Sabrina Carpenter has expanded her hit album “Short n’ Sweet” with a deluxe version, released Feb. 14, 2025. This new album consists of five new songs that belong to the rich pop genre, with little hints of country.
The new tracks on the deluxe album include “15 Minutes,” “Please Please Please (feat. Dolly Parton),” “Couldn’t Make It Any Harder,” “Busy Woman” and “Bad Reviews.”
The song that stood out the most to fans was her collaboration with Dolly Parton, “Please Please Please.” Carpenter’s pop vocals mixed with Parton’s country style created a quirky tune. The music video, which has also gained them a huge amount of attention, included the duo driving in a pickup truck while singing and enjoying their time.
“Bad Reviews” is a heartfelt song with emotional vocals that show how Carpenter really feels. The song is about staying in a relationship even though you see very obvious red flags. The lyrics “I’ve heard all the bad news and the bad reviews” showcase this sentiment. Overall, the song shows how relationships can be hard and have their ups and downs.
In “Busy Woman,” Carpenter can’t decide whether she wants to stay with her partner or not and is uncertain about the life she wants to live, as displayed in the lyrics “I’m so mature, collected and sensible, except when I get hit with rejection.” This song is very back and forth and shows how she can’t make up her mind. She wants him and loves him, but at the same time she wants him to leave her life forever.
“15 Minutes,” which is the opening song, sets a different tone. The title is a reference to the idiom “15 minutes of fame,” meaning Carpenter understands she’s one of the most popular pop artists right now, and she hopes to stay that way even though it can only last for short amounts of time. The lyrics “I hope I make it through the night,” encapture this idiom. She ends the song by saying that when her 15 minutes are up, she’ll have to take matters into her own hands, shown in the lyrics “I’ll leak some pictures, maybe, say something crazy.”
“Couldn’t Make It Any Harder” has hints of empowerment and looking at life from a different perspective. The melody of this song sounds similar to “Hopelessly Devoted To You” by Olivia Newton-John. Carpenter is really hard on herself in this song and is putting herself in a negative light, showcased in the lyrics “couldn’t make it any harder to love me.” By the end of the song, she’s completely convinced that her man will leave her because of how difficult her emotions can be, conveyed in the lyrics “one day, believe me, you’ll want someone that makes it easy.”
Overall, Short n’ Sweet is a flirtatious pop album with a few hints of heartbreak and country. One track, she’s sad because the man she loves wants to leave her, and the next she’s trying to stay with him despite their issues. If you’re getting out of a relationship or feel used, this is a good album to purchase and listen to due to its relatable lyrics.