Sabrina Carpenter didn't hold back with her words during her electrifying speech at the MTV VMAs. Accepting the coveted Best Album award at the 2025 MTV VMAs for her 2024 masterpiece *Short n' Sweet*, the "Espresso" sensation dropped an unfiltered F-bomb while referencing the past backlash her latest album, *Man's Best Friend*, had faced.
The 26-year-old artist began her heartfelt address by expressing her profound gratitude to the VMAs and her devoted fans for embracing her music. "I truly don't take it for granted when you all take precious moments out of your lives to immerse yourselves in an album," she remarked with genuine warmth. "And if, by some incredible stroke of luck, that album happens to be mine, I am beyond grateful."
"Whether it's *Short n' Sweet*, this very album, or *Man's Best Friend*, my newest creation, or any of the 29 other gems I've released before this," she quipped with a playful grin. "I just feel like the luckiest girl in the world. And I do want to give a shoutout to my incredible cast, dancers, and my queens on stage—my queens sharing the spotlight with me tonight," Carpenter continued, her voice brimming with enthusiasm.
She then shifted gears, addressing the pervasive culture of criticism that often surrounds her work and expressing her deep appreciation for the privilege of being a musician. "This world, as we all know too well, can be overflowing with criticism, discrimination, and negativity," she reflected earnestly. "So, to have the opportunity to be part of something that, more often than not, shines a light, brings a smile, makes you dance, and makes you feel like the world is your f***ing oyster—I am just so incredibly grateful to do that."
"So, thank you to everyone here," she continued, her gaze sweeping across the crowd. "But most importantly, my fans—you've always had my back. Thank you. And the last thing I'll say is this: every artist here tonight, whether you're nominated, performing, or just looking absolutely stunning, you all mean so much to me and have inspired me immensely," Carpenter shared, her voice tinged with emotion.
She concluded with a heartfelt message: "Thank you for letting me share this space with you. I love you all deeply."
In late August, Carpenter had already tackled the criticism surrounding *Man's Best Friend* head-on during an interview with Gayle King on *CBS Mornings*. Some critics had taken issue with the album cover, which depicted her crawling on the floor with a man holding her hair, labeling it "dehumanizing for women" and "degrading."
King, 70, described Carpenter's lyrics as "unapologetic" but noted that "there are those who might listen to the music and clutch their pearls in disbelief." Carpenter simply responded, "Correct."
"This album isn't for any pearl-clutchers," she declared boldly, before adding with a twinkle in her eye, "But I also think that even pearl-clutchers can listen to an album like this in their own private space and find something that makes them smirk or chuckle to themselves..."
The seasoned journalist also praised Carpenter for being "sexual," "powerful," and "vulnerable" in her music. "Sometimes, people hear lyrics that are really bold and think, 'I don't want to sing this in front of others,'" Carpenter mused. "It's like, it's almost too... it's TMI."
"But then I think about being at a concert, surrounded by all these young women in the front row, screaming at the top of their lungs with their best friends," she continued, her eyes lighting up. "And you can just breathe a sigh of relief and think, 'This is just fun.' And that's all it needs to be."
The 2025 MTV VMAs aired live from New York's UBS Arena on Sunday, Sept. 7, at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and MTV, with additional streaming available on Paramount+.
