So… we all have rewatched Sabrina Carpenter’s new music video a few times by now, right? ICYMI, Carpenter dropped her album Short n’ Sweet on Aug. 23 along with the music video for “Taste,” which had fans going wild. (If you’ve watched it, then you know why.) But as fans listened to the song and watched the music video, most of them had one big question on the brain: Is “Taste” about Camila Cabello?
There are a few reasons why fans are drawing the connection between Cabello and Carpenter — and the connecting thread is none other than Shawn Mendes. Back in February and March 2023, Carpenter and Mendes were rumored to be dating after being spotted together several times around Los Angeles. However, Mendes was quick to clarify the rumors, telling RTL Boulevard about Carpenter, “We are not dating.”
Shortly after, in April 2023, Mendes and his longtime on-again, off-again girlfriend, Camila Cabello, were spotted hanging out during weekend one of Coachella. After this, Cabello and Mendes seemed to rekindle their relationship. (Look, there’s a lot of history with these two — they’ve been linked since, like 2015.)
Not only that, but Cabello herself has a song called “Taste.” Well… sort of. In August 2019, a snippet of an unreleased song “Taste The Feeling” was leaked, performed by Cabello. While I think it’s a bit of a reach, fans are jumping onto any connection that they can.
Carpenter has never commented on her rumored relationship with Mendes, but fans believe that “Taste” is her official clapback at both him and Cabello.
Sabrina Carpenter’s “taste” Lyrics, Explained
Carpenter starts off the song by singing, “Oh, I leave quite an impression / Five feet to be exact / You’re wonderin’ why half his clothes went missin’ / My body’s where they’re at.” These lyrics, for the most part, are a message to someone’s ex to let them know that, while they might be back together, the memory of her still stays. Like a really talented, five-foot stain in platform heels, basically.
When we get to the song’s chorus, fans believe this is where Carpenter spills the tea. “I heard you’re back together and if that’s true / You’ll just have to taste me when he’s kissin’ you / If you want forever, I bet you do / Just know you’ll taste me too.” Basically, Carpenter is saying that if they want to forget that she was dating him, that’s OK — but they’ll remember her every time they kiss. Oh, oof.
Many fans believe these lyrics are a reference to Mendes’s brief fling with Carpenter before getting back together with Cabello. And they haven’t been shy about sharing their thoughts on social media.
Taste being about Shawn mendes is kind of an oh Canada moment
— Liv owns icbmil (@insidelivsmind_) August 23, 2024
wait is taste about shawn mendes đź’€
— ⋆˚࿔ may 𝜗𝜚˚⋆ (@wuyuexx) August 22, 2024
please don’t tell me that sabrina in Taste just killed shawn mendes in the music video IJBOL and jenna is camila and they fucked JAHAHAHAHAHAHA
— cheche 🪩 (@luvmelikeCXOXO) August 23, 2024
Pretty obsessed with Sabrina Carpenter. The new album is ace and the video for “Taste” with clear references to “Death Becomes Her” and hints at her alleged love triangle with Shawn Mendes and Camilla Cabello will be the talk of the town! #ShortnSweet #SabrinaCarpenter pic.twitter.com/2AIjWQIGpj
— Rob Jacobs (@robster16) August 23, 2024
As someone who’s music taste in middle school was Sabrina Carpenter and Shawn Mendes, Short n’ Sweet is WILD
— Siena (@crazyhalfthtime) August 23, 2024
Shawn Mendes listening to Taste by Sabrina Carpenter pic.twitter.com/5XGbMqKnbl
— Christopher (el guiri) (@christopher_aia) August 23, 2024
is sabrina carpenter’s taste mv meant to be about shawn and camilla bc he looks like him, jenna looks like camilla and the birth years???? lmaoooo pic.twitter.com/VR6Pr0S5XI
— forzaka (@everclassyyy) August 23, 2024
taste is like for shawn and camilla? 🫢
— elle (@ellemaarie) August 23, 2024
Don’t mind me, I’ll just be listening to this song on repeat. (And reminiscing on my past situationship-love-triangle. It’s a canon event, OK.)