It feels like every time you open TikTok or check X lately, someone is trying to figure out why is sabrina carpenter getting cancelled. One minute she’s the internet’s favorite "it girl" with a cup of espresso in her hand, and the next, there’s a massive thread about why she’s suddenly "problematic."
The truth is, it isn't just one thing. It's a messy cocktail of religious imagery, high-profile breakups, and a sudden shift in her brand that has left some fans—and a lot of parents—feeling a little dizzy.
Honestly, the "cancellation" of Sabrina Carpenter is less about a single unforgivable act and more about the growing pains of a former child star who refuses to stay in the Disney-shaped box people built for her. When you’ve been Maya Hart since you were twelve, people tend to get weird when you start singing about sex and dancing in pews.
That Music Video and the Church Drama
If we're looking for the spark that really lit the fire, we have to talk about the "Feather" music video. This wasn’t just a little Twitter spat; it actually led to a literal priest getting demoted.
In the video, Sabrina is seen dancing around the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Brooklyn. She’s wearing a short black tulle dress and a veil, looking like the world’s most glamorous widow, surrounded by pastel-colored coffins. The imagery was campy and horror-inspired, but the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn was not laughing.
They were, in their words, "appalled."
Bishop Robert Brennan actually had to hold a Mass of Reparation to "restore the sanctity" of the church. Think about that for a second. A pop music video was so controversial that a church felt it needed a spiritual deep clean.
Sabrina’s response? She kept it short. "We got approval in advance," she told Variety, before dropping the line that became an instant meme: "And Jesus was a carpenter."
Some loved the wit. Others saw it as the height of disrespect. This moment was really the first time the "why is sabrina carpenter getting cancelled" searches started to peak, as traditionalists and religious groups felt she had crossed a line from creative expression into outright mockery.
The Man's Best Friend Cover and "Male Gaze" Accusations
Fast forward to the release of her 2025 album, Man’s Best Friend. If you haven’t seen the cover, it features Sabrina on all fours while an anonymous man in a suit pulls her hair.
This sparked a massive debate about the "male gaze."
Critics, including some Scottish domestic violence organizations and writers at The Telegraph, called the imagery "degrading" and "regressive." They argued that by presenting herself this way, she was catering to a harmful fantasy.
But here’s where it gets nuanced.
Sabrina defended the choice, explaining that the album is actually about how people—specifically men in the industry and her personal life—have tried to control and "yank" her around. She viewed it as a sarcastic commentary on her own lack of agency in past relationships.
Basically, she was trying to be ironic. But as she admitted later, a lot of people missed the sarcasm entirely. When your audience is largely made up of Gen Z fans who are hyper-aware of "purity culture" and feminist theory, an image like that is going to be a lightning rod for criticism regardless of the intent.
The Barry Keoghan Fallout
Then there’s the personal drama. The relationship between Sabrina and Saltburn star Barry Keoghan was the talk of 2024. He was in her "Please Please Please" video, he was front row at her shows—it was everywhere.
When they reportedly split in late 2024, the internet did what it does best: it got toxic.
Barry faced a wave of online abuse, with some fans accusing him of infidelity without any real proof. He eventually deactivated his Instagram, calling the harassment "inhumane" and "disgusting."
People started looking at Sabrina. Did she do enough to stop her fans?
In a 2025 interview with Gayle King, Sabrina was pretty blunt about it. She said she’s "transparent" with anyone she dates that she’s going to write about them. She didn't exactly issue a "stop harassing my ex" manifesto, which rubbed some people the wrong way.
There’s this weird tension now where fans feel protective of her, but that protection turns into a weapon. When a celebrity doesn’t call off the "dogs" (as the internet calls aggressive fanbases), they often get blamed for the fallout.
The "Not for Kids" Problem
Finally, we have the "mom" factor.
Sabrina is 26 now. She’s an adult. But because of her Disney roots, her concerts are still packed with literal children.
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During her Short n’ Sweet Tour, she started a tradition of "debuting a new sex position" every night during her song "Juno." She’d have the audience sing lyrics like, "I'm so f***ing horny."
Predictably, some parents were horrified.
They went to social media to complain that they’d brought their seven-year-olds to a show they thought would be "Disney-lite" and ended up at what felt like a burlesque show.
Sabrina’s stance is pretty clear: it’s not her job to be a babysitter. She’s evolving as an artist, and if parents aren't checking the lyrics before buying tickets, that’s on them. Still, this "moral panic" has contributed heavily to the narrative of why she's being "cancelled" by certain demographics.
Dealing with the Backlash: What to Actually Do
If you’re a fan or just a curious observer trying to make sense of the noise, here is the best way to navigate the "cancellation" cycles:
- Check the Timeline: Most of the "scandals" are actually months or years apart. The internet tends to bundle them together to make it look like a celebrity is having a "downfall" when they're actually just living their life.
- Context Matters: Before jumping on a hate train about an album cover or a lyric, look for the artist's explanation. Sabrina leans heavily into sarcasm and "camp." If you take her literally, you're probably going to be offended.
- Separation of Artist and Brand: Remember that Sabrina is a 26-year-old woman. If you're a parent, don't assume a "Disney Alum" tag means G-rated content. Always check a setlist or a lyric sheet before taking kids to a live show.
- Ignore the "Stan" Wars: Much of the heat comes from rival fanbases (like the weird tension with some Swifties over her SKIMS campaign). Most of that is just noise and doesn't reflect the actual quality of the person or the music.
The reality? Sabrina Carpenter isn't going anywhere. Her albums are still hitting number one, and she’s headlining Coachella 2026. The "cancellation" is mostly just the sound of a pop star becoming too big to ignore.