Sabrina Carpenter gracefully unveiled the inspiration behind her track "Manchild" amidst whispers that it was penned with an ex in mind. On June 5th, Thursday, the 26-year-old, whose hit "Busy Woman" has resonated with fans worldwide, shared an intimate caption on Instagram, shedding light on the creation of her latest single. The Grammy-adorned artist revealed that "Manchild" was conceived on a whim on a Tuesday, shortly after wrapping up her sixth album, Short n' Sweet, in collaboration with Amy Allen and Jack Antonoff. "It ended up being the most fortuitous Tuesday of my life," Carpenter wrote with a touch of nostalgia.
Interspersing playful snapshots from the music video set, she admitted that penning the tune was an exhilarating experience. "But this song has transformed into a personal time capsule, encapsulating the bewildering yet exhilarating years of my young adulthood," she expressed. She further elaborated, "It sounds like a musical embodiment of an affectionate eye roll, akin to an endless summer road trip! That's why I chose now to release it—so you can let loose and belt it out from the car window all season long!"
Before signing off, Carpenter expressed gratitude to her fans for their unwavering support, cheekily adding, "And a shoutout to the men who put me to the test!" One fan commented, "Sabrina writes better diss tracks than actual rappers, lol."
The catchy pre-chorus of "Manchild" finds Carpenter delivering playful insults set against sweet, upbeat melodies: "Stupid, or is it slow? Maybe it's useless, but there's a cuter word for it, I know," she sings with a hint of sarcasm. She then belts out the chorus, "Manchild, why you always come running to me? Fuck my life, won't you let an innocent woman be? Never heard of self-care, half your brain just ain't there. Manchild, why you always come running, taking all my loving from me?"
While neither the lyrics nor Carpenter's caption explicitly mention any specific ex, she was recently romantically linked to Barry Keoghan. The pair sparked dating rumors after being spotted dining together in Los Angeles in early December 2023, only to take a break later that same month. "They are both young and career-focused, so they decided to take a step back," a source told PEOPLE in December 2024. During their brief romance, the 32-year-old Irish actor starred in her "Please Please Please" music video, a role she cast him in without hesitation.
During an interview with CBS Sunday Morning in October 2024, Carpenter shared, "I asked myself, 'Who's the best actor I can find for this music video?' And he was sitting next to me in a chair. He was thrilled about it," she recounted with a smile.
Rumors also swirled that Carpenter briefly dated Shawn Mendes in 2023, though she later clarified that they were "not dating" despite being spotted together in Los Angeles.
"Manchild" is now streaming on various platforms, with the accompanying music video set to premiere on YouTube on Friday, June 6th.
