Singer Sabrina Carpenter has apologised on X after a Coachella performance on Friday night where she labeled a Zaghrouta, a traditional Arabic celebration call, as “weird”. The singer, who headlined the festival this year, interrupted her set after hearing the sound from the crowd, mistaking the ululation for yodelling.
During the performance, Carpenter asked the audience, “I think I heard someone yodel. Is that what you’re doing?” She followed the question by stating, “I don’t like it”. When a fan in the crowd clarified that the sound was part of their culture, Carpenter responded, “That’s your culture, is yodelling?”
The fan informed the singer that the sound is a call of celebration. Carpenter replied by asking if she was at Burning Man and remarked, “This is weird”.
The Zaghrouta is a celebratory ululation common across Arab countries.
The interaction prompted immediate backlash on social media, where users described the singer as “insensitive” and “tone deaf”. One user criticized the singer for continuing to mock the fan after being provided with an explanation, stating she “proceeded to act dumb and make a mockery out of the person”.
Another critic called the behavior “nasty” and “xenophobic,” adding that “the mean girl act isn’t cute anymore”.
Other observers noted the impact of her words given the platform, with one commenter stating, “white woman on the biggest stage calling Arab culture weird wow you really can’t make this up”. Another individual suggested the backlash was an inevitable result of her public image, noting, “Actions, meet consequences”.
Carpenter addressed the criticism by stating that she did not see the person and could not hear them clearly. She characterized her response as “pure confusion” and “sarcasm,” admitting she “could have handled it better”. The singer noted she has since learned the significance of the Zaghrouta and would welcome all cheers and yodels in the future.
Carpenter shared the Coachella headline slots this year with Justin Bieber and Karol G.
