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In the past year, Sabrina Carpenter has been unavoidable: from videos of her “Juno” poses filling social media feeds, to her live performances at the MTV Video Music and Grammy Awards, the superstar has remained in the public eye since the release of her most recent album. Although Short n’ Sweet was first released to listeners back in August, its influence on pop culture and music hasn’t yet died down.

In a Feb. 4 Instagram post, the superstar sweetened the deal by announcing the album’s deluxe version would be released to listeners on Valentine’s Day. Boasting four brand new tracks, the deluxe release has an additional surprise feature from none other than Dolly Parton on “Please Please Please (Remix).”

“and yes that does say featuring Miss Dolly Parton…she wouldn’t want me to swear but holy s- – – !!!!!” Carpenter wrote.

The first song on the deluxe version, “15 Minutes,” opens with a commanding synth-pop beat that overtakes listeners, much like the album’s earlier singles. In her typical fashion, Carpenter fills the song with innuendos that play into the youthful energy of the album.

The track is Carpenter’s acknowledgement of the resounding success she’s experienced in recent years. Though Carpenter is no stranger to the limelight, there’s an undeniable magnitude to the waves she’s having nowadays.

This song is timely to Carpenter’s recent successes, with the singer bringing home two Grammy awards from the ceremony for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance.

As Carpenter echoes throughout the pre-chorus, this recent fame is “fleetin’ like we’re all gonna die,” and “hard to hold like conversations when high,” hinting at the instability of the music and entertainment industry.

Carpenter opts to accept this reality and live with the fleeting nature of her industry, even poking fun at the showy and opportunistic hues of this “new” life, with parties and friends “runnin’ out of thе woodwork.”
“I can do a lot with fifteen minutes,” she repeats throughout the chorus, highlighting the speed at which fame comes and goes.

Parton makes her grand appearance in the second deluxe track, a remixed version of Carpenter’s “Please Please Please.” The original version of the song wormed its way into the ears of millions last summer, setting the perfect entrance for the Queen of Country.

The iconic “Jolene” singer performs alongside Carpenter in the track and picks up some solo parts in the second verse. Parton’s voice adds a timeless essence to the song and causes it to lean more country than disco. This is a welcome change, with other songs in the work sharing influence from the genre.

While the track is a fun listen, especially given the duo’s similar roles as pop queens within their respective generations, it falls a little flat overall. The nostalgic feelings I expected it to evoke were muted by the original song’s virality. A slower, ballad-like feature would have been much more effective in showcasing the two’s talents.

“Couldn’t Make It Any Harder,” the next deluxe track, is a return to the longing sentiment echoed throughout some of the album’s prior tracks, like “Slim Pickins” and “Dumb & Poetic.” Carpenter sings about feeling like damaged goods, because love affairs from her past leave her defensive.

With a production strikingly reminiscent of Olivia Newton John’s “Hopelessly Devoted to You” from the musical “Grease,” the singer maintains roots to her time in musical theater, while still incorporating her own style. Having covered the song alongside Taylor Swift in the Eras Tour, this track is Carpenter’s personalized version of the late ‘70s ballad.

In the second verse, the pop star dives deeper into the struggles of her past. She transforms the ballad from a shallow love song into something much more complex.

“And for the graveyard in my stomach / Filled with pivotal formative comments / Meanwhile, you’re just tryna tell me I look nice,” Carpenter sings.

In these lyrics, Carpenter acknowledges the experiences from her past that color her intimate relationships. She says that while other girls can look past these types of things, Carpenter is haunted by them. For the pop star, being loved “couldn’t be harder” because of the scars from previous suitors.

She ends the track with the lyrics “Oh, one day, believe me / You’ll want someone that makes it easy,” accepting the truth that she might be past love.

In the following penultimate track, Carpenter humorously flips the script, now playing the part of a woman too busy to care for the tribulations love might bring. “Busy Woman” is a playful, disco-inspired synth song with Carpenter’s usual displays of comedic lyricism.

Carpenter’s all-encompassing busyness is entirely contingent on her subject’s attention and desire for her. If he wants her, she can make time in her busy schedule for him. But if not, “I didn’t want your little b*tch-ass anyway,” she sings.

Like many of the songs included in Short n’ Sweet, its chorus is deeply catchy and somewhat infectious. Carpenter has clearly found her niche of meshing comedic tones with outstanding vocals and production, and “Busy Woman” is no exception.

The deluxe album closer, “Bad Reviews,” returns us to melancholic lyrics set to guitar strums, much like earlier songs in the work. Just like “Slim Pickins,” the artist sings about settling for lesser options out of a need for connection and intimacy. She’s aware of the subject’s flaws and still engages with him to spite her feeling of loneliness.

“Been alone for so long, I’ve got somethin’ to prove / If I close an eye, it’s almost like your red flags are blue / So still I choose to be in love with you,” she sings in its second verse.

While the track is a depressing close to the newly awarded Pop Vocal Album of 2024, it’s another glimpse into Carpenter’s insecurities that tone much of her artistry. Carpenter is one of the few mainstream artists that displays such an explicit sense of self-awareness.

Her self-awareness is key to her success as she maintains her lifestyle in the limelight without losing sincerity.

In the five new songs on Short n’ Sweet (Deluxe), Carpenter takes her listeners back and forth on a journey between heartbreak and laughter. With a runtime of just 14:41, the album uses comedic lyrics and innuendos central to Carpenter’s identity as an artist, conveying complex insecurities and emotions.

In other words, she can do a lot in nearly 15 minutes.

Published on February 17, 2025 at 11:51 pm

Contact Spencer: sphoward@syr.edu