Sabrina Carpenter has addressed criticism following an exchange with an audience member during her headline set at
Coachella, in which she confused a traditional Arabic celebratory chant known as Zaghrouta with yodelling.
During Friday night's performance, while seated at a piano, Carpenter heard a high-pitched sound from the crowd that she was unable to identify. "I think I heard someone yodel," she told the audience. "Is that what you're doing? I don't like it." The festivalgoer called back to explain, "It's my culture," to which Carpenter responded, "That's your culture, is yodeling?" When the audience member clarified further, saying "It's a call of celebration," the singer quipped, "Is this Burning Man? What's going on? This is weird."
After footage of the moment circulated widely online and drew accusations of insensitivity, Carpenter took to X to respond directly. "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."
Opening the 2026 edition of the festival as its first headliner, Carpenter brought out Sam Elliott, Susan Sarandon and Will Ferrell as special guests throughout the evening. Visual highlights of the production included performers dressed as dogs, a crowd-wide flashlight moment, and a closing sequence that saw Carpenter elevated above the audience as water cascaded down around her.
Her second weekend Coachella headline slot takes place on Friday 17th April. Earlier this year, Carpenter performed '
Manchild' at the Grammys ceremony in February, where she received six nominations but went home without a win.
