Sabrina Carpenter is standing her ground after music mogul Pete Waterman criticized her provocative stage performances as “offensive.” The US pop star, unapologetic about her bold image, has fired back, claiming she's just the latest in a long history of female artists who have been “shamed” for their flirty lyrics and revealing outfits.

Carpenter hits back at Waterman for his remarks

In talks with The US Sun, the Espresso singer said, “My message has always been clear — if you can’t handle a girl who is confident in her own sexuality, then don’t come to my shows.” Carpenter who has been judged for enacting sex positions on stage during her performances in stockings and suspenders said that women being judged for their appearances “isn’t something new.”

She continued, “Female artists have been shamed forever. In the Noughties it was Rihanna, in the Nineties it was Britney Spears, in the Eighties it was Madonna — and now it’s me. It’s essentially saying that female performers should not be able to embrace their sexuality in their lyrics, in the way we dress, in the way we perform.”

The singer added, “It is totally regressive. It’s like those who want to shame don’t make comments when I talk about self-care or body ­positivity or heartbreak, which are all normal things a 25-year-old goes through. They just want to talk about the ­sexual side of my performances.”

Talking about her key to confidence, she revealed that the singer is happy with her 5ft frame. She said, “As women, we can look at another woman and be like, ‘Oh, she has the perfect body’. But if you were to ask the woman you think has a perfect body, I guarantee she will have her own ­insecurities. That’s why as women we need to be kind to each other.”

Waterman’s remarks on Carpenter

The controversy erupted after pop legend Pete Waterman, alongside collaborators Mike Stock and Matt Aitken, took aim at today’s artists for their revealing performances. Their criticism focused on the trend of "flashing the flesh," despite their own successful acts—like Kylie Minogue and former glamour model Samantha Fox—doing the same in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Previously, Watermal called out Carpenter as he added that watching her “dressed as a little girl is quite offensive.”

The powerhouse trio did not hold back, even suggesting that Carpenter, was setting back the women’s rights movement with her sultry performances. Waterman went as far as to warn, “If you’re asking to be respected, don’t come on in a G-string," as reported by The US Sun.

Waterman, Mike Stock, and Matt Aitken—better known for their hit-making prowess under their record production company, SAW—have written iconic tracks for stars like Kylie Minogue and Rick Astley. This week, the trio was honoured with the unveiling of a blue plaque at their former studios in South London.

Talking about the vulgar language in songs, Aitken added, “I would never try to write a lyric that said ­anything specific on a sexual level. You’d always be allegorical or allude to it somehow. So I don’t like that. I think it’s a bad show and it’s lazy. You’re going to grab some form of ­attention by doing that.” He continued, “They’ve won all of their freedoms and their rights, women. They fought for everything they’ve got and now they’re throwing it away — that’s the way I would look at it.”

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