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The pop culture world has been buzzing with whispers and speculations surrounding a possible love triangle involving Sabrina Carpenter, Shawn Mendes, and Camila Cabello. From secretive dates to cryptic lyrics, the narrative between these three stars has kept fans glued to every detail.

The Beginning: Sabrina and Shawn

Rumors of Sabrina Carpenter and Shawn Mendes dating began swirling in early 2023. In February, they were spotted on a casual stroll through Los Angeles, seemingly confirming their relationship. This came after they were seen enjoying a horse-riding date together. They were later seen leaving an album listening party, with Shawn purposely entering the car after Sabrina, signaling their desire to keep things under wraps. Further fueling the speculation, the duo was spotted chatting at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, sparking more rumors of a budding romance.

A source close to the situation confirmed to Entertainment Tonight, "Shawn and Sabrina are seeing each other. They have been hanging out a lot and trying to keep things low-key." However, in March, Shawn surprisingly denied the rumors during an interview, choosing to deflect the question rather than confirm or deny anything.

Coachella Reunion: Shawn and Camila

In a surprising twist, Shawn and his ex-girlfriend, Camila Cabello, were spotted kissing at Coachella in April. The rekindled romance captured headlines as the pair seemed to be back together. In May, they attended Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, where Shawn was seen holding Camila in his arms. Fans were hopeful for a successful reconciliation, but by June, the couple had broken up once again, signaling that their second attempt at love had failed.

Sabrina's Musical Response

Following the publicized reunion and subsequent breakup of Shawn and Camila, Sabrina released "opposite" on the deluxe edition of her album emails i can’t send. The track is widely believed to be directed at Camila, hinting at the tension between the two women. Fast forward to November, Sabrina dropped her holiday EP, Fruitcake, which included a biting song seemingly inspired by the love triangle.

The lyrics leave little to the imagination:

"I saw you laughing in one of his pictures / But you’ll be the one with his ring on your finger / There’s red and green everywhere, but I’m so blue / Cindy Lou Who / Maybe he met you somewhere in the desert / While he was soul searching, he found someone better / Guess you make him happy like I couldn’t do / Cindy Lou Who / With your hair so long, lips so red / Ooh, maybe we met once, I forget / Ooh, scrolling five years back, I’m obsessed / Breaking my heart, 'tis the season, I guess."

The Cindy Lou Who references, paired with lines about someone meeting their partner "in the desert," appeared to be a thinly veiled nod to Coachella, where Shawn and Camila reconnected.

Camila’s Clapback and a New Era

By February 2024, Camila launched a rebrand, which fans quickly pointed out bore striking similarities to Sabrina’s style. Her album featured a track titled "June Gloom," seemingly shading Sabrina:

"If she’s so amazing, why are you on this side of town / Does she get this wet for you, baby? / Talk to you in poems and songs, huh, baby? / Little kiss make your head go hazy."

But it didn’t stop there. Another song, "BOAT," included scathing lyrics that seemed aimed directly at Shawn:

"Lying in bed, replaying the shit you said / Ever regret all the messing with my head? / 'Cause I’ve been thinking / You’d never give me peace of mind, so I had to give it to myself / You never think it’s the right time until I’m good with someone else."

Sabrina’s "Short n’ Sweet": More Drama?

In a move that had fans reeling, Sabrina released Short n' Sweet shortly after Camila's rebrand. The song included lines rumored to be directed at both Shawn and Camila:

"What a surprise, your phone just died / Your car drove itself from LA to her thighs / Palm Springs looks nice, but who’s playing sides? / Damn it, she looks kinda like the girl you outgrew / Least that’s what you said (That’s what you said) / What a coincidence / Ooh, wow, you just broke up again / What a coincidence."

Sabrina didn’t hold back in another track either, taking another apparent dig at Shawn:

"Save all your breath for your form meditation / You’re so empathetic, you’d make a great wife / And I promise the mushrooms aren’t changing your life / Will you crash the car in a bend in the wreckage? / Fuck with my head like it’s some kind of fetish."

The lyrics touch on rumors of Shawn experimenting with psychedelics and "faking sex" during an intimate show in London, adding yet another layer to the complex web of emotions between the trio.

Where Do They Stand?

As of now, fans are left wondering what will come next in this ongoing saga. With each new song release, public appearance, and cryptic lyric, it’s clear that the dynamics between Sabrina Carpenter, Camila Cabello, and Shawn Mendes are anything but straightforward. Whether it’s a case of art imitating life or life-inspiring life-inspiringart, this love triangle has captured the attention of pop culture enthusiasts everywhere.