Category: Music

Did Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter Just End the Pop Girl Cold War?

So… are Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter friends now? Because if those Hyde Park photos are anything to go by, we may be witnessing the final chapter of the driver’s license cinematic universe—and honestly, closure looks good on them. In a move no one had on their 2025 pop culture bingo card, Sabrina Carpenter was spotted front and centre (VIP, obviously) at Olivia Rodrigo’s Hyde Park concert in London. And not in an “oops, I just stumbled in” way—she was glowing, grinning, and wearing a sheer baby doll dress like it was her own stage. Livvies and Carpenters (yes, that’s still what we’re calling them) immediately descended into chaos. Because let’s not forget, just a few years ago, these two were locked in a passive-aggressive musical standoff over a curly-haired boy and a very unfortunate love triangle. Back in 2021, Olivia wrote the breakup ballad of Gen Z: “driver’s license,” casually referring to “that blonde girl” who made her doubt herself. The internet figured out it was Sabrina in about 3.5 seconds. Then came “Skin,” Sabrina’s lyrical clapback that tried to clear the air but just ended up stirring more dust (“He’s all on my skin”? Girl… be serious). Fast forward to now and the plot has definitely evolved. No staged photos. No red carpet buddy shots. But yes—a blurry hug, a friendly chat, and one very public appearance at Olivia’s gig. The vibes? Civil. Maybe even… warm? It’s worth noting that Olivia’s ride-or-die BFF, Conan Gray, has been hanging with Sabrina lately, reposting her music and even casting her longtime bestie Corey Fogelmanis in a video. Sabrina reposted Conan’s “Manchild” TikTok like it was nothing. Which means either: Also, can we talk about how Olivia once expertly dodged being messy about all of this? When asked if she’d ever respond to Sabrina’s “Skin,” she simply said: “I don’t know her.” Full Mariah. At age 18. We’re still recovering from the elegance of that drag. To be fair, Olivia did try to squash the drama in 2021, telling Variety, “I don’t subscribe to hating other women because of boys.” And it tracks—since then, both stars have levelled up: new albums, Grammys, world tours, and actual adult relationships. Growth! And if you’re still feeling emotional, here’s a throwback: teenage Olivia once fangirled over Sabrina’s Jimmy Fallon performance during an Instagram Live. She even sang “Why” softly on camera and said, “Go Sabrina!” Who knew the Disney girlies were always secretly rooting for each other? So while we’re not screaming “collab incoming” just yet… we’re also not not screaming it. Because the world has seen enough pop girl drama. Maybe it’s finally time for pop girl diplomacy.

After Beyoncé’s Historic Win, the GRAMMYs Suddenly Split the Country Category. Coincidence?

In February, Beyoncé made history at the GRAMMYs—again—becoming the first Black woman to win Best Country Album for her genre-bending opus Cowboy Carter. She beat out names like Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, Kacey Musgraves, and even Post Malone (yes, that happened). And while the Beyhive rejoiced, the industry? Well… let’s just say it’s reacting in classic fashion. Fast-forward a few months and the Recording Academy has announced a structural change: the Best Country Album category will now be split in two—Best Traditional Country Album and Best Contemporary Country Album. The only category tweak ahead of the 2026 GRAMMYs, and its timing couldn’t feel more… precise. Beyoncé herself seemed stunned by her win, thanking “all the incredible country artists that accepted this album,” and subtly calling out the genre’s historically rigid boundaries: “I think sometimes genre is a cold word to keep us in our place as artists.” She wasn’t wrong. Despite Cowboy Carter’s chart dominance and cultural reach, Beyoncé was snubbed by the CMAs—yet again. (The same CMAs that gave her backlash for daring to perform Daddy Lessons with The Chicks in 2016.) When she announced Cowboy Carter, she even acknowledged the cold shoulder, writing: “It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t.” But let’s talk about that new GRAMMY split. According to Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., the proposal for a two-category system had been submitted multiple times before, but only now did it get approved. The stated goal? To reflect the diversity within the genre. The real question: whose diversity? The Traditional Country definition is heavy on “fiddle,” “banjo,” and “adherence to sound structures.” It reads like a musical history class designed to gatekeep. Meanwhile, fans across social media have been quick to point out the suspiciously strategic timing. One tweet simply read: “Best Traditional Country Album. How subtle.” Another? “A Black woman won best country album, NOW we need two categories? Interesting.” Some fans have called it what it feels like: a post-victory reshuffle designed to quietly keep future Cowboy Carters from sweeping “traditional” territory. Others noted how no one blinked when country music flirted with pop for years—but the moment Beyoncé dominates, the Academy suddenly rediscovers genre purity. Because let’s be honest: Cowboy Carter wasn’t just an album—it was a movement. It pulled dusty corners of country into the light, reclaimed Black influence in a whitewashed genre, and still had time to serve looks, lyrics, and a historical reset. So, is the category split progress or preservation? Evolution or exclusion? A long-overdue update or a cleverly veiled reaction? Maybe it’s all of the above. But as one viral tweet so perfectly put it: “Rules always change when Black people start breaking in.”

Sabrina Carpenter Drops “Man’s Best Friend” Album News With a NSFW Twist—Yes, That’s the Actual Cover

If you thought Sabrina Carpenter was done playing with double meanings and dominance metaphors—think again. The GRAMMY-winning pop provocateur just announced her next album, Man’s Best Friend, and the internet has not taken a collective breath since. Set to drop on August 29, the album will feature nine explicit tracks—including her latest single, “Manchild,” which has already begun clawing its way up Billboard’s Hot 100 like it’s got something to prove. (Spoiler: It does.) In just under a week, “Manchild” has fans quoting lyrics, fighting for their lives in the comments, and comparing its rise to Alex Warren’s viral hit “Ordinary.” But nothing has sparked more discourse than the cover. Or should we say—the two covers? Following her Primavera Sound Festival performance in Barcelona, Carpenter posted two photos that broke the internet in half. First: a sultry, hair-pulling glam shot that looks like it belongs in the Louvre—or a very expensive tab on OnlyFans. Second: a close-up of a dog collar reading Man’s Best Friend, worn by an actual dog, naturally. This unhinged one-two punch led fans to speculate which image was the cover. The collar? A decoy. The dog? Just vibes? Turns out, the NSFW shot is the official album cover. Carpenter confirmed it herself on Instagram, because of course she did. She knows exactly what she’s doing—and so does her audience. If the visuals are anything to go by, Man’s Best Friend is shaping up to be equal parts pop performance, gender play, and brat-coded chaos. Brace yourselves. She’s about to go full alpha.