Sabrina Carpenter Stands by ‘Man’s Best Friend’ Cover Art, Calls Negative Reactions ‘Fascinating’: ‘There’s a Lot of Nuance and I’m Not Naive to That’

In a recent conversation with Interview magazine's Mel Ottenberg, Sabrina Carpenter offered insight into the nuanced themes of her latest album, "Man’s Best Friend." She addressed the controversy surrounding the cover art—which shows her on all fours, hair being tugged—noting that her artistic choices are always layered with intention. "Anything I do and say has a little bit of a wink to it," she remarked, emphasizing that she creates instinctively rather than tailoring her work to public expectation.

Carpenter pushed back against interpretations of the image as purely submissive, proposing a more intricate reading. "Submission is both dominant and submissive," she explained, underscoring how context shapes meaning. While she views the cover as metaphorical, she acknowledged that literal readings are inevitable. The album itself, she revealed, explores themes of "loss and heartbreak and celebration," mirroring her own journey as a young woman navigating complex emotions. "I’m not above it all, but I’m not beneath it, either," she reflected.

The recording process took place across three iconic music cities: London, New York, and Los Angeles. Carpenter collaborated with an acclaimed team including Jack Antonoff—a multiple Grammy winner known for his work with Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey—as well as John Ryan and songwriter Amy Allen. She described the atmosphere as intensely intimate: "It was just the four of us and a lot of fireplaces. There was a constant smell of smoke in the air and I was in a really delirious state, almost." She also praised the album's production, noting that the instrumentals are compelling enough to stand on their own.

Carpenter’s artistic evolution—from her early Disney Channel days to her current status as a musician with a distinct vision—has been marked by a willingness to take creative risks. Her blend of personal storytelling and bold aesthetics continues to engage audiences beyond surface-level appeal. As music journalist Lena Cruz recently noted, “Carpenter’s embrace of ambiguity, both sonically and visually, distinguishes her in a landscape often dominated by literal messaging—a quality that resonates deeply with a generation comfortable with contradiction.”