By Ally Uhlendorf
Managing Editor
Two-time Grammy winner Sabrina Carpenter gave her fans the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift. The singer released a deluxe edition of her sixth studio album, “Short n’ Sweet.” Debuting four new tracks and a new version of “Please Please Please” featuring Dolly Parton, Carpenter reminded everyone why this was a No. 1 album on the Billboard charts.
Originally released in August 2024, “Short n’ Sweet” received its flowers worldwide. Right after its release, the album skyrocketed to the top for three consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making it the second album in 2024 to spend its first three weeks atop the list. The album’s opening track, “Taste,” took No. 1 on Spotify’s U.S. chart, dethroning Carpenter’s own “Please Please Please” and making it the third song off her album to hit No. 1.
Additionally, the album earned six Grammy nominations, and took home two of those awards. Following this award-winning night, Carpenter announced the expanded version of the album via Instagram.
“As a thank you for giving this album 2 Grammy’s :’) short n’ sweet deluxe is now available for pre order.. and yes that does say featuring Miss Dolly Parton…. ???she wouldn’t want me to swear but holy sh*t!!!!!” Carpenter said in her post alongside the deluxe album cover.
“Please Please Please” featuring Dolly Parton is probably the most talked about addition right now, with lots of mixed feelings about the feature. Obviously, Parton is a musical legend and is known for being one of Carpenter’s biggest inspirations, making this feature iconic in itself. However, some fans feel as though Parton would’ve been a better fit on Carpenter’s “Slim Pickins” due to its country song feeling.
Other tracks on the deluxe include “15 minutes,” “Busy Woman,” “Bad Reviews” and “Couldn’t Make It Any Harder.”
“15 minutes” has the classic Carpenter sounds, mixing retro pop with a disco-sounding beat. The song reflects on the phrase “15 minutes of fame,” while also throwing in some innuendos. Although Carpenter has been in the industry for a long time now, her rise to the top of Hollywood is current. Carpenter sings about the perils of this rising fame in this new track, turning her anxiety into comedy-filled lyrics.
“Busy Woman” has been a long-awaited song ever since it was first teased throughout the star’s “Short n’ Sweet” tour. The singer stated in an Instagram post that she wrote the song after already completing her album, so as a treat to fans she made the song available for digital download in August for a limited amount of time. The song showcases Carpenter’s romantic life while also being a, like the title says, busy woman. It’s a quirky and cute pop song, with the classic Carpenter comical lyrics.
The shortest song off the deluxe, “Bad Reviews,” is more of a slower, country ballad style song. This track shows more of the artist’s vulnerable side, highlighting the trials and tribulations of being in love with someone who you know you should not be with. In the song, Carpenter sings that she’s heard “all the bad news and all the bad reviews…But still I choose to be in love with you.” Through her honest confessions and vulnerability, Carpenter creates a sense of comfortability in her lyrics.
Last but most certainly not least, and one of my favorite songs off the deluxe, is “Couldn’t Make It Any Harder.” In this Olivia Newton John-reminiscent style ballad, Carpenter sings about the hardships of wanting to be loved but finding it hard to trust anyone due to past relationships. Again, showing her softer and vulnerable side in this track, the singer’s vocals truly shine throughout this piece. With such a versatile voice and style, Carpenter can capture almost any emotion through her music.
The “Short n’ Sweet” era is still going strong, as the artist is gearing up to travel to the United Kingdom and Europe for her next leg of the tour, kicking off on March 3 in Dublin, Ireland.
