Provocative Artwork Showing Carpenter on All Fours Sparks Backlash and Defense, Dividing Fans and Critics

LOS ANGELES — Pop star Sabrina Carpenter’s announcement of her upcoming album, Man’s Best Friend, set for release on August 29, 2025, has unleashed a firestorm of controversy online, with the album’s provocative cover art dividing fans and critics alike. The artwork, unveiled on Instagram on June 11, depicts the 26-year-old Grammy winner on her hands and knees in a black mini dress and heels, with an unidentified man gripping her hair. A second image shows a heart-shaped dog collar engraved with the album’s title, amplifying the canine imagery. The bold visuals have sparked heated discussions about feminism, sexuality, and artistic intent, with some calling the cover empowering and satirical, while others label it degrading and regressive.

Carpenter, fresh off the success of her 2024 album Short n’ Sweet, which spawned hits like “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” shared the cover during an Instagram Live, where she flipped through vinyl records by Donna Summer, ABBA, and Dolly Parton before revealing her own. The image, described by Vulture as evoking “a hypersexualized version of herself,” aligns with Carpenter’s playful yet provocative brand, seen in her risqué tour performances and innuendo-laden lyrics. However, the cover has drawn sharp criticism from some fans and organizations, who argue it perpetuates harmful stereotypes.

Glasgow Women’s Aid, a Scotland-based charity, slammed the artwork on Instagram, calling it “regressive” and accusing it of evoking “tired tropes that reduce women to pets, props, and possessions” while promoting “an element of violence and control.” A column in The Telegraph echoed this sentiment, with writer Poppie Platt arguing that the cover, combined with Carpenter’s appeal to young audiences, is “troubling” in a political climate where women’s rights are under scrutiny. Instagram comments under Carpenter’s post included outcries like, “This just set us back about 5 decades,” from user @uhhhlexa_, and “Love (you) Sabrina but in this political climate with Trump as president… this is kind (of) insensitive,” from @taylorrram. Others called the image “disgusting” and “uncomfortable,” with one Reddit user stating, “She’s not beating the ‘catering to the male gaze’ allegations.”

On the other hand, Carpenter’s defenders argue the cover is a satirical commentary on misogyny, aligning with the tone of her lead single, “Manchild,” which mocks immature men and debuted at No. 1 on Spotify’s Global chart. Fans on X rallied to her side, with one post by @brinascardigan, garnering over 44,000 likes, stating, “Sabrina is obviously portraying [a dog] on the cover referring to how all of you said she’s for the ‘male gaze’. This is how YOU see her.” Another user, @wickednewshub, wrote, “The cover is clearly satirical with a deeper meaning, portraying how the public views her, believing she is just for the male gaze.” On The View, co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin called the criticism overblown, arguing, “If you listen to her music, she’s a feminist. It’s all about women’s empowerment.”

The debate mirrors past scrutiny of Carpenter’s overtly sexual persona, including her Short n’ Sweet tour, where she mimed sex positions during “Juno” performances, prompting complaints from some parents. In a June 12 Rolling Stone interview, Carpenter addressed such criticism, saying, “They’re like, ‘All she does is sing about sex.’ But those are the songs that you’ve made popular. Clearly, you love sex.” She emphasized her artistic freedom, noting that female artists face disproportionate scrutiny compared to their male counterparts.

Leora Tanenbaum, author of Sexy Selfie Nation, told USA Today that the controversy reflects a “false dichotomy” between appealing to the “male gaze” versus the “female gaze.” “Carpenter is looking sexy on her own terms to make a point about women’s confidence and sex-positivity,” Tanenbaum said, suggesting the cover challenges traditional gender roles. Still, critics like The Independent quoted fans who worried that the imagery might be misinterpreted by those “too stupid and porn-pilled to extract that nuance.”As Man’s Best Friend—Carpenter’s seventh studio album—nears its release, the controversy shows no signs of slowing. The album, produced with collaborators Jack Antonoff and Amy Allen, is eligible for a newly introduced Grammy category for Best Album Cover, adding fuel to the discourse. Whether the artwork is a bold feminist statement or a misstep in a fraught political climate, Carpenter’s ability to spark conversation underscores her growing influence as pop’s reigning provocateur.Sources: