When you drop a song like “Manchild,” people will start theorizing about which ex it's about, as Sabrina Carpenter has learned.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Carpenter was asked which ex “Manchild” is about. She replied, “It's about your dad,” which did not narrow it down.

However, Jack Antonoff, who co-wrote “Manchild” with Carpenter and Amy Allen, spoke highly about the song. “It's easily my favorite song we've ever done together,” he praised. “The things we did on the last album — things that people really loved — were just the start of places we wanted to take it. It's like, ‘Oh, you like that? Well, just you wait.'”

Which ex is Sabrina Carpenter's “Manchild” about?

We still don't know which of Carpenter's exes she wrote “Manchild” about. Previously, Carpenter dated Bradley Steven Perry (a fellow Disney Channel alum) and Shawn Mendes.

However, her most recent relationship was with actor Barry Keoghan. The two dated for about a year before breaking things off in December 2024.

Since their breakup, Carpenter has not been shy about shading the Oscar-nominated actor. During a show in Dublin, Ireland, his hometown, in March 2025, Carpenter said, “Dublin, it’s so lovely to be here. You all look and sound amazing. But my goodness, these Irish boys are hard work.”

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Eventually, who “Manchild” is about will likely come to light. For now, Carpenter is keeping the mystique up as the single builds hype for her seventh album.

Carpenter announced her next album, Man's Best Friend, on June 11, 2025. It will be released on August 29, 2025, just over a year after Short n' Sweet came out in 2024.

It is the quickest turnaround between two of her albums since Singular: Act I and Singular: Act II, which came out nine months apart.

So far, the album only has one single. Expect Carpenter to release at least one more before Man's Best Friend comes out. Short n' Sweet was preceded by two singles, “Espresso” and “Please Please Please.”

Carpenter is likely hoping for similar success with Man's Best Friend. Short n' Sweet earned Carpenter six Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year. She won Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Espresso.”