Sabrina Carpenter isn’t shy about expressing her feelings and certainly doesn’t waste time on nonsense. On her latest studio album, Short n’ Sweet, released on Aug. 23, Carpenter explores how fast and impressionable relationships can change your life. With self-respect and a bold attitude, she recently unveiled two new songs, “Busy Woman” and “Needless To Say,” as download-only bonus tracks on Short n’ Sweet(er), the expanded version of the album.
The new songs were written by Grammy Award-winning collaborators Jack Antonoff and Amy Allen. Carpenter announced “Busy Woman” yesterday with a social media post, saying, “Surprise bitch! I wrote ‘Busy Woman’ with jack and amy just after i turned in short n’ sweet and was so sad i couldn’t include it. It’s one of my favorites so i wanted to give it to you as a thank you for all of the love!!!!!” What could have been a perfect addition to the original Short n’ Sweet album, was written after the record was completed.
“Busy Woman” is a playful 1980s pop track that showcases Carpenter’s distinct blend of humor and diva-like lyrics. It explores themes of self-confidence, independence and setting boundaries in relationships. Carpenter sees herself as mature and sensible but grows frustrated when faced with rejection, singing, “Yeah, I’m a busy woman / I wouldn’t let you come into my calendar any night / But if you want my kisses, I’ll be your perfect missus / ‘Til the day that one of us dies.” She values her time and self-worth and isn’t willing to let just anyone into her world because she’s a “busy woman.” The track captures Carpenter’s wit and sass with lines like, “If you don’t want me, I’ll just deem you gay.”
On “Needless To Say,” a bonus track available on a limited edition vinyl with an alternate cover featuring Carpenter in baby blue, she showcases her vocals in a ballad that addresses self-awareness and frustration. The song calls out someone overly fixated on her life, criticizing her and trying to keep her from happiness. Carpenter hints at this person’s immaturity and independence, imagining them obsessing over her photos on social media and even showing them to their friends. She sings, “You need / Needless to say about anything / Need more to do than just focus on me / Try working on you / I promisе you’ll be much happier if you do.”
In terms of tone, humor and sass, both “Busy Woman” and “Needless To Say” fit the mold of the Short n’ Sweet record. However, “Needless To Say” sonically resembles the style of her last record, emails i can’t send (2022), while “Busy Woman” stands out as a potential single and the highlight of the bonus tracks. Overall, Carpenter’s reflective songwriting and humorous take on confidence and relationships solidify her status as an exciting new pop star in the making with these new additions to her discography.
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