Sabrina Carpenter breaks silence after calling cultural fan chant ‘weird’

Sabrina Carpenter has apologized after she called a fan’s cultural chant “weird” and told the Coachella audience: “I don’t like it.”

“My apologies I didn’t see this person with my eyes and couldn’t hear clearly,” Sabrina wrote via X on Saturday, April 11, as the backlash increased. “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.”

Her message came in response to a tweet which read: “Sabrina saying that she doesn’t like a cultural arabic cheer… this is so insensitive and islamophobic. I am very disappointed in her.”

Sabrina was headlining the 2026 Coachella Music & Arts Festival on April 10, 2026 when one fan let out what was a Zaghrouta chant. A high-pitched, loud, and wavering cheer, the Zaghrouta is commonly used by Arab-speaking women to express overwhelming joy and is often used at events such as weddings and parties, making a festival the perfect moment to use it.

The moment came as the 26-year-old singer was sitting at the piano. As the crowds quietened, the fan let out the cheer, and in response, Sabrina looked out into the crowds, and asked: “Is that what you’re doing? I don’t like it.”

Clips circulating on X show the exact moment the fan attempted to explain the zaghrouta, and Sabrina added: “That’s your culture? Yodeling? Is this Burning Man? This is weird.”

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While many fans attempted to give Sabrina grace, many were disappointed that her immediate reaction was to mock someone’s culture.

“Sabrina Carpenter mocking a zaghrouta as ‘yodeling’ after being educated on its culture is so nasty. Being uncultured and proud is actually a disease. The mean girl act isn’t cute anymore, it’s just xenophobic. She’s done,” read one tweet.

© Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag

Sabrina had brought old Hollywood glamour to the desert on Friday night for her headliner debut, two years after she predicted this moment when she closed her mid-afternoon set in 2024 with the words: “See you back here when I headline!”

In 2026, the bona fide popstar entertained fans with a five-act immersive display that included theatrical costume changes, a short film narrated by Sam Elliot, and surprise appearances by Susan Sarandon and Will Ferrell.

Her set list began with “House Tour” and included hits from across her albums Nonsense, and Man’s Best Friend, as well as chart toppers such as “Manchild”, “Please Please Please”, and “Espresso”.

Justin Bieber and Karol G will also headline sets and performances across the festival site include global girl group KATSEYE, The Strokes, SOMBR, Wet Leg, and Laufey.