On February 14th, 2025, Sabrina Carpenter released the deluxe version of her Grammy-winning album, Short n’ Sweet. The deluxe version featured 4 new songs and another version of a previous song with a new feature. “Please Please Please” (ft. Dolly Parton), “Couldn’t Make It Any Harder,” “Busy Woman,” “Bad Reviews,” and “15 Minutes” are the new songs that have garnered a lot of attention.
The Short n’ Sweet album, originally released on August 23rd, 2024, received 8 nominations at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards and won for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance for the hit song “Espresso.” It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, which became Carpenter’s first number one and top-10 album and best opening week to date as tt opened with 362,000 album equivalent units.
After Short n’ Sweet gained a high level of popularity and success, Carpenter released the deluxe version to show her gratitude.
The track “15 Minutes” serves as a witty comeback to those who have doubted the longevity of her work and pokes fun at the “15 minutes of fame” trope. It serves as a reminder that she is far from new to the music industry, and if she does only have that 15 minutes of fame, she’s going to cherish it for as long as she has it.
The track “Please Please Please (ft. Dolly Parton)” brings an unexpected collaboration between a pop star and a historic country music superstar. This new version of the smash hit song includes new instrumentation that more closely resembles traditional country music, newly edited lyrics, and has been serviced to country radio. This collaboration has been met with multiple varying opinions on whether Parton’s voice fits with Carpenter’s but has still shown great success.
The track “Couldn’t Make It Any Harder” is a raw and emotional ballad that showcases Carpenter’s vulnerability and vocal strength. It serves as one of the most touching and moving moments on the album as it’s a switch up from some of the other songs on the album that address Carpenter’s love life. This song is my personal favorite of the deluxe songs.
The track “Busy Woman” contrasts the emotional ballad “Couldn’t Make It Any Harder” as it emits confidence and independence. It also serves as an empowering reminder of Carpenter’s evolving creativity and artistry. Alongside that, the track “Bad Reviews” displays Carpenter’s self-aware take on how she handles criticism with grace, proving her ability to blend humor with delightful and captivating melodies.
Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet (Deluxe) is a masterclass in pop music as it blends clever songwriting with catchy production. Whether a listener is in the mood for a dance party with friends or a solo car ride with self-reflection, this album delivers. With this deluxe album, Carpenter proves she’s not just here for a moment, she’s here to stay and keep making music history.
