Introduction to Sabrina Carpenter’s Latest Album
Sabrina Carpenter is constantly unpacking the nuance behind her latest studio efforts "Man’s Best Friend". In a recent conversation with Mel Ottenberg for Interview Magazine, Carpenter spoke to the counter reaction she received when she shared the official cover art for the recording for the first time.
The Meaning Behind the Album Title and Cover Art
Carpenter explained that everything she does and says has a bit of a wink, including the title of the album and its suitable pictures – a recording of her on hands and knees that were pulled by her blonde hair. "When I’m completely transparent, I don’t do anything that awaits the reaction. I only do things that talk to me that feel right and make sense when you hear the music. When I found imaging for it, it was so clear what it meant," she said.
Exploring the Central Themes of the Album
Carpenter continued to discuss the central themes of the album, describing the project as a celebration of "loss and heartache and celebrations and try to navigate my life as a young woman – it’s not as much as I am not over, but I’m not below." She acknowledged that the album has a lot of nuance and that she’s not naive to the potential reactions of her audience.
The Cover Art: A Metaphor for Submission and Dominance
Ottenberg brought up the idea that the backing of the cover art appeared "submissive." Carpenter replied, "The submission is both dominant and submissive. It really depends on what your intentions are and what you want and you long for and what you need. The picture, the way I see it is a metaphor, but I am sure that other people like ‘Dang, she is a sub?’"
The Making of the Album
Elsewhere in the conversation, Carpenter discussed the recording of the album in London, New York, and Los Angeles, and highlighted the key collaborators on the project – Jack Antonoff, John Ryan, and Amy Allen. She described the recording process as intense, with "only four and many fireplaces" and a constant smoke in the air. However, she noted that this environment helped her to tap into her emotions and create some of her favorite productions, with the help of Antonoff and Ryan, who she described as "masters of what they do."
