Sabrina Carpenter apologises to fan after misinterpreting celebratory gesture
Sabrina Carpenter has apologised after mistaking a fan’s Arabic celebratory call for yodelling during her headline performance at Coachella, sparking backlash over her response to the moment.
The incident happened on Friday night as she sat at the piano on the main stage. A fan in the crowd let out a Zaghrouta — a traditional Arabic expression of joy — which prompted Carpenter to comment on it over the microphone.
“I think I heard someone yodel. Is that what you’re doing? I don’t like it,” she said. When the fan responded, “It’s my culture!”, Carpenter replied, “That’s your culture, is yodeling?”
After the fan clarified it was a celebratory call, Carpenter added, “Is this Burning Man? What’s going on? This is weird.”
Clips of the exchange quickly spread online, drawing criticism. Carpenter addressed the situation the following day, posting an apology on X.
“My apologies, I didn’t see this person and couldn’t hear clearly,” she wrote. “My reaction was confusion and sarcasm, not ill-intended. I could have handled it better. Now I know what a Zaghrouta is — all cheers are welcome.”
Despite the controversy, the performance marked a major milestone for the two-time Grammy winner, who is headlining Coachella this year alongside Justin Bieber and Karol G.
Her set also featured appearances from Sam Elliott, Will Ferrell and Susan Sarandon, including a seven-minute monologue delivered during one of her costume changes.
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