Sabrina Carpenter Sets the Record Straight on Inspiration Behind "Manchild" Amid Fan Speculation

Published: June 6, 2025

Sabrina Carpenter is clearing the air about her latest single, "Manchild," after fans suspected it was a dig at her ex. The 26-year-old singer took to social media to explain the real inspiration behind the song.

"Thank you men for testing me!!" Carpenter wrote, accompanied by a series of cheeky photos from the set of her new music video.

According to Carpenter, she wrote "Manchild" on a random Tuesday with Amy Allen and Jack Antonoff, not long after she finished her sixth album, Short n' Sweet. "It ended up being the best random Tuesday of my life," she said.

The singer described the song as "something I can look back on that will score the mental montage to the very confusing and fun young adult years of life." She added, "It sounds like the song embodiment of a loving eye roll and it feels like a never-ending road trip in the summer!"

In the song, Carpenter hurls insults over sweet and upbeat melodies, with lyrics like "Stupid / Or is it slow? Maybe it's useless / But there's a cuter word for it, I know." Fans were quick to speculate that the song was about her ex, Barry Keoghan, but neither Carpenter's song nor her Instagram caption makes mention of any one ex in particular.

Carpenter's music video for "Manchild" will premiere on YouTube on Friday, June 6. The singer is encouraging fans to "stick your head out the car window and scream it all summer long!"

For more entertainment news, check out: Theresa Nist Fires Back at Gerry Turner's Claims Their Split Was Due to His Cancer Diagnosis

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