Sabrina Carpenter recently spoke about her past relationship with actor Barry Keoghan shortly after releasing her new album, Man’s Best Friend. In a CBS Mornings interview on August 29, she addressed the intense backlash Keoghan faced from her fans following their breakup, shedding light on her feelings about the situation.
Carpenter Responds to Backlash Against Keoghan
During the interview, host Gayle King brought up the criticism directed at Barry Keoghan due to the loyalty of Carpenter’s fanbase.
“He got a lot of backlash because your fans are very loyal,”
King noted, prompting Carpenter to acknowledge this reality without hesitation. When asked if she felt sorry for Keoghan amid the negative response, she responded with openness, describing her transparency in relationships and songwriting.
Carpenter explained that she is upfront about writing songs about her relationships, and she believes those songs often flatter the people involved, regardless of whether the portrayal is positive or negative.
“I think they’re just excited to get a shout-out,”
she said, emphasizing that she is not intimidated by men in this context and trusts that she will attract the right people in her life.
Timeline and Consequences of Their Split
The couple ended their year-long relationship about nine months prior to the interview. Barry Keoghan had appeared in the music video for Carpenter’s Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single, Please Please Please, during their time together. A representative confirmed they separated because both were young and focused on their careers.
Following the breakup, Keoghan removed himself from Instagram, citing the overwhelming negativity aimed at him online. He described the situation as a toxic environment filled with
“absolute lies, hatred, disgusting commentary about my appearance, character, how I am as a parent and every other inhumane thing you can imagine.”
Lyrics Reflecting on the Relationship in New Album
Carpenter appears to address the end of the relationship through her music on Man’s Best Friend, which was released the same day as the interview. The lead single, Manchild, critiques an ex-partner for their shortcomings, while the track We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night contains candid lyrics acknowledging growing distance:
“You say we’re drifting apart/ I said, ‘Yeah, I f–king know.’”
Carpenter Celebrates Taylor Swift’s Engagement
Despite the breakup, Carpenter expressed excitement for her close friend Taylor Swift, who recently announced her engagement to Travis Kelce. Carpenter shared on CBS Mornings her admiration for Swift, recalling how excited she was to hear one of Swift’s songs as a child, saying,
“I was 8 years old on the school bus, and my life was changed.”
Commitment to Authentic Expression Through Music
Sabrina Carpenter’s approach to music, especially on this seventh studio album, is rooted in emotional honesty. She revealed on the show that she often begins songwriting with lyrics first and that Man’s Best Friend was created during a challenging period in her life.
“I could either, you know, sit and sulk about it, or I could write about it,”
she explained, highlighting the therapeutic role music plays for her creative process.
He got a lot of backlash because your fans are very loyal.
—Gayle King, Interviewer
Did you feel badly when he was going through that?
—Gayle King, Interviewer
You know what’s funny … I feel pretty transparent going into any of my relationships that I write songs,
—Sabrina Carpenter, Pop Star
And I think they’re just as down for it. I think also most of the time, they’ve been pretty flattered when they get a song written about them, good or bad.
—Sabrina Carpenter, Pop Star
I think they’re just excited to get a shout-out,
—Sabrina Carpenter, Pop Star
I’m not scared of men in that sense. I am scared of men sometimes, but I’m not scared in that sense. I think I will attract exactly who I’m supposed to attract.
—Sabrina Carpenter, Pop Star
They are both young and career-focused, so they’ve decided to take a break,
—Representative, Statement on Breakup
It’s gettin to a place where there are too many lines being crossed,
—Barry Keoghan, Actor
Absolute lies, hatred, disgusting commentary about my appearance, character, how I am as a parent and every other inhumane thing you can imagine.
—Barry Keoghan, Actor
You say we’re drifting apart/ I said, ‘Yeah, I f–king know.’
—Sabrina Carpenter, Lyric from “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night”
I’ve been looking up to [Taylor] since I was — I remember the first time I heard a song by her. I was 8 years old on the school bus, and my life was changed.
—Sabrina Carpenter, Pop Star
I could either, you know, sit and sulk about it, or I could write about it.
—Sabrina Carpenter, Pop Star
