Sabrina Carpenter issues apology over Coachella backlash for 'culturally insensitive' response to fan

Olivia Gantzer
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 15:26:20 +0000

Sabrina Carpenter has issued an apology following widespread criticism of her reaction to a fan performing a traditional Arabic celebration call during her headline set at Coachella.

The 26-year-old American pop star topped the bill on the opening night of the 2026 California festival, delivering what was described as an Old Hollywood-themed performance on Friday evening.

However, a brief exchange with an audience member has since overshadowed the show, sparking fierce debate across social media platforms.

During a moment at the piano, a fan in the crowd performed a Zaghrouta, a high-pitched trilling sound traditionally used by women in Arab and Middle Eastern cultures to mark joyous occasions such as weddings, graduations and births.

my apologies i didn’t see this person with my eyes and couldn’t hear clearly. 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 https://t.co/f3KuT8sggH
— Sabrina Carpenter (@SabrinaAnnLynn) April 11, 2026

The Espresso singer appeared confused by the sound, responding into her microphone: "I think I heard someone yodel. Is that what you're doing? I don't like it."

When the fan called back that it was part of their culture, Carpenter replied sarcastically: "That's your culture, is yodelling?"

The audience member attempted to clarify that it was a celebratory call, but the pop star continued to make light of the situation, quipping: "Is this Burning Man? What's going on? This is weird."

Footage of the interaction quickly circulated online, with numerous users accusing the singer of being culturally insensitive and dismissive.

On Saturday, Carpenter took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to address the growing controversy.

"My apologies I didn't see this person with my eyes and couldn't hear clearly," she wrote.

"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."

The apology has received a mixed reception from social media users.

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Some have refused to accept her explanation, with one person writing: "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."

Another user responded directly to the singer's statement, arguing: "You clearly heard them and said 'this is your culture?' with that weirded-out face… if there hadn't been backlash, you wouldn't have even apologised."

Others have rallied to defend Carpenter, with one supporter posting: "She's a pop star, not a f***ing anthropologist, leave Sabrina Carpenter alone."

A further comment suggested the singer should not have apologised at all, describing it as "another case study in why you NEVER publicly apologise" to online critics.

Despite the controversy, Ms Carpenter's headline performance featured several notable moments, including appearances from Hollywood stars Will Ferrell and Landman actor Sam Elliott.

Susan Sarandon provided a particularly memorable contribution, delivering a dramatic monologue lasting nearly seven minutes in which the 79-year-old portrayed an older version of the pop star reflecting on her career.

The singer had previously spoken about her extensive preparations for the festival appearance, revealing she had begun planning the show approximately seven months in advance.

Ms Carpenter's Friday night set was followed by Justin Bieber on Saturday, with Karol G scheduled to close the festival as the final headliner.