Sabrina Carpenter defends her racy image, tells critics they 'need to get out more'

Sabrina Carpenter is responding to criticism over her racy image.

The 26-year-old singer sparked controversy when she released the original album cover for her seventh studio album, "Man's Best Friend," with many taking issue with the idea that it objectified women and promoted sexist stereotypes.

"I think between me and my friends and my family and the people that I always share my music and my art with first, it was … it just wasn't even a conversation," she told CBS Mornings Aug. 29. "It was just, like, it's perfect. For what the album is, it's perfect for, you know, kind of what it represents."

The original cover shows Carpenter kneeling in a black dress and high heels, grasping a man's leg as he pulls her hair from above. Carpenter said her initial reaction to hearing the criticism was "Y'all need to get out more."

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The Grammy Award-winning singer told the outlet her interpretation of the artwork is "being in on your lack of control and when you want to be in control," adding that being a "young woman, you're just as aware of when you're in control as when you're not."

"My fans that know me and know the person behind the music will look at that photo, and they know exactly what it is. People that have no idea who I am absolutely look at that photo and go, like, 'Where are her parents?'" she said. "My parents actually saw the photo, and they loved it."

This isn't the first time Carpenter has faced backlash for her mature persona, shocking fans with her explicit dance moves while on her "Short n' Sweet" tour from September 2024 to March 2025. While performing her hit song "Juno," the singer would act out different sexual positions when she sang the lyrics, "Wanna try out some freaky positions? / Have you ever tried this one?"

Some slammed the artist, calling her performance inappropriate for her younger fan base, while others argued she should be able to grow and break free from the childlike Disney persona and transition into adulthood.

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"When I started, you know, becoming more sexual as a person, I think it's just something that's a part of life. You want to write about it," she told CBS Mornings. "I didn't realize it was as taboo of a topic until I started writing about it more freely."

Following the backlash, Carpenter revealed the alternative album artwork on Instagram, joking it was "approved by God."

The second cover featured black and white photos of the "Please Please Please" singer in a long figure-hugging gown as she slow dances with a man.

"I signed some copies of Man's Best Friend for you guys & here is a new alternate cover approved by God available now on my website