The infamous love triangle that captivated a generation of pop culture fans—involving Joshua Bassett, Sabrina Carpenter, and Olivia Rodrigo—has finally entered a new, less dramatic chapter. As of late 2024 and early 2025, both Bassett and Carpenter have moved on to new projects and relationships, seemingly putting the intense media scrutiny and lyrical warfare of the past behind them. This article dives deep into the timeline, the unreleased music, and the current status of the two stars who were once at the center of the biggest Disney-era drama in years.
The core of the story revolves around their rumored relationship in 2020, which followed Bassett's alleged breakup with his High School Musical: The Musical: The Series co-star, Olivia Rodrigo. While neither Bassett nor Carpenter ever officially confirmed their romance, the subsequent release of a trio of emotionally charged songs—Rodrigo’s "Drivers License," Carpenter’s "Skin," and Bassett’s "Lie Lie Lie"—created a pop culture phenomenon that launched all three artists into the stratosphere.
Joshua Bassett and Sabrina Carpenter: Full Biography & Profile
To fully understand the context of their relationship and the subsequent media frenzy, here is a complete profile of both actors and singers, highlighting their key career milestones:
Joshua Bassett Profile
- Full Name: Joshua Taylor Bassett
- Born: December 22, 2000 (Age 24 in 2025)
- Birthplace: Oceanside, California, USA
- Career Start: Began acting in local theater at age seven.
- Major Roles: Ricky Bowen in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (HSMTMTS) (2019-2023).
- Key Music Releases: Debut EP (2021), "Crisis," "Set Me Free," "Doppelgänger," and the debut album The Golden Years (2024).
- Awards: Nominated for a Kids' Choice Award and a Critics' Choice Award.
- Current Projects (2024/2025): Promoting his new music, including the single "Blue," and touring for The Golden Years album.
Sabrina Carpenter Profile
- Full Name: Sabrina Annlynn Carpenter
- Born: May 11, 1999 (Age 25 in 2025)
- Birthplace: Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, USA
- Career Start: Began acting and singing professionally in 2011.
- Major Roles: Maya Hart in the Disney Channel series Girl Meets World (2014–2017).
- Key Music Releases: Albums including Emails I Can't Send (2022) and the highly anticipated Short n' Sweet (2024). Hit singles include "Nonsense," "Feather," and "Espresso."
- Awards: Multiple Radio Disney Music Awards and nominations for MTV Video Music Awards.
- Current Projects (2024/2025): Headlining her "Short n' Sweet" tour and receiving widespread critical acclaim for her recent music. She is also notably linked to Irish actor Barry Keoghan.
The Infamous 2020 Timeline and The Song Trilogy
The relationship between Joshua Bassett and Sabrina Carpenter is less famous for its existence and more famous for the global drama it ignited. The narrative began in the summer of 2020, following Bassett’s split from Olivia Rodrigo, his on-screen love interest in HSMTMTS. Carpenter and Bassett were seen together in public, often in matching Halloween costumes, fueling speculation that they were dating.
The true explosion came in January 2021 with the release of Olivia Rodrigo’s debut single, "Drivers License." The song, which quickly became a global smash hit, tells the story of a girl who finally gets her driver's license but is heartbroken because she's no longer with the boy who encouraged her. The lyrics famously reference an "older girl," widely interpreted by fans to be Sabrina Carpenter, who is four years older than Rodrigo.
The Lyrical Responses: "Skin" and "Lie Lie Lie"
The drama escalated when both Bassett and Carpenter appeared to respond through their own music:
- Sabrina Carpenter's "Skin": Released just two weeks after "Drivers License," the song directly addresses the media scrutiny. The lyrics include lines like, "Maybe 'blonde' was the only rhyme," seemingly a nod to her hair color and the speculation. She sings about not letting people get under her "skin" and not wanting to fuel the drama.
- Joshua Bassett's "Lie Lie Lie": Released shortly after, this song was interpreted by many as a direct counter-response to the narrative, though Bassett claimed he wrote it much earlier about a friend who lied about him.
- Olivia Rodrigo's "deja vu": This song later cemented the narrative, with Rodrigo singing about her ex doing "all the same sh*t" with the new girl—including driving to Malibu and eating strawberry ice cream.
This trilogy of tracks—"Drivers License," "Skin," and "Lie Lie Lie"—created a cultural moment, turning a private relationship into a public, high-stakes drama played out through pop music.
The Unreleased Music: A Collaboration That Never Saw Light
Perhaps the most intriguing and lesser-known fact about the Joshua Bassett and Sabrina Carpenter relationship is the music they created together that remains locked away in a vault. The two artists were not just dating; they were collaborating songwriters.
During their time together, they wrote and recorded multiple songs, including:
- "We Both Know": This was reportedly intended for Bassett's debut EP but was ultimately cut and replaced.
- "Heaven is You"
- "Funny"
The fact that these songs, especially "We Both Know," were written during the height of their rumored romance and the beginning of the public drama suggests they hold a key to the true emotional dynamics of their relationship. The decision to keep them unreleased speaks volumes about the desire to distance themselves from the past narrative and move forward with their individual careers. Fans continue to speculate whether these tracks will ever see the light of day, but for now, they remain a fascinating footnote in their shared history.
Where Joshua and Sabrina Stand Today in 2025
The years 2024 and 2025 have marked a definitive shift away from the love triangle narrative for both artists, focusing instead on career milestones and new relationships.
Sabrina Carpenter: The Pop Superstar Era
Sabrina Carpenter has successfully transitioned from Disney star to a global pop sensation. Her album Emails I Can't Send and the follow-up Short n' Sweet have cemented her status, with hits like "Espresso" dominating the charts worldwide.
In her 2024 album, Short n' Sweet, she even includes a track titled "Dumb & Poetic," which some fans have speculated contains subtle references to her past relationships, including Joshua Bassett and Shawn Mendes, though her focus is clearly on her current success.
Most notably, Carpenter has been in a high-profile relationship with Irish actor Barry Keoghan, which began in late 2023 and continued into 2025, becoming a staple of celebrity news and red-carpet events.
Joshua Bassett: New Music and New Love
Joshua Bassett has also moved forward, focusing on his music career. In 2024, he released his debut album, The Golden Years, an extensive project that showcases his songwriting maturity and multi-instrumental talents.
In his personal life, Bassett was linked to influencer Amelie Zilber in early 2024, marking a new, public relationship separate from the past drama.
The End of the Feud?
Perhaps the most significant update signaling the end of the public feud occurred in 2025. Rumors of a long-standing competition or feud between Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo were seemingly put to rest when the two were photographed hugging and interacting warmly at the 2025 Grammy Awards. This public display of camaraderie suggests that the intense, media-driven drama of 2020-2021 has finally cooled, allowing all three artists to fully embrace their individual paths to stardom. The chapter of the Disney love triangle is officially closed, leaving behind an unforgettable moment in pop culture history.
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