‘Manchild’ Is for Men Who Think Putting the Toilet Seat Down Is a Love Language

By Val Hernández

Bogotá, Colombia — Sabrina Carpenter has never exactly held back — especially not in her recent string of glossy, genre-bending pop releases. But with ‘Manchild’, she goes beyond flirtation and fantasy into something far more pointed: a glittery middle finger labeled for emotionally unavailable men.
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“I like my men all incompetent; and I swear they choose me, I’m not choosing them,” she sings, sounding equal parts resigned and enchanted. The result is a sharp, side-eyeing anthem for anyone who’s been trapped in the loop of low expectations and very high hairdos.

Set to a slick, country-tinged pop arrangement with ’90s-style synth sparkle, ‘Manchild’ trades the flirt of ‘Espresso’ for something with sharper teeth. It leans more into the DNA of ‘Busy Woman’, ‘Slim Pickins’, ‘Sharpest Tool’, and ‘Dumb and Poetic’ — witty, fed up, and incredibly self-aware. It’s the perfect sonic bridge between her Short & Sweet era and her next album Man's Best Friend - set to release on August 29 -, especially in the wake of her split from Barry Keoghan, rumored to be the very muse Short & Sweet was built around.

​Lyrically, the track is a goldmine. One moment, she’s peak Sabrina: “Did you just say you’re finished? Didn’t know we started.” The next, she’s funnily existential: “Why so sexy if so dumb? And how survive the earth so long?” These aren’t just punchlines — they’re painfully relatable scenarios. The most disarming part? How many people — regardless of gender — will hear this and think, “Oh god… I’ve dated this man.”

And she’s not wrong to be mad. The phenomenon she’s singing about isn’t just an online meme; it’s a measurable pattern. Globally, women still carry a disproportionate load of unpaid domestic labour — not because men can’t contribute, but because many simply… don’t. In the U.S., women spend around four more hours per week on housework than men. In the EU, 75% of women report doing daily domestic tasks, compared to just 34% of men. In Latin America, women often spend three times more hours on unpaid care and domestic work than their male counterparts.

This is the root of what sociologists call weaponised incompetence — when men fake ignorance or underperform in basic tasks so they won’t be asked again. Sabrina nails this dynamic with surgical precision in lines like “If I’m not there, it won’t get done,” and “Never heard of self-care, half your brain just ain’t there.” It’s not just about lazy partners — it’s about emotional labour, resentment, and the absurd normalisation of the bare minimum.

Musically, the track walks the same tightrope as its lyrics. The instrumentation blends subtle banjo, a touch of sitar (both courtesy of producer Jack Antonoff), violin, and synths that nod to Shania Twain’s confidence and Taylor Swift’s debut era charm. Sabrina’s vocals are peak precision — full of well-placed runs that never overstay their welcome, delivered with the kind of sugary bite that’s become her signature. She’s not mad, nor yelling, but she doesn’t have to. She’s already won.

And while it might be tempting for some to write ‘Manchild’ off as just another annoying feminist pop song, that would be missing the point — and the power. The track isn’t simply dragging bad boyfriends; it’s critiquing an entire culture of performative helplessness. It just happens to do it in a way that makes you smirk and stream it ten times in a row. For anyone who’s ever had to explain how to do laundry, proofread a grown man’s work emails, or apologise for being too organised, this is your moment. ‘Manchild’ is your self-aware scream into a rhinestoned void — and the most fun you’ll have being fed up.

About the Artist
Sabrina Carpenter is an American singer, songwriter, and actress whose evolution from Disney Channel alum to pop provocateur has earned her both critical acclaim and viral fame. With a flair for cheeky lyricism and bold fashion, she’s become one of Gen Z’s most distinctive voices, blending pop, soul, and vintage aesthetics into a sound that’s unmistakably her own. Her 2024 hit ‘Espresso’ catapulted her to new heights, and with ‘Manchild’, she proves she’s just getting started — with even sharper wit and stronger bite.