Her side of the story! Sabrina Carpenter seemingly reflected on the past drama surrounding her, Joshua Bassett and Olivia Rodrigo in the song “Because I Liked a Boy” from her fifth studio album Emails I Can’t Send, which was released on Friday, July 15.

“The most difficult part about this album was that it started from a place where it was reflecting my life at the time,” she shared with Rolling Stone on Friday when breaking down a few key songs on the record. “Now, looking back on it, the last two or three years of my life, that song came from a really real place in my life, so it didn’t feel right to not kind of write that song.”

Keep reading for more details on “Because I Liked a Boy.”

What Are the Lyrics to Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Because I Liked a Boy’?

“It was all so innocent / Now I’m a homewrecker / I’m a slut / I got death threats filling up semi trucks,” Sabrina, 23, sings on the tune. “Tell me who I am, ’cause I don’t have a choice / All because I liked a boy.”

Elsewhere in the song, Sabrina referred to herself as “a hot topic on your tongue” and seemingly referred to speculation that she was “a rebound getting’ ’round stealin’ from the young.” During her Rolling Stone interview, the former Disney Channel star said it was “very therapeutic to write that song from hindsight.”

Sabrina Carpenter
Photo by Broadimage/Shutterstock

She added, “Just being able to own it at the end of the day, and not let it determine who you are. My favorite lyric in the song is ‘Tell me who I am, because I don’t have a choice.’ It’s obviously sarcastic, but in the way that people can’t tell you who you are. Only if you allow them to, like really get under your skin. But truthfully, you know who you are.”

Sabrina explained that it was “important to tell the story from my perception.”

What Happened Between Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett?

In January 2021, Olivia, 19, released her debut single, “Drivers License,” which started all the apparent drama. Following the song’s release, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series fans started to speculate that the lyrics were about a rumored romance between Olivia and Joshua, 21, which they never confirmed. Amid the song’s release, Joshua appeared to be cozying up with Sabrina. So, listeners were quick to speculate that Joshua had broken up with Olivia for Sabrina — the “Drivers License” lyric “you’re probably with that blonde girl,” was the driving factor behind the drama.

In response, Sabrina released the song “Skin,” which fans believed was a response to “Drivers License.” In the nearly two years since the drama started, all three stars have spoken at length — sometimes evading the topic — about their experience during that time.

“I don’t really subscribe to hating other women because of boys,” Olivia, for one, explained while speaking with Variety in August 2021 of her success following the “Drivers License” release. “I think that’s so stupid, and I really resent that narrative that was being tossed around.”

Where Do Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo Stand Now?

A photo of the actresses attending the Met Gala this past May went viral online and appeared to show them talking at the event. In the snap, Olivia can be seen talking with a blonde girl wearing a dress that looked similar to Sabrina’s.

All’s well that ends well?

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