Originally appeared on E! Online
Sabrina Carpenter has dealt with her fair share of man-children in her life.
And with others having stayed in her good graces, the “Espresso” singer reflected on how these experiences have left her with a complicated perspective.
“I do think that men have been a super entertaining species to watch,” Carpenter told Vogue Italia in an interview published Sept. 23, translated to English. “In positive and negative ways. I feel really adored and inspired and loved by some of them… and really confused and attacked and ridiculed by others.”
That level of public opinion, magnified with the Grammy winner’s catapult to fame, has forced Carpenter to find different ways to cope with those dynamics.
“In life, you have to be able to take the moments that make us uncomfortable lightly, or at least that’s true for me,” she explained. “All my life, I’ve thought that’s what humor is all about. In addition to saving me, this kind of wit has been a filter that has ensured my protection for the future.”
READ Sabrina Carpenter Lyrics Decoded: Barry Keoghan, Shawn Mendes and More Rumored Inspiration
Don’t get it twisted: Despite Carpenter’s complicated opinion on men, she celebrates the arrival of baby boys.
“When one of my female friends announces that she’s having a son, I just rejoice for that young boy,” she explained. “Because I know he’s going to be raised right.”
She teased, “Correct me if I’m wrong, I’ve only been on Earth for 26 years, but I feel like we’ve always kind of had to train them. Unfortunately, it’s a tale as old as time.”
Throughout her years in the spotlight, Carpenter — who split from ex Barry Keoghan last December after a year of dating — hasn’t shied away from sharing her thoughts, both in interviews and in her songs.
For instance, the singer emphasized that she’s “not scared of men” who might not want to pursue a relationship with her out of fear of becoming a song’s subject. (Fans have speculated that Keoghan inspired her tracks “Manchild” and “Bed Chem.”)
“I feel pretty transparent going into any of my relationships, that I write songs,” she explained on CBS Mornings earlier this month, adding of her romantic interests, “Most of the times they have been pretty flattered when they get a song about them, good or bad. I think they’re just excited to get a shoutout.”
“I think I will attract exactly who I’m supposed to attract,” she continued. “I think it’s good to know I intimidate someone and they come closer. I think that means I’m dealing with something that is at least mentally strong enough to surpass some of that emotional immaturity.”
PHOTOSSabrina Carpenter, Time100 Next
