Syan Swanger
Staff Write
Sabrina Carpenter’s performance at the VMAs was nothing short of iconic, though I would expect nothing less from her. Even though the entire performance was jaw-dropping, fans could not shut up about the fact that she sang “Taste” in front of Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello. Carpenter has always been on a level of pettiness that I aspire to be at, but this moment may make my dream unattainable.
If people are recent Carpenter fans they may not know of the love triangle lore between Mendes, Cabello, and Carpenter so let me fill you in. Most people know that Mendes and Cabello dated for a couple of years. The two got together in 2019 and eventually broke up in 2021. In February of 2023, it was rumored that Carpenter and Mendes were a thing after they had been seen together numerous times. However, two months later Mendes was apparently back with Cabello after they shared a kiss at Coachella. Although Carpenter has never talked about her fling with Mendes, multiple songs from her new album, “Short n’ Sweet,” are clearly directed at him, including “Taste.”
There is no question that “Taste” is about Mendes’ sudden departure from Carpenter to rekindle the romance with Cabello, even if it only lasted for less than three months. The main line in the chorus is, “I heard you’re back together and if that’s true / You’ll just have to taste me when he’s kissin’ you,” which makes it pretty obvious as to who was the inspiration for the song. Her decision to sing it at the VMAs with both of them in the audience was not only gutsy but absolutely hilarious. Carpenter officially became the queen of pettiness with that move and I can do nothing but applaud her and stare in awe.
Some people even speculate that the astronaut and alien dancing during “Taste” were supposed to represent Mendes and Cabello and their VMA performance from 2019. Now to me, this seems a bit of a stretch, but I would love it if it were true. Especially since before Carpenter transitions into singing “Espresso,” she shoves the astronaut off the stage and kisses the alien. If the characters are believed to be Mendes and Cabello, Mendes being the astronaut and Cabello being the alien, Carpenter would have literally made Cabello taste her. Personally, I would adore that full-circle moment.