Pop star Sabrina Carpenter is making waves again and this time, it’s not just her infectious hooks catching attention. The singer has teased her upcoming single Manchild on Instagram, and fans are convinced the track takes aim at her ex-boyfriend, actor Barry Keoghan.
In a video clip shared with her 30 million followers, Carpenter is seen thumbing a ride in cheeky, bottom-baring shorts by the roadside, a nod to her trademark bold style and playful energy. But it wasn’t just the visuals that fueled speculation.
“This one’s about you!! ‘Manchild’ is out this Thursday, 6/5 8 pm EST, special 7” vinyl available now,” Carpenter captioned the post, a line that immediately set fans abuzz with speculation over who the song might be targeting.
The vinyl version of the single included an extra jab — a message printed on the cover that read: “Inside of your head when you’ve just won an argument with a man.” That line, paired with the song’s title, was all fans needed to start connecting the dots.
Carpenter and Keoghan, the Irish actor known for Saltburn and The Banshees of Inisherin, first sparked dating rumors in September 2023. They confirmed their relationship with a red carpet appearance at a Grammys after-party in February 2024 and later turned heads walking together at the MET Gala. Keoghan was even spotted supporting Carpenter from the sidelines at her concerts and appeared in her Please Please Please music video.
But the high-profile romance fizzled just as fast as it bloomed. Reports emerged in August suggesting that Carpenter had ended things, allegedly due to Keoghan’s excessive partying. Though the two briefly reconnected, they officially called it quits in December.
“They are both young and career-focused, so they’ve decided to take a break,” a source told Daily Mail at the time. Now, with Manchild dropping on June 5 at 8 p.m. EST, fans are eagerly anticipating the full lyrics and are ready to comb through every line for hidden references.
Given Carpenter’s past hits that blend personal experience with biting wit, many expect Manchild to be no different. While the singer hasn’t confirmed the song’s muse, the clues are hard to ignore — and the internet isn’t holding back on its theories.