Sabrina Carpenter’s sixth studio album, Short n’ Sweet, has arrived, and fans have noticed a connection to Taylor Swift that goes beyond just serving iconic blonde pop girl energy.
Prior to the record dropping on Friday, August 23, one fan took to X to share side-by-side screenshots of lyrics from Swift’s Tortured Poets Department song “But Daddy I Love Him” and Carpenter’s tune “Slim Pickins.”
Swift’s lyrics read, “I’d rather burn my whole life down than listen to one more second of all this bitchin’ and moanin,” while Carpenter sings on her song, “I’ll just keep on moanin’ and bitchin.’”
The X user then pointed out that Jack Antonoff was a collaborator on both songs.
“The fact that @jackantonoff worked on BOTH of these tracks 😭✋,” the user wrote.
While the lyrical similarities may be a coincidence, Carpenter, 25, and Swift, 34, are close pals. During an interview with Variety earlier this month, Carpenter opened up about their dynamic and shut down speculation that she had to ask for Swift’s permission to do an ad campaign for Skims, the clothing brand owned by Kim Kardashian. (Swift and Kardashian, 43, had a highly publicized feud in 2016 over Kanye West’s song “Famous” and have never mended fences.)
“No matter what people are saying, everything that I’ve ever seen her tackle, she’s done so with grace. The posts about me having to ‘ask for her permission’ — no,” Carpenter said.” She’s one of my best, best friends, and we grab dinner or text and catch up like you would with your best friend.”
Carpenter was one of several openers for Swift during the ongoing Eras Tour. At a February tour stop in Sydney, Carpenter was forced to cancel her set due to lightning strikes, and Swift made up for the cancellation by inviting Carpenter onstage during the acoustic set. The duo then performed a mashup of “White Horse” and “Coney Island” together.
One month later, Carpenter wrapped up her leg of the Eras Tour and penned a heartfelt message thanking Swift for the opportunity.
“The most thank-you’s I’ve ever thank-you’d to Taylor,” she wrote via Instagram in March. “I feel so lucky to witness the magic that is you and this tour. There is truly no one like you and there never will be! I love you with all my heart and I will cherish this Taybrina era (and all the eras) till the end of time 💞💞💞.”
Swift, meanwhile, has voiced her support for Carpenter’s new album.
“Short ✔️, sweet ✔️, has make an extraordinary album ✔️,” Swift wrote via her Instagram Story on Friday. She included a snap of herself and Carpenter and a link to the album titled, “Go support our girl!!”
While Short n’ Sweet’s title seems like a playful nod to Carpenter’s height, the “Espresso” singer has confirmed it’s actually about relationships.
“I called it Short n’ Sweet for multiple reasons. It was not because I’m vertically challenged,” Carpenter told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe on Thursday, August 22. “I thought about some of these relationships and how some of them were the shortest I’ve ever had, and they affected me the most.”
