By Genevieve Presley
Columnist
It truly has been a revolutionary year for pop singer Sabrina Carpenter, who made headlines with her sixth album “Short n’ Sweet” released on Aug. 23, 2024. The album broke multiple records, including her first ever number one album and platinum certification. Most recently, it was crowned with its biggest achievement, taking home the first Grammy for “Best Pop Solo Performance” and “Best Pop Vocal Album.” To celebrate, Carpenter announced that she would be releasing a deluxe edition of the album. “Short n’ Sweet (Deluxe)” was released on Feb. 14 with five bonus tracks, including a remix of “Please Please Please” featuring Dolly Parton.
As release day approached, I found myself getting more excited than ever, just like when the standard edition of the album was about to come out. I could not wait to hear the new songs, especially the Dolly Parton collaboration. When it finally came time to listen, the deluxe tracks immediately caught my attention. From Sabrina’s vocals to the lyrics, I was fascinated and I could not stop listening to them. They were all so good that choosing a favorite seemed impossible. However, among all five deluxe tracks, my favorite was “15 Minutes.”
In “15 Minutes,” Sabrina reminisces about her rise to fame, emphasizing her capability when it comes to being in the spotlight. Throughout the song, there is a shift of tone in which Carpenter talks about how her newfound popularity causes her to worry about unwanted attention and fake people who could soon end up betraying her. This one ranks as my favorite because it is so upbeat, influential and honest. It is a life-altering anthem that clearly shows the pressures of being famous in a way that is simply enthralling.
I, of course, cannot talk about the deluxe edition of “Short n’ Sweet” without mentioning “Please Please Please” with the incomparable Dolly Parton. The fact that they teamed up on this song is iconic in every sense of the word. Their voices harmonized beautifully and made me love and appreciate the song even more. The country vibes provided a good twist on this fan favorite and the music video was fitting for it. The music video is a throwback to classic country, filmed in black and white, featuring Sabrina and Dolly in a pickup truck. The visuals complete a well-rounded theme to this duet, which kept me engaged.
Currently, this rendition of “Please Please Please” has over 2.52 million streams, while the video has a total of 6.4 million views. With its already booming success, I am curious to see which version of the song becomes more popular in the coming weeks.
On release day, the album earned 37.9 million streams in total, with 15.6 million of them going to the deluxe tracks. All five bonus tracks debuted on the Spotify Top 50 charts. “Busy Woman” is currently the most popular, with 5.275 million streams, debuting at number 12 in the USA and number 28 globally. Coming in second is “15 Minutes.” The song has over 2.88 million streams and is ranked at number 41 in the USA and number 46 globally.
“Short n’ Sweet” is a standout in Sabrina Carpenter’s career, and in my opinion, the deluxe edition only amplifies it. Overall, I rate “Short n’ Sweet (Deluxe)” a 10 out of 10 for the incredible vocals and remarkable lyrics. I would recommend it in a heartbeat, and I cannot wait to see what Sabrina decides to do next.
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