Like any good fling, Short n’ Sweet (Deluxe) is witty, playful, and knows exactly when to leave.

On Feb. 14, 2025, Valentine’s Day, pop princess Sabrina Carpenter gifted her adoring fans the newest version of her Grammy-winning album, Short n’ Sweet, first released in August 2024. In this edition, she not only graces us with a new—and better—album cover, featuring a sultry expression and her classic sun-washed curls, she also develops upon the bold, flirty, double-entendre-d energy of her summertime release with four new songs and a new version of and a new music video for her hit single “Please Please Please”, featuring the legendary Dolly Parton.

Without further ado, here are my thoughts, my qualifications mostly being that I, too, am a Taurus and have terrible taste in men (with the notable exception of my current boyfriend—my love, hopefully you’re much more perfect than Barry Keoghan).

“15 Minutes”: 4/5 Kisses

Cue the disco lights! If Taylor Swift’s “mirrorball” was less depressed and more, as Carpenter says, “batshit crazy,” it might come close to being “15 Minutes.”

Having proven that her fame has lasted far longer than a few shots of espresso, Carpenter is unashamed in this opening track, intent on making the very most of her time in the spotlight. She begins with a playful, razor-sharp reminder to her audience that she’s been in the industry for a long time—she’s not simply flirting with fame; she’s making it beg for more.

The track’s infectious, disco-inspired tempo adds punch to her criticism of the limited attention spans of today’s music listeners and the perceived disposability of pop stars. With lyrics like “When you’re hot, they’re gonna eat you alive” and “When my time’s up, baby / I’ll leak some pictures maybe,” Carpenter is forcefully bringing back the fearless bravado of the 2000s diva pop-star.

“Please Please Please (feat. Dolly Parton)”: 4.5/5 Kisses

If you don’t get the genius of this collaboration, maybe it’s simply not for you. In this track, Carpenter leans into her country-adjacent charm with Dolly Parton, the Queen of Country herself, which is further elevated only by a new high-drama music video, dripping with the flair of classic ’70s styling and a crime of passion. After all, men always seem to find themselves in a bit of trouble. Sometimes, the only solution is a (well-dug) hole—and a shovel.

The mix between their vocals is admittedly not perfect, which only adds to the charm of the track, proving that sometimes it’s okay to get a little messy. This review is also a petition for the two to release the version where Dolly says “motherfucker.” Please, please, please!

“Couldn’t Make It Any Harder”: 5/5 Kisses

Ironically, this track is a soft pop-ballad, revealing a bit of insecurity behind the confidence of Short n’ Sweet. A breathtaking eulogy to the girl she was before devastating heartbreaks, “Couldn’t Make It Any Harder” is only the more devastating with Carpenter’s signature soaring vocals and cheeky double entendres.

This track is Carpenter at her best—poetic, introspective, and honest, without sacrificing any of the stylistic and lyrical growth she’s made on this album.

“Busy Woman”: 3/5 Kisses

First included on a limited edition digital re-issue of Short n’ Sweet(er) on Aug. 29, 2024, “Busy Woman” has been a long time coming. An anthem to every woman who is too busy for heartbreak but always manages to fall in love with disaster, “Busy Woman” is at once bitingly self-aware and sweetly sarcastic. It lacks some of the originality of her other songs, but I imagine it’ll be perfect on a summer playlist—or the soundtrack to your maladaptive daydream of having everything together.

To all my friends who find themselves in situationships, please do not take this song to heart. Just be busier. I love you.

“Bad Reviews”: 3.5/5 Kisses

The cleverest title since the release of a movie about an ice queen by a major studio, Carpenter shows that she does indeed have some “good judgement”—that is, until she sings about cutting off her friends who call out the red flags of her newest paramour. It’s a relatable moment of self-awareness for anyone who’s ever defended a bad decision a bit too hard.

With a similar production as “Slim Pickins,” “Bad Reviews” was understandably left off the original album but nevertheless is a sweet, self-referential closer that wraps up this album with a hair toss and a wink. Oh, I’ll miss this album, but how I do love to see her go.

Rose Chen can be reached at rchen@wesleyan.edu.