Coming in hot off the trails of ‘Short n’ Sweet’, Sabrina Carpenter releases ‘Man’s Best Friend’, her seventh studio album, on Aug. 29. With Carpenter’s previous album producing chart-topping hits like ‘Espresso’ and ‘Please Please Please,’ this new music was highly anticipated by millions of fans everywhere.

‘Man’s Best Friend’ was released alongside a music video for ‘Tears,’ the second song on the album after ‘Manchild.’ The music video features actor Colman Domingo, and Carpenter told Gayle King on CBS Mornings that ‘Tears,’ and the album as a whole, came to be after she went through a rough patch.

“I could either, you know, sit and sulk about it, or I could write about it,” Carpenter said.

Sabrina fan Kam Ali believes that ‘Man’s Best Friend’ is a breakup album recent split with actor Barry Keoghan and says Carpenter handled the concept perfectly.

“I love the concept of a breakup album. It’s been done multiple times in the past few years, and it’s a concept I never really get tired of… I can say as of now, I’m enjoying what we’ve got so far with the album as well as the music videos for ‘Manchild’ and ‘Tears,’” Ali said.

Music major and Vice President of Loyola Greysounds Maddie Aucoin ’26 agrees, noting that Man’s Best Friend is a unique breakup album.

“Typically, people would assume a breakup album would be slow and emotional, but this is one that is very versatile and can be both emotional and empowering,” Aucoin said.

Out of all twelve tracks, ‘Goodbye’ is Aucoin’s favorite song on the album because of how it progresses and also its danceability. She notes that ‘Goodbye’ is very theatrical, fun, and bold.

“Overall, the song is so vibrant and fun while still conveying the emotion behind the lyrics, and that definitely makes it a favorite,” Aucoin said.

The other songs on ‘Man’s Best Friend’ follow a similar cadence. Sabrina told NPR  that the album is a party for heartbreak.

“I think that that’s kind of a theme that I tackle throughout the whole album, just because it’s a little bit more about the reflection of my own choices and these relationships and how I get into them and how I get out of them,” Carpenter said.

Aucoin says the songs on the album have an ’80s influence, giving the album a more retro sound.

“Some of the songs give me a really heavy ABBA vibe, which I especially enjoyed… I feel like this new style for her definitely showed off her voice more and highlighted her R&B style and fullness,” Aucoin said.

And what a party indeed. The album highlights upbeat sounds and catchy lyrics — in true Sabrina Carpenter fashion. ‘House Tour’ has a house-party, Cyndi Lauper-style feeling, making it a modern blast from the past, while ‘Sugar Talking’ has a slower pace and tells a story.

But following the popularity of ‘Short n’ Sweet’, there was a lot of worry about whether this album would live up to the hype of Carpenter’s previous release. Ali says the main difference between the two is ‘Man’s Best Friend’s’ emphasis on romantic relationships and the overall genre.

“The album sounds different from her previous projects because it leans significantly into various genres such as disco and country,” Ali said.

While Sabrina established herself as a pop artist with some of her previous hits, this album offers a new, innovative sound for the singer, while staying true to her feminine, sultry aesthetic.

With another leg of the ‘Short N’ Sweet’ Tour coming up in October, it’s no doubt that the songs from Man’s Best Friend will make an appearance, and fans will be eager to see how she brings these songs to life on stage.