A flirty wink, a casual toss of her hair, a dazzling voice. And from that voice comes simple melodies. Silly tunes ring clearly in my head, ready to erupt from my lips in off-tune shrieks and compel my uncoordinated limbs into vivid motion. Hypnotic serenades soothe my mind, bringing me into an even more prominent state of mindlessness than usual.  

Who is this goddess who has such a wickedly far-reaching influence? 

From her vocal cords come the exuberant, sassy remark, “I heard that you’re an actor / So act like a stand up guy,” and instantly, I abandon my tasks and catapult from my desk, dedicating all my energy to hollering the rest of the song as appropriate for an over-enthusiastic fan. And all of a sudden, I feel alive, vivacious, inspired. As her song “Espresso” states, that’s that her, Sabrina Carpenter.    

Ever since she kickstarted the beach season this year with hit songs “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” Carpenter has seen a rise in popularity, beguiling more dedicated supporters, myself included. When she announced her sixth studio album, “Short n’ Sweet,” I was eager to witness her cheeky demeanor and snarky one-liners once again. 

“Short n’ Sweet,” theorized to be a tease towards Carpenter’s small stature and brief relationships, features 12 tracks and two limited edition songs, “Needless to Say” and “Busy Woman.” One week after its release, Carpenter’s enthusiasts crowned “Short n’ Sweet” as the best new release on Billboard, and the tracks “Taste,” “Please Please Please,” “Espresso” and “Good Graces” all secured spots in Spotify’s global top 10.  

Bold and refreshing, “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” were some of my favorite summer songs, so I had towering expectations for the rest of her album. Even though none of the new songs had quite the same charm as these previous two, Carpenter brings on a comforting collection of music, elevating summer tracks to the next level. It’s a dangerous move — reinstilling summer when it’s September and the outside world is willing to move on, but Carpenter gives us the chance to breathe in summer even if it’s just for 36 minutes. 

While all the songs in the album are about love, Carpenter distinguishes herself from formulaic lyrics by dropping her classic, catchy innuendos throughout. As she experiments with country and synth styles, Carpenter mimics crude Shakespearean linguistics in “Bed Chem,” a personal favorite track that showcases a mid-song monologue. While she is not actually “singing,” I find her deep talking voice a nice reprieve from her falsettos. Another one of my favorite, school-appropriate lines is in “Don’t Smile,” where she sardonically twists a common phrase into “don’t smile because it happened, baby / Cry because it’s over,” adding melancholy undertones to her otherwise short and sweet witticisms. 

Additional highlights of the album come from “Good Graces” and “Juno.” Listening to “Good Graces” is a step into the past, for it is reminiscent of classic pop, which is exactly what the album is striving for. Introducing the song is the strum of a guitar, building anticipation before a more typical beat kicks in. Upon my first listen, I instantly fell in love with the dimension of Carpenter’s voice, especially with her clear, yet seemingly relaxed attitude in the shift from the soft chorus to the echoes of her words that culminate in the repetition of a single line.

Contrastingly, the addictive, explicit lyrics in “Juno” suggest a playful love, and while it does not have the most substance or room for introspection, Carpenter’s humor is praiseworthy and inflates my overall enjoyability.

While I cannot relate to Carpenter’s stories, her scintillating remarks mirror interactions I have with close friends, giving me a more intimate connection with the songs. She’s bold, and in a way, she’s shameless — it’s everywhere in “Short n’ Sweet,” and I love it. She’s not trying to be anything but herself, and as an on-and-off music listener, I can appreciate that sense of individuality. As someone who struggles with self-expression, I feel motivated by her openness to step out of my own bubble. 

Some love the album for its appreciation of old-fashioned vibes, and while I also appreciate those elements, my main joy comes from Carpenter’s lighthearted approach that resonates even in my completely unrelated situation. The excitement for blatantly summer songs is gradually trickling away, but Carpenter holds onto the last remnants of sunshine, cementing her impact in the pop genre. Indeed, Sabrina Carpenter leaves “quite an impression” with “Short n’ Sweet.”

Rating: 4/5 

Favorite songs: “Please Please Please,” “Espresso,” “Juno”