Sabrina Carpenter to drop Dolly Parton duet on ‘Short n’ Sweet’ deluxe
Anna Kaufman
Sabrina Carpenter has a special Valentine’s Day gift in store.
The “Espresso” songstress announced Tuesday that she would release a deluxe version of her latest album “Short n’ Sweet” on Feb. 14. The project will feature five new tracks including a remix version of her summer smash-hit “Please Please Please,” now a duet with Dolly Parton.
Other new tracks announced include “15 Minutes,” “Couldn’t Make It Any Harder,” “Busy Woman” and “Bad Reviews.”
The collaboration with Parton feels in ways inevitable as Carpenter’s use of exaggerated sexuality and ’50s pin-up glam exists directly downstream of the country music star’s signature iconography.
Both women are fond of a well-placed innuendo and have flipped the industry’s sexualization of their figures for their own benefit.
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In recent years, Parton has leant her voice to collaborations with younger stars, including Beyoncé for “Tyrant” off “Cowboy Carter,” Pitbull for “Powerful Women” and Kelly Clarkson for a remix of “9 to 5.”
Already a cultural constant, the duets continue to reintroduce Parton to new audiences and reaffirm her relevancy. A rare artist whose popularity remains steady across generations, the country crooner’s presence on “Please Please Please” specifically makes sense given her penchant for a scorned woman-centered track.
Carpenter’s announcement comes on the heels of a blockbuster year. After opening for Taylor Swift during the early legs of the Eras Tour, Carpenter parlayed budding fame into a massive tour of her own following the release of “Short n’ Sweet.”
Her songs “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” became instant earworms, her irony-laced lyrics cementing her place as both as a formidable singer-songwriter and a sassy narrator.
On Sunday night, her popular success turned to critical acclaim as she took home Grammy Awards for best pop solo performance and best pop vocal album. She was nominated in four additional categories.
