The songstress is shooting down fan theories that her new single is all about any specific person.
Sabrina Carpenter says the fan theories and speculation regarding her new song are all missing the point. The 21-year-old songstress is trying to shift the public narrative away from romance rumors and into a place of respect and appreciation.
Carpenter took to Instagram on Sunday to share a message with her fans, and address feud rumors pitting herself against actress Olivia Rodrigo.
"Thank you to everyone who has listened to skin," she wrote, alongside a retro-filtered contemplative photo of herself. "Especially those who have opened their minds to lyrically what i was trying to get across."
The singer released "Skin" late Thursday night, and many fans took to Twitter to suggest that the song was written in response to a rumored musical feud between herself and Rodrigo.
Earlier this month, Rodrigo released a viral hit single, "Drivers License," which contains lyrics that many think address the relationship between her High School Musical: The Musical: The Series co-star (and rumored ex-boyfriend), 20-year-old Joshua Bassett and Carpenter. Two weeks later, Carpenter's "Skin" seemingly included lyrics not-so-subtly calling out Rodrigo's song.
However, Carpenter complimented "Drivers License" in her message to fans on Sunday, and denied that her song was written in response.
"I wasn’t bothered by a few lines in a (magnificent) song and wrote a diss track about it," Carpenter shared. "I was at a tipping point in my life for countless reasons. so i was inspired to do what i usually do to cope, write something that i wish i could have told myself in the past."
Carpenter explained, "People can only get to you if you give them the power to. and a lot of people were trying to get to me."
She added that the song "isn’t calling out one single person" but rather several people and circumstances that she's experienced and that have impacted her recently.
"Some lines address a specific situation," Carpenter admitted, seemingly referring to the Rodrigo drama, "while other lines address plenty of other experiences I’ve had this past year."
"It also shows that many things have actually gotten under my skin," she continued, referring to a lyric in her song. "I’m still learning to not give other people so much power over my feelings. I know a lot of you struggle with the same thing."
In a final effort to call for peace and calm between all parties involved in the rumored love triangle drama, Carpenter concluded, "I don’t want this to become an endless cycle so please don’t take this as an opportunity to send more hate anyone’s way. lots of love to u all. thanks for letting me grow."
In Rodrigo's song, released Jan. 7, the 17-year-old entertainer sings about an unnamed ex -- whom fans have speculated is Bassett -- and croons, "You're probably with that blonde girl / Who always made me doubt / She's so much older than me / She's everything I'm insecure about."
Fans quickly interpreted that to be about Carpenter, who is blonde and 21.
In Carpenter's newly released track, she sings, "Maybe we could’ve been friends/ If I met you in another life/ Maybe then we could pretend/ There’s no gravity in the words we write/ Maybe you didn’t mean it/ Maybe blonde was the only rhyme."
Other lyrics than fans pointed to when it came to their theory that Carpenter's new song was an elaborate clap back include: "And I’m not asking you to let it go but/ You been tellin’ your side/ So I’ll be tellin’ mine," and "You can try/ To get under my under my under my skin/ While he’s on mine," as well as, "Don’t drive yourself insane."
Though HSMTMTS co-stars Rodrigo and Bassett never confirmed an off-screen romance, fans believe the pair previously dated, before breaking up last year. Rodrigo did post a TikTok about "failed relationships" in August.
Carpenter and Bassett have been romantically linked repeatedly, even posting their Halloween couples costume on TikTok.
Not wanting to be left out of the drama, Bassett also released a new song this month, and fans seem to think it too is about Rodrigo's single.
Subtly titled "Lie Lie Lie," Bassett's song includes lyrics like, "I know what you said about me / I hope that it makes you happy / You can't seem to get me off your mind," and the music video features Bassett driving through the desert, which mirrors scenes from the music video for "Drivers License."
Check out the video below for more on the why fans think there's drama between the musicians.
RELATED CONTENT:
