Sabrina Carpenter released her seventh studio album, “Man’s Best Friend,” at midnight on Friday, expanding a swift rise that began with last year’s Grammy-winning “Short n’ Sweet.” The 12-track collection was written and produced with frequent collaborators Jack Antonoff, Amy Allen and John Ryan, and arrives barely a year after Carpenter’s breakthrough set took her to arena status. Early demand was strong: the record climbed to No. 1 on US iTunes within hours of release, providing an immediate commercial signal ahead of official chart tallies. It is led by the country-tinged single “Manchild,” which previously debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, and is supported by a newly issued video for follow-up single “Tears,” co-starring Oscar-nominee Colman Domingo. Carpenter has also been managing scrutiny of the album’s cover, which depicts the singer on her knees while a man grips her hair. In a CBS Mornings interview referenced by Forbes, the 26-year-old said the image is intended to show young women “being in on the control” and brushed off the backlash as criticism from people who “hadn’t heard the project.” Initial critical response is mixed to favourable. Billboard hailed several tracks as the strongest of the artist’s career, while The Independent argued the set contains “incredible highs” but “too much that feels like a first draft.” The Economist, examining Carpenter’s rapid ascent, attributed her new prominence to a blend of candid lyricism, playful innuendo and calculated pop craftsmanship.