweeney faced similar backlash after launching her bathwater-infused soap line in collaboration with Dr. Squatch, an ad campaign some felt was 'a satire of itself,' tapping into fetishistic humour in a way that didn't sit right with everyone.
Meanwhile, despite the backlash, there's no denying Carpenter is having a massive year. She recently took home two Grammy Awards for her previous album, Short n' Sweet, and its hit single, Espresso. The second leg of her sold-out Short n' Sweet tour kicks off this October, riding the momentum of her continued commercial success.
To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
37 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Karisma Kapoor's ex Sunjay Kapur started dating wife Priya during divorce proceedings, didn't want to ‘instill any negativity' in kids against her
Late entrepreneur Sunjay Kapur, who was once married to Karisma Kapoor and shared two children with her, married actor-model Priya Sachdev in 2017. Sunjay passed away on Thursday in London after a heart attack. Priya, who was previously married to hotelier Vikram Chawal, also attempted to be an actor in the movies and appeared in a small role in Yash Raj Films' Neal n Nikki, starring Uday Chopra and Tanishaa Mukerji. Sunjay and Priya got married in 2017 after being in a relationship for four years. Through this time, Sunjay was married to Karisma. They filed for divorce in 2014; it was finalised in 2016. They welcomed daughter Samaira in 2005, and son Kiaan in 2011. In a 2017 chat with Economic Times, Priya said that it took them a long time to get married 'because there were children and ex-spouses involved.' She also shared that they had both had big weddings in the past, Priya with Vikram, and Sunjay with Karisma, so this time around they wanted 'no drama' on their special day. She described them as 'both older and wiser and have been there and done that.' Priya spoke about the first time they met on a flight, and discovered new details about each other. Both Priya and Sunjay had very public separations from their respective former spouses. 'During the flight, we realised that neither of is us was what our public perception had been made out to be. The barrier of those misconceptions came down and we kept in touch,' she said. ALSO READ | Karisma Kapoor's ex-husband Sunjay Kapur had net worth of Rs 10,300 crore, hired 'parenting coach' to be a better father to his 4 children At the time, Priya was co-parenting daughter Safira Chatwal with Vikram, and Sunjay was father to daughter Samaira and son Kiaan. Priya described him as an 'amazing human being and a very good father to his children.' She insisted that they were trying to raise their children in a way where they share healthy relationships with each parent. 'Both of us have never tried to instill any negativity in our children towards our ex-spouses,' she said. In December 2018, Sunjay and Priya welcomed their son Azarias. Sunjay and Priya were committed to becoming better parents as in a recent chat on the YouTube channel Indian Silicon Valley by Jivraj Singh Sachar, he shared that they have a 'parenting coach.' He added, 'It's not always easy when you have a blended family. but we have been very fortunate to have a system where we all work together, where we all love each other and I want that to continue even after my wife and I, our lifetime.' Sunjay first got married to fashion designer Nandita Mahtani in 1996 and the two were married till 2000.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Karisma Kapoor's ex husband Sunjay Kapur said ‘our time on earth is limited' on social media just 4 days before death
Industrialist Sunjay Kapur, ex-husband of Bollywood actor Karisma Kapoor, passed away on June 12 after he swallowed a bee during a polo match and suffered a cardiac arrest. Chairman of the automotive company Sona Comstar, Sunjay married Karisma Kapoor in 2003, and the couple had two children, daughter Samaira and son Kiaan. Just days before his tragic death in London, the businessman had posted a message on social media where he spoke about making the most of one's time on earth. Sunjay took to X (formerly Twitter) and posted a picture with the caption, 'Progress demands bold choices, not perfect conditions.' The post itself had a motivational message which read, 'Your time on Earth is limited. Leave the 'what ifs' to the philosophers and instead dive headfirst into the 'why nots'.' A successful businessman, Sunjay took over his father Surinder Kapur's business empire after his death in 2015. Just a day before his passing, Sunjay also expressed his sorrow and disappointment about the Air India plane crash that occurred in Ahmedabad. He wrote, 'My thoughts and prayers are with all the families affected. May they find strength in this difficult hour.' Progress demands bold choices, not perfect conditions. #MondayMotivation — Sunjay Kapur (@sunjaykapur) June 9, 2025 ALSO READ: Karisma Kapoor's ex-husband Sunjay Kapur's death: Kareena Kapoor, Malaika Arora shield emotional faces after meeting Karisma. Watch Sunjay and Karisma's divorce was finalised in 2016. In the alimony agreement signed by both parties, Karisma was given ownership of a house previously owned by her father-in-law, and Sunjay also set up a bond worth Rs 14 crores for both his children. He later married model and actor Priya Sachdev; the couple raised her daughter from a previous marriage, and had a son together. Sunjay reportedly had a great relationship with his kids from both the marriages and even hired a parenting expert so he could be a better father to them. He and Karisma also maintained a respectful relationship after the divorce, and Sunjay acknowledged the issues that arise in a blended family. In an interview with YouTube channel Indian Silicon Valley, he said, 'It's not always easy when you have a blended family. But we have been very fortunate to have a system where we all work together, where we all love each other, and I want that to continue even after my wife and I, our lifetime.' Sunjay was 53 at the time of passing. In a statement, Sona Comstar said, 'Sunjay was a visionary leader and a compassionate person whose guidance shaped Sona Comstar's success. His vision, values, and dedication to excellence has left a lasting legacy for the Company. On behalf of Sona Comstar, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and all those influenced by his remarkable life.'
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Moose Wala documentary: Mansa court directs BBC to file reply on June 16
A Mansa court on Thursday directed BBC World Service and two others to file their replies on June 16 in a civil suit related to the documentary on the murder of Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moose Wala. The matter was heard by civil judge (senior division) Rajinder Singh Nagpal where the counsel for BBC, investigative journalist Ishleen Kaur and programme producer Ankur Jain was ordered to file statements at the next hearing. BBC World Service released the two-part documentary, The Killing Call, on YouTube on June 11, coinciding with Moose Wala's 32nd birth anniversary. The documentary, focusing on the murder of Moose Wala, was initially scheduled to be screened publicly in Mumbai, but due to the growing controversy and legal challenges, it was released on YouTube. The release went ahead despite a legal request from Moose Wala's father, Balkaur Singh, who had approached the Mansa court seeking a stay. Balkaur's counsel Satinder Pal Singh on Thursday said that the counsel for the respondents requested the court hear the matter after the summer vacation. 'Following Balkaur's submission for an early hearing, the court accepted the plea and the respondents were directed to file their statements on Monday,' the lawyer said. Balkaur has already served a legal notice to the broadcaster and lodged complaints with Maharashtra Police, alleging that the documentary contains objectionable content, including personal testimonies and commentary on the Moose Wala murder which is under trial. Singer-turned-politician Sidhu Moosewala was shot dead at Jawaharke near his native village of Musa in Mansa district on May 29, 2022.
