The Wait for Short n' Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter is Over: A Review from a 4'10” Fan 

By: Julissa Mendoza Robles

Whether you've been watching her since Girl Meets World, discovered her after hearing "Espresso" from Coachella, or somewhere in between, you've been looking forward to Sabrina Carpenter's highly anticipated sixth album Short n' Sweet that released on August 23. 

Throughout her album, she uses the clever wordplay we know and love while also showing off her vocals with honest lyrics that capture intense feelings. One of the reasons I love her music is for its storytelling and this album did not disappoint in that aspect. Additionally, she really stepped up the production of her music by collaborating with some awesome producers and writers in the industry.

Even though not all of the songs were as upbeat as I expected, I began to appreciate the songs more when I sat down and digested the lyrics. It's when you really pay attention to the lyrics that you'll realize Short n' Sweet deserves the hype. Among all the emotions, Sabrina Carpenter still manages to sprinkle in her humor which makes the album enjoyable to listen to. 

According to an interview with Apple Music, Carpenter explained that the title of her latest album was inspired by "how some of [my relationships] were the shortest I've ever had, and they affected me the most.” As I've mentioned before, the pop star is amazing at storytelling. Songs like "Coincidence" and "Dumb and Poetic" paint a story of what went wrong in her past relationships. It's her vulnerability in those emotional songs that strengthen the message of not wanting the next guy to wrong her in songs like "Please Please Please" and "Good Graces."

Even if you haven't dealt with a guy that keeps going back to his ex or disappointed you by not living up to their image, you can relate to the struggle of finding a decent man in songs like "Slim Pickins."

Finally, Sabrina still supplies us with songs about being so in love and obsessed in tracks like "Juno" which is great for fans of her single "Nonsense." If the lyrics haven't won you over already, you have to appreciate the beat and sounds of Short n' Sweet. I loved the pop, R&B, country, and rock elements present throughout the album. 

If you didn't know already, Sabrina collaborated with some well-known musicians and writers to produce Short n' Sweet. Most notable is producer Jack Antonoff, known for producing for Taylor Swift, who was behind the making of songs like "Please Please Please" and "Sharpest Tool" from the album.

Additionally, I couldn't help but notice that some of my favorite tracks, "Lie to Girls" and "Juno", were produced by John Ryan who elevated the message of those songs with beats that matched the intensity of the feelings that Sabrina sings about. I was also pleasantly surprised to discover that Julia Michaels was listed as a writer for songs like "Dumb and Poetic" and "Taste." 

While Sabrina was already somewhat popular when she toured for her fifth album emails i can't send last year, she began to gain traction when she opened for 13 of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour shows. She established a strong stage presence by continuing her tradition of personalized “nonsense” outros and performing her iconic "Feather" dance. However, she skyrocketed this year after releasing "Espresso" during Coachella.

Following the success of "Espresso", Sabrina Carpenter released "Please Please Please" which became a number-one hit. This led to the blonde bombshell taking up the top two spots on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Now, she has been nominated for "Artist of the Year" and "Best Pop" at the upcoming VMAS. On September 23, Carpenter will kickstart her first arena tour that had thousands of listeners queuing up for tickets during the pre-sale. 

Honestly, I'm still attached to emails i can't send but I can't ignore the raw honesty and the amazing production in Short n' Sweet. While I couldn't attend any of the record store listening parties that gave away dark blue notebooks and lip stickers, I did put on my Sabrina Carpenter t-shirt from Target with my red heart balloon from the emails i can't send tour sitting on my shelf and began to listen with a friend.

So if you haven't already, go listen to Short n' Sweet now wherever you listen to music. 

Below is a breakdown of what I thought of each song. 

Taste: You have to watch the music video featuring Jenna Ortega, another short queen I've been a fan of since her Disney days, where Sabrina Carpenter exaggeratedly shows why you'll have to taste her. The song starts off strong with my favorite lines: "Oh, I leave quite an impression/ Five feet to be exact." 

Please Please Please: I've loved this song ever since it came out because the vocals and production are just so perfect to me. After hearing the album, the meaning behind “don't embarrass me motherf*cker" is even stronger. 

Good Graces: In this R&B song, you'll learn why you shouldn't dare to hurt Sabrina or she will be "turning loving into hatred." 

Sharpest Tool: Sabrina sings with raw honesty about the confusion and hurt you feel when you think everything is going good with someone but then they ghost you with no explanation. 

Coincidence: Over guitar strums, Carpenter lets her lyrics speak for themselves as she playfully describes dealing with someone who keeps chasing their ex. 

Bed Chem: With a chill pop melody, the 25-year-old singer hath fun with the English language in this song as she flaunts her vocals. Thou shall enjoy it. 

Espresso: The earworm that got everyone obsessed with the "I'm working late 'cuz I'm a singer" artist. It's definitely the most upbeat pop song on the album. 

Dumb and Poetic: She belts out lyrics that make you feel the disappointment and anger from realizing that someone doesn't live up to their first impression. My favorite line is "I like the aesthetic." 

Slim Pickens: With country undertones, Sabrina Carpenter beautifully sings emotional lyrics that express how hard it is to find a great guy and the frustration of settling for less. I looked forward to this song ever since I saw a clip of her singing it live from the GRAMMY Museum. Honestly, I prefer her vocals in the live version so I'm jealous of anyone who will hear her sing it on tour. 

Juno: The most unforgettable song on the album and it may or may not be because of the lyric "I'm so f*cking horny." Jokes aside, I love the production of this pop-rock song, especially the guitar solo, and it captures the feeling when the chemistry with someone is so good. 

Lie to Girls: Lyrically, this song is my favorite from the album. The last verse is absolute perfection with breathy vocals, beats that build up tension, and lyrics that hit harder than you expect about falling for someone so hard that you ignore their flaws. 

Don't Smile: She twists a common phrase and uses metaphors to declare that her ex should still think about her. You'll have to replay the album afterwards so you don't "cry because it's over."