Because she liked a boy! Sabrina Carpenter has remained coy about her dating history — but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t faced her fair share of romantic drama.
The Girl Meets World alum’s love life first made headlines in August 2020 when she was spotted out to lunch in Los Angeles with Joshua Bassett. The pair were then seen once again at various Black Lives Matter protests at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving fans to speculate whether Carpenter and the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star were officially an item — and whether Bassett had split from longtime girlfriend Olivia Rodrigo.
Rodrigo then raised eyebrows in January 2021 after releasing her debut single, “Driver’s License” The powerful breakup track caused some to whether it was inspired by the rumored drama between her, Bassett and Carpenter.
Eagle-eyed fans pointed out that Rodrigo changed the lyrics from her 2020 teaser track from “brunette” to “blonde,” seemingly referencing Carpenter in one verse.
“And you’re probably with that blonde girl / Who always made me doubt / She’s so much older than me / She’s everything I’m insecure about,” the Bizaardvark alum sings, hinting at the Tall Girl star’s hair color and their three-year age difference.
As “Driver’s License” topped the charts, the Clouds actress shared what appeared to be her side of the story with the release of her song “Skin.”
“Maybe we could’ve been friends / If I met you in another life,” Carpenter sings at one point. Elsewhere, she seemingly references Rodrigo’s title, with the lyric, “Don’t drive yourself insane.”
Carpenter later reflected on the speculation surrounding “Skin” in a September 2021 interview with Teen Vogue.
“I felt like in that moment, the most honest thing would be to put it out when it was accurately reflecting what was going on in my life,” she explained. “Because that’s literally all I ever do is write about my life and my situations, not just my life, but the way I see the world through situations I’m experiencing, people I’m experiencing. Then it’s kind of on everyone else and what they choose to make it about. You know what I mean?”
She pointed to Taylor Swift as an inspiration, though she noted that she does not want her music to fuel rumors about its subjects. “That’s what I hope to do with my songs, is to be able to not have people care so much about who or why or what happened in my life — that’s a secret I’ll never tell,” she teased. “They can conspire all they want, but they’re wasting a lot of time because it doesn’t matter.”
Throughout the drama, Carpenter and Bassett seemingly remained steady, even promoting each other’s music and careers via social media and donning matching Halloween costumes — as Shark Boy and Lavagirl — in October 2020. However, Bassett confirmed that he was single during a December 2021 interview with GQ.
“No, I’m not at the moment,” the Better Nate Than Ever star said at the time when asked whether he was in love. “Ultimately, being in a relationship is a responsibility. I don’t know if I’m ready for that. I’ve only had three [relationships], despite what it seems. … I think that’s something that’s been good about this last little bit: I’m good on my own. I don’t need somebody else.”
Carpenter, for her part, maintained that she didn’t want to perpetuate false narratives with her music. However, she reflected on facing public backlash from “Driver’s License” in her 2022 song “Because I Liked a Boy.”
“I got death threats filling up semi-trucks,” the Disney Channel alum sang on the track from her album Emails I Can’t Send. “I’m the hot topic on your tongue / I’m a rebound gettin’ ’round / Stealin’ from the young / Tell me who I am / Guess I don’t have a choice / All I because I liked a boy.”
She added: “Fell so deeply into it / It was all so innocent / Dating boys with exes /No, I wouldn’t recommend it.”
Since her split from Bassett, the “Why” signer has been linked to various A-listers including Shawn Mendes and Dylan O’Brien. She has yet to speak out about her private life — but does know exactly what she’s looking for in a partner.
“We love when they’re in therapy, that’s a nice green flag. We love when they’re super communicative and consistent,” she said during an interview with Capital FM in April 2023.
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