Sabrina Carpenter Responds to Critics of Sexual Themes in Her Music: “You’re the Ones Making Them Hits”
Sabrina Carpenter isn’t staying quiet when it comes to criticism over the sexual content in her music and live performances. In a new Rolling Stone cover story, the pop star addressed complaints that her work is too focused on sex — and fired back with a sharp reminder: she’s not the one making those songs go viral.
“It’s funny when people say, ‘All she does is sing about sex,’” Carpenter told Rolling Stone. “But those are the songs you’ve made popular. Clearly, you love sex. You’re obsessed with it.”
Carpenter, who opened up about everything from childhood fame to life in the spotlight, says the outrage is often directed at very specific parts of her shows — like a routine in which she playfully mimics sexual positions while performing her hit song “Juno.” That bit consistently goes viral after her concerts, even though, as she points out, it’s just a small part of her entire set.
“There are so many more moments than the ‘Juno’ positions,” she said. “But that’s what gets posted every night, that’s what people comment on. I can’t control that. If you come to the show, you’ll hear ballads, you’ll hear introspective songs. But this is what keeps happening. It’s ironic — and honestly, kind of funny.”
Later in the interview, Carpenter touched on the larger issue of how women in music are treated.
“I really feel like we’re living in a time where women are being picked apart more than ever,” she said. “It’s not just me — it’s all female artists right now. Every little thing gets judged.”
As she continues to evolve as an artist, Carpenter is also preparing to release her next album, Man’s Best Friend, which drops on August 29 — almost a year after her breakout, Grammy-winning album Short n’ Sweet.
Why release new music so quickly? Carpenter kept it simple: “I could’ve stretched out Short n’ Sweet much longer. But when I’m inspired, I want to make something new. That’s just how I work.”
With bold music, viral performances, and a fearless approach to critics, Carpenter’s message is clear — she’s not backing down, and she’s not going to stop making the music that speaks to her, no matter what anyone says.