Breakups are never easy, but when they unfold in the public eye, the pain cuts even deeper—something pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter knows all too well.
On February 11, 2025, the Espresso singer opened up in an exclusive interview with Vogue magazine about the inspiration behind her latest album, Short n’ Sweet.
Staying true to her songwriting roots, Sabrina revealed that the album was deeply inspired by her love life, specifically a past breakup that left a profound emotional and mental impact on her.
Reflecting on the heartbreak, she shared,
“[It was my] first big-girl album. The songs were deeply personal because of my biggest heartbreak to date. My first real one. I hate to say that”.
While Sabrina refrained from naming names, she spoke candidly about the difficulty of moving on and how she coped with the grief. She explained,
“It definitely makes all my exes before that feel like shit. I don’t mean to do that. I just think in a sense of really understanding the grieving-someone-that’s-alive feeling. I never felt that until this one”.
Sabrina Carpenter Reflects On Her Past Rumored Romance With Joshua Bassett
One of the standout tracks from Sabrina’s album Nonsense was widely speculated by fans to be inspired by the alleged love triangle involving her, actor Joshua Bassett, and pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo.
However, during a performance on her Emails I Can’t Send Tour in late 2024, Carpenter humorously shut down the speculation, addressing the crowd directly by saying,
“I’ve got a great personality but no t-ts. This song is not about Joshua Bassett”.
“I’ve got a personality but no tits. This song is not about Joshua Bassett.”
— Sabrina Carpenter Tour Info 💋 (@SabrinaTourInfo) October 16, 2022
— Nonsense outro at #EICSLosAngeles pic.twitter.com/C5AXvyEVg8
Reflecting on her decision to tackle the rumors head-on in front of thousands of fans, Sabrina explained to Vogue,
“I think [the rumors] taught me a little bit more wordplay and a couple more innuendos. But I was happy that people felt they got an unfiltered version of me, and they weren’t running from it”.
Although the name of the mystery man referenced by Sabrina Carpenter remains undisclosed, the singer recently endured a highly publicized breakup with Saltburn star Barry Keoghan, whom she dated for nearly a year.
On December 3, 2024, an anonymous source exclusively confirmed their separation to PEOPLE magazine. While the insider chose not to delve into the details of their split, they did offer insight into why the couple ultimately decided to part ways. The insider shared,
“They are both young and career-focused, so they’ve decided to take a break”.
Since her split from Barry, Carpenter has remained single, and neither of the two has addressed their breakup.
Sabrina Carpenter may have faced her biggest heartbreak yet, but she’s turning pain into power through her music. With Short n’ Sweet as her emotional outlet, she proves that even in the face of love lost, her story—and her voice—are far from over.