Sabrina Carpenter’s Coachella controversy about Arabic chant explained
Sabrina Carpenter has apologized after sparking backlash for mistaking a Coachella fan’s traditional Arabic cheer for yodeling, which she described as “weird.”
The Grammy winner was performing her first headlining show at Coachella on Friday night when an audience member suddenly let out a high-pitched cry called a zaghrouta.
“My apologies i didn’t see this person with my eyes and couldn’t hear clearly,” Carpenter wrote Saturday on X. “My reaction was pure confusion, sarcasm and not ill intended. Could have handled it better!”
She continued: “Now i know what a Zaghrouta is! I welcome all cheers and yodels from here on out.”
What happened?
The misunderstanding took place between songs. As applause for her previous number, “Please, Please, Please,” faded and Carpenter sat down at the piano for her next number, someone in the crowd suddenly let out a loud trill.
“I think I heard someone yodel,” Carpenter said into the microphone. “Is that what you’re doing? I don’t like it.”
“It’s my culture,” a voice from the audience shouted.
“That’s your culture … is yodeling?” Carpenter responded with a quizzical frown.
“It’s a call, it’s a call of celebration,” the audience member could be heard saying.
“Is this Burning Man? What’s going on? This is weird,” Carpenter replied, before continuing her next song,“We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night.” It was the singer’s first live performance of the single from her new album, “Man’s Best Friend.”
What was the public response?
Carpenter made the public statement after an online uproar. Her apology on X was a quote reply to a post calling her reaction to the fan’s cheer “insensitive and Islamophobic.”
The singer was “mad disrespectful for mocking the zaghrouta,” wrote another X user. “What’s worse is the blatant racism that followed and the laughs of the audience,” they continued.
Carpenter’s apology was generally well-received online, with some fans thanking her for taking accountability. Carpenter’s representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Carpenter has gone from a child actor known for her role as Maya on Disney’s “Girl Meets World” to pop stardom in the past few years. During her debut at Coachella in 2024, she vowed to return as a headliner. Her Coachella show on Friday was an elaborate Hollywood-themed production — dubbed “Sabrinawood” — packed with references to classic movies, including a dance from 1987’s “Dirty Dancing,” and celebrity cameos.
What is a zaghrouta?
A zaghrouta is a loud, rhythmic sound made by quickly moving the tongue while letting out a high-pitched cry.
Shakira, who was born and raised in Colombia and has Lebanese roots, previously made headlines in 2020 for letting out a zaghrouta during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show.
Nesreen Akhtarkhavari, an associate professor and director of Arabic studies at DePaul University in Chicago, told the Chicago Tribune at the time that the ululation is a Middle Eastern expression of joy made during weddings, sporting events and protests.