I hate Sabrina Carpenter.

Rather, I hate her decision-making skills. On March 17, 2023, Carpenter released the deluxe edition of her album emails i can’t send, and titled it emails i can’t send fwd:. The new edition included four extra songs and an alternative album cover. How she decided not to include these songs in the original album is beyond me, as they are the perfect additions to the record, and I can’t imagine listening without them. The new songs came right in time for spring break and allowed me to fall back in love with the entire album.

As someone who has listened to emails i can’t send many times, I skipped straight to the four new songs. The tracks begin with “opposite,” a mellow song with emotion behind the lyrics. The first aspect of the song that stuck out to me was the lyrics; they reminded me of “deja vu” by Olivia Rodrigo, except the meaning was entirely different. I doubt it was intentional, although some fans may think so because of the drama between the two in 2021. Both songs entail the singer singing to an ex-partner about themselves in relation to their ex’s new partner. However, Carpenter’s song talks about her ex’s new partner in a totally different light than Rodrigo does. This certainly isn’t a unique point of view that Rodrigo owns, and both songs were wonderful in their own way. 

In “opposite,” Carpenter sings about her ex’s new partner being the opposite of her and feeling distraught her ex is so happy with someone completely unlike herself. “Opposite” is definitely one of my favorites from the new tracks and even from the whole album. It’s a relatable song about feeling insecure and comparing yourself to others, and it’s the perfect addition to the album.

The next track, “Feather,” does a complete 180 from “opposite.” The reminiscence and longing are traded for weightlessness and freedom. The lyrics of “Feather” express Carpenter’s feelings of delight now that she isn’t with her ex-partner; she bases the song around the simile “light as a feather.” The song is incredibly catchy and puts me in a good mood each and every time I listen to it.

I’m not completely sure how to describe “Lonesome.” The song begins with the strum of a guitar followed by some whistling, creating a somewhat wild-western atmosphere. One of the best things about emails i can’t send, which remains throughout the deluxe tracks, is the balance and variety presented throughout the tracklist. There are upbeat, catchy pop songs as well as slow, sad ballads that blend together and complement each other. “Lonesome” is on the slower side, but sad isn’t quite the right word; I’d describe the lyrics as resentful. This song isn’t exactly my favorite, but I still appreciate it, and it’s a good quality song.

The album comes to a close with “things i wish you said.” This song is a wonderful way to wrap up the record. The vast range of emotions Carpenter has sung about are all encapsulated with a final sorrowful and reminiscent song that showcases Carpenter’s songwriting skills. As you can imagine from the title, the song is about things that Carpenter wishes her ex-partner had said to her. As a fan of depressing songs, this was undoubtedly my favorite of the new tracks.

The deluxe tracks are a worthy addition to an album that has already earned itself a place amongst my personal favorites. With each new release by Carpenter, I find myself more and more excited for the next one.