Bad Reviews

'Bad Reviews' by Sabrina Carpenter transcends the conventional pop portrayal of romantic relationships to explore the courage required to sustain love under the weight of public and personal judgment. The song is an intimate portrait of resilience, where Sabrina discusses dealing not only with external criticisms but also with the internal doubts that these criticisms exacerbate.

The song opens with the line 'I've heard all the bad news and the bad reviews', in which Sabrina confesses her awareness of the critical voices surrounding her relationship. This admission not only sets the stage for her struggle but also reveals her vulnerability. She does not just hear, but feels the weight of these critiques, reflecting the constant pressure to validate her relationship both to others and to herself.

At the heart of the song is Sabrina's deliberate choice to stay in the relationship, encapsulated in the phrase 'But still I choose to be in love with you'. This line is not just a declaration of love; it is an assertion of autonomy in the face of adversity. She acknowledges the flaws and red flags, indicating an internal battle to maintain faith in the relationship despite recognizing its fundamental faults. 'If I close an eye, it's almost like your red flags are blue' reveals a deep emotional complexity, showing how love can sometimes compel a selective view of reality.

The passage 'And I'm fresh out of any good judgment / I'm intentionally careless, least I got self-awareness / Just want someone to love me who doesn't' shows Sabrina admitting her own recklessness and lack of sound judgment at the moment, contrasting starkly with her previous assertion in 'Please, Please, Please', a song where she prides herself on her good judgment and taste. In it, Sabrina asks her then-boyfriend, actor Barry Keoghan, not to let her down, displaying a certain confidence and hope in the relationship. However, rumors of a subsequent betrayal by Keoghan bring a new perspective to 'Bad Reviews'.

'Bad Reviews' is an anthem of defiance and a declaration of independence, where Sabrina not only navigates the minefield of others' opinions but also the labyrinth of her own insecurities and hopes. It is a song that speaks to the difficult task of maintaining a love that is constantly tested, not just by those on the outside but by the very doubts that arise when the world seems against you.