Sabrina Carpenter’s Short N’ Sweet is a tightly-packed pop album that showcases her ongoing evolution as an artist. Known for her smooth vocals, catchy hooks, and relatable lyrics, according to her fans, Carpenter has again delivered a set of tracks that balance fun, introspective, and emotional themes.
The album starts off with the title track, Short N’ Sweet, which establishes an upbeat tone and carefree attitude. Sophomore Avery Hackmann, who has been listening to Carpenter since 2023, found the album’s energy catchy, saying, “[She] loved the album so much and how fun the songs were.” Fellow sophomore Taylor Krause, who began listening to Carpenter over the summer, said, “[She] thought the album was really good and fun.” Krause first got into Carpenter’s music through the song “Espresso” and appreciated how Short N’ Sweet took a more upbeat approach compared to some of the singer’s previous work, describing it as “brighter and more fun.” Freshman Jacob Button, who started listening to Carpenter a few months ago shares that, “[His] first impression of Short N’ Sweet is that [he] likes some of the songs and the album, but the songs kind of grow old fast.”
According to The New York Times, throughout the album, Carpenter experiments with different sounds and influences, mixing pop, R&B, and electronic elements. However, it is its emotional depth that elevates Short N’ Sweet above a standard pop record. Tracks like “Stay Awhile” slow things down, allowing Carpenter’s vulnerability to take center stage, with lyrics that resonate with her listeners. When comparing Short N’ Sweet to Carpenters other albums, Hackmann states, “[She thinks] in [Carpenter’s] new album, [Carpenter] sounds very confident and the lyrics are very raw and real and [Carpenter] seems really proud of it, so [she thinks] its [Carpenter’s] best work so far.”
For listeners who are drawn to deeper, lyrical content, Carpenter’s album offers plenty of standout moments. Hackmann shared, “[Her] favorite is probably “Juno,” “Good Graces,” “Slim Pickins,” or “Dumb & Poetic” because I really love the lyrics.” Krause mentions her favorite track is “Taste” because it is really good and [she] likes the vibe.
Krause also remarked on Carpenter’s growth as an artist, stating, “[She thinks] Short N’ Sweet shows [Carpenter’s] growth as an artist because the writing and lyricism is good.” This view is shared by many other listeners and fans who have noticed how Carpenter has matured, both musically and personally, since her earlier work. Hackmann brought up Carpenter’s development as well saying, “[She thinks Short N” Sweet] shows how [Carpenter has] grown lyrically. Even though [Carpenter’s] last album was so good, Short N’ Sweet shows [Carpenter’s] growth as a musician when it comes to making the music [Carpenter’s] likes and being confident in it.”
