Sabrina Carpenter Apologises for Misunderstanding Arabic Celebration Call at Coachella
Sabrina Carpenter, the 26-year-old pop star, has apologised for her reaction to a fan’s Arabic celebration call during her performance at Coachella. She explained that her response was “pure confusion” and admitted she could have handled the situation better.
Carpenter was the first headliner of the 2026 California music festival, delivering an Old Hollywood-themed performance on Friday night (10 April). Her set included various highlights, but one moment sparked significant controversy when she responded to a fan in the audience who let out a Zaghrouta – an Arabic celebration call performed by women to express joy at events such as weddings, graduations, and births. This call is described as a high-pitched, trilling sound.
During the performance, Carpenter spoke into the mic and said: “I think I heard someone yodel. Is that what you’re doing? I don’t like it.” The fan then yelled back: “It’s my culture!” to which Carpenter replied: “That’s your culture, is yodelling?” The fan could then be heard explaining: “It’s a call of celebration.” Carpenter quipped in return: “Is this Burning Man? What’s going on? This is weird.”
Her response led to backlash on social media, with some people condemning her words as culturally insensitive. On Saturday (12 April), Carpenter addressed the controversy in a statement on social media. “My apologies, I didn’t see this person with my eyes and couldn’t hear clearly,” she wrote on X. “My reaction was pure confusion, sarcasm and not ill intended. Could have handled it better! Now I know what a Zaghrouta is! I welcome all cheers and yodels from here on out.”
Video of the moment spread across social media, igniting a heated debate over how Carpenter handled the moment. Some critics pointed out that she doubled down on her ignorance even after the clarification that yodelling is part of the fan’s culture. One person wrote: “The way Sabrina doubled down and decided to continue to be ignorant even after it was clarified yodelling is part of that person’s culture says a lot about her.” Others defended the singer, with another person writing: “She’s a pop star, not a f***ing anthropologist, leave Sabrina Carpenter alone.”
Notable Moments from Sabrina Carpenter’s Coachella Performance
Carpenter’s headline set was filled with other notable moments, including cameos from stars such as Will Ferrell and Landman actor Sam Elliott. A particular stand-out was Susan Sarandon, who delivered a nearly seven-minute dramatic monologue mid-set. During this monologue, she played an older version of the pop star ruminating on her life and success.
Carpenter’s headline set on Friday (10 April) was followed by Justin Bieber on Saturday (11 April), with the final headliner Karol G still to perform. The festival continued to attract attention for its eclectic mix of performances and cultural exchanges.
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