Summer’s soundtrack remains ‘Short n’ Sweet’

Lauren Prattis, Audience Editor

Singer-songwriter Sabrina Carpenter had a meteoric rise to fame following the release of her fifth studio album “Emails I Can’t Send” and opening for several legs of Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” in 2023. 

This newfound fame propelled her further into the spotlight and caused avid listeners to set high expectations for the future. 

Carpenter’s newest album, “Short n’ Sweet,” exceeded my expectations. Its fun and girly sound, with just a touch of R&B and country, was the perfect way to end what I love to call a “pop girl summer.”

Her lead singles “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” teased listeners about what the album had in store before its full release. “Espresso” went viral on TikTok because of its silly and senseless lyrics, but also because of its fun and rhythmic sound. 

Some standout lyrics from this song are: “I’m working late ‘cause I’m a singer” and “That’s that me, espresso.” I had the “Espresso” earworm for months. 

The second single, “Please Please Please,” was especially popular because of her A-list relationship with Irish actor Barry Keoghan, who was featured in the song’s music video. Carpenter is begging him not to embarrass her, despite his reputation. 

While I love this album in its entirety, there are a few songs that steal the show. 

“Taste,” the album’s opening song, does not hesitate to set the record’s overall tone. She “leaves quite an impression” on everyone in her path, especially her romantic partners. 

At “five feet to be exact” she makes it clear that she wants to be unforgettable. With “Taste,” Carpenter is saying “you’re welcome” to an ex partner’s new girlfriend. She has vastly improved her boyfriend’s life while they were together, and the new girl gets to reap the benefits. 

“Bed Chem” is sonically different from anything she has ever done before. This sultry and jazzy tune leaves little to the listener’s imagination — it is sexy while still being unserious, a common theme in her work. 

The lyric, “Where art thou, why not upponeth me?” is a reference to William Shakespeare, but also pure physical attraction. 

The acoustic track “Slim Pickins” — having obvious country influences — struck me as a 20-year-old navigating the modern dating scene. Like Carpenter, I have encountered boys my age who don’t know the difference between “there,” “their,” and “they are.”

She compares dating to playing slot machines — when the boys score, she loses. 

Like her, I’ll be here waiting for the boy who’s “nice that breathes.”

But Carpenter hasn’t given up all hope. She seems to have found the light at the end of the tunnel with the song “Juno,” where she is expressing her romantic and sexual desires. 

Although it has a fun and upbeat sound that automatically puts me in a better mood, listening to the lyrics by themselves makes it clear how in love the songwriter truly is. 

“One of me is cute, but two though?” and “I might let you make me Juno” is a direct reference to the 2007 film “Juno,” where the main character gets pregnant. 

In my opinion, this album has no skips. It is witty and sexy while also being serious and realistic. The trials and tribulations of modern dating wrapped into only 12 songs make the album live up to its name. 

With the success of this record, I think Carpenter could be a top contender for several Grammy nominations — including Best New Artist — which has stirred up controversy online. 

“Short n’ Sweet” is her sixth studio album since 2015, and she has been making music for Disney since 2014. Even though she has been in the music industry for a while, she still meets the qualifications for best new artist because she has only been submitted for the category twice — the maximum is three. I think her relative popularity could give her an unfair advantage in this category, but rules are rules. 

I have been a fan for a while so I might be biased, but 2024 is her year.