The saga surrounding Joshua Bassett and Sabrina Carpenter captured the imagination of fans during the height of their rumored romance in 2021. As both young stars navigated the turbulent waters of early fame, their relationship—or what the media speculated about it—became a focal point for gossip, song lyrics, and public musings.
So, did Joshua Bassett and Sabrina Carpenter split? The answer, pieced together from interviews, social media clues, and their evolving public personas, points to the fact that the two eventually parted ways, ultimately confirming they were single. Let’s take a comprehensive look at their timeline, the subtle hints and overt signs, and what led to the ultimate conclusion of their split.
The Early Days: Sparks and Rumors
Before any official word on their relationship status, the first whispers that Joshua Bassett and Sabrina Carpenter were more than just co-workers began as early as the summer of 2020. During that period, Bassett—already known for his role in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series—was increasingly seen in contexts that hinted at something more personal with Carpenter, the “Vicious” singer.
Their connection first appeared in the public eye when fans caught glimpses of the two spending time together. A video from a Black Lives Matter protest, captured in 2020, triggered early dating rumors, especially since Bassett and Carpenter’s respective fan bases were eager to see chemistry off-screen that might rival their on-screen personas.
Shortly afterward, a series of social media posts began to add fuel to the fire. In July 2020, the two were seen having lunch together in Studio City, California—with Carpenter’s sister, Sarah, in tow—indicating that their interactions went beyond mere chance meetings. The casual lunch outing was one of the early pieces of evidence that the pair were comfortable in each other’s company and possibly exploring more than a professional relationship.
Collaborative Efforts and Public Displays
As the summer progressed, their interactions became even more public. In November 2020, Bassett and Carpenter shared coordinated Halloween costumes on TikTok; they dressed up as characters from the cult-favorite film The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl. This playful collaboration wasn’t just a fun social media moment—it signaled a level of closeness and mutual commitment that fans interpreted as a budding romance.
Musically, the bond between them found further expression when Bassett released the music video for his song “Anyone Else.” The video appeared to feature Carpenter in various subtle cameo moments, including scenes where they were holding hands in a car and moments that captured the vibe of a tender connection.
The Love Triangle Rumors and Public Statements
The plot thickened in January 2021 when Joshua Bassett’s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series costar, Olivia Rodrigo, released her debut single “Drivers License.” Its emotive lyrics and references to a “blonde girl” fueled immediate comparisons and theories online.
Many fans speculated that the song was directed at Bassett, creating a perceived love triangle, or at least suggesting that Bassett’s rumored romantic narrative involved multiple parties. Reacting to the song’s buzz, Bassett congratulated Rodrigo on social media, an act that was seen by some as a subtle attempt to distance himself from any negative fallout.
In the weeks that followed, Sabrina Carpenter also contributed to the narrative with her track “Skin,” released on January 22, 2021. The lyrics of “Skin” included lines that many fans quickly associated with the love triangle drama.
Although Carpenter later clarified that the song was a personal expression born out of a tipping point in her life and was not solely directed at anyone in particular, the association with Bassett and the unfolding drama in the media was hard to ignore. In a subsequent social media post, she urged fans to refrain from spreading “hate” and making the situation more complicated.
On January 29, 2021, Bassett confirmed that he was collaborating with Carpenter on a duet titled “We Both Know”—a song that was intended to be part of his upcoming EP. The promise of the collaboration further fueled the notion that the two were intimately connected, both personally and professionally.
However, as creative differences and external pressures crept in, the duet was later scrapped in favor of a new track titled “Telling Myself.” Bassett explained that the decision was mutual and intended to prevent the song from being overshadowed by the dramatic speculation swirling around their relationship.
Signs of a Splitting Path
By December 2021, the swirling rumors began to solidify into an unmistakable statement about their status. In a highly anticipated interview with GQ, Joshua Bassett confirmed that he was single—a revelation that sent shockwaves through their fan communities.
This announcement was significant because it marked the official recognition of a split, even though the two had never formally confirmed a relationship earlier. For Bassett, declaring himself single was a public acknowledgment that, regardless of the intense media speculation, his romantic chapter with Carpenter had ended.
While the announcement was a turning point, it did little to quell the endless chatter about the love triangle drama. Fans continued to dissect lyrics from Carpenter’s subsequent songs, and social media speculation remained rampant.
In March 2022, Carpenter teased new music on TikTok that appeared to reflect on the pain of a breakup—the lyrics resonated with fans who had been closely following the saga. Lines that hinted at the difficulty of completely moving on, or the surprising nature of receiving a text from someone thought to be over, were interpreted as personal reflections on the relationship’s demise.
Aftermath and Moving Forward
As time moved on into mid-2022, both stars began to recalibrate their public images. Sabrina Carpenter released her fifth studio album, Emails I Can’t Send, in July 2022—a project that was widely interpreted as a cathartic reflection on her recent experiences with love and heartbreak.
Many of the lyrics were read as a mixture of empowerment and vulnerability—a way of dealing with both personal feelings and the public scrutiny of her romantic life. Carpenter’s evolving sound and bold honesty in her music helped her fans see her more as an artist rather than just a participant in a high-profile breakup.
Joshua Bassett, on his part, turned his creative energy toward new music and projects that allowed him to explore a broader range of personal experiences without the intense focus on his dating life.
In interviews, he mentioned that the drama surrounding his previous relationships had overshadowed his artistic expression, and he was determined to let the art speak for itself from that point forward. His reflections on the past indicated that the decision to remain single was not just a reaction to personal heartbreak but also a deliberate choice to focus on self-growth and creative pursuits.
