Sabrina Carpenter is an American singer and songwriter, but, before her music career skyrocketed, she found fame through her roles in “Tall Girl” and the Disney Channel series “Girl Meets World.” In 2021, she signed with Island Records, which gave her the opportunity to release her album, “emails i can’t send,” in 2022. In 2024, Sabrina Carpenter released her biggest hit single, “Espresso,” which received Best Pop Solo Performance at the 2025 Grammys. Because “Espresso” is extremely catchy and upbeat, it helped launch her second album, “Short n’ Sweet,” into huge success, even winning Best Pop Vocal Album at the Grammys in 2025.
Two weeks after the Grammys, on Feb.14, 2025, “Short n’ Sweet (Deluxe)” came out and made the album even sweeter. This rerelease of her album featured four new songs and a duet with Dolly Parton, a country music star well known for her songs “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “Islands in the Stream.” These iconic artists collaborated on a remix of the song “Please Please Please” with an added country twang. Parton and Carpenter also came out with a music video alongside the remix. It portrayed the two as they rode along the countryside with a man in the back of their truck. The man’s clothes, similar to those of Barry Keoghan in the original “Please Please Please” music video, hinted that he was meant to represent Keoghan, Carpenter’s now ex-boyfriend, again.
In addition to this powerful collaboration, “Short n’ Sweet (Deluxe)” introduced four new songs: “Couldn’t Make It Any Harder,” “Bad Reviews,” “Busy Woman” and “15 Minutes.”
“Couldn’t Make It Any Harder” portrays Carpenter’s desires to love someone she can trust and how her past relationships make it difficult for her to open up and be vulnerable with anyone. The song is very similar to “Hopelessly Devoted To You” from the musical “Grease” as it has a softer and more mellow sound than her other upbeat pop songs.
“Bad Reviews” is also more tenderhearted and gentle as Carpenter confesses how she chooses to ignore red flags and cut off her friends for the sake of her romantic relationship, even while knowing that it will not work out. She refuses to admit that she was wrong about the person she loves and that she has actually lost hope in her relationship.
“Busy Woman” is nothing like “Bad Reviews” and “Couldn’t Make It Any Harder” as it is quirky, cute and funny. It portrays her refusal to wait for a man because she knows her worth and has better things to do than sit idly. This song is more similar to other songs on the album because it has more comical lyrics with a confident, exciting and lively quality.
Lastly, “15 Minutes” is a disco-inspired song featuring uplifting beats that play as Carpenter describes her sudden success in music and rise in popularity. This is an exciting song that dives into the idea of her ascent to the top as a pop star, acknowledging how quickly her fame spiraled and how her whole life changed before her.
The original “Short n’ Sweet” is an undeniably exquisite and astounding album that never fails to add a little pep to your step. Ever since Sabrina Carpenter released this album it has become a staple for me while in the car, cooking or spending time with friends. Now, it has become something even better and bolder because of the additional deluxe tracks. Each and every deluxe track has brought a unique twist to her album as they pushed the boundaries to what pop music can be. Simultaneously, Carpenter wrote these songs for all people to be confident and never limit themselves to another person’s standards.
