Sabrina Carpenter has tendered an apology for mistaking Zaghrouta, a festive Arabic chant, for yodeling during her headline-grabbing Coachella set in 2026. "My sincerest apologies; I didn't perceive this individual with my own eyes and couldn't hear clearly. My reaction was a mixture of genuine confusion, sarcasm, and not ill-intentioned. I could have handled it better! Now I understand what a Zaghrouta is!" Carpenter penned on X Saturday. "I embrace all cheers and yodels from this point onward."
In a viral clip from the "House Tour" singer's performance at the music festival on Friday night, an audience member can be heard voicing a Zaghrouta chant. "I believe I heard someone yodeling. Is that what you're doing? I don't like it," Carpenter said onstage while seated behind a piano.
The attendee responded by informing the Grammy winner, "It's my culture." Carpenter replied, "That's your culture, is yodeling?" The audience member added, "It's a call of celebration."
"Is this Burning Man? What's going on? This is peculiar," Carpenter replied. The interaction ignited a backlash against Carpenter, who directly responded to an X post that stated, "Sabrina saying that she doesn't like a cultural Arabic cheer... this is so insensitive and islamophobic. I am very disappointed in her."
Carpenter took the Coachella main stage on Friday night, where she served as the inaugural headliner of the 2026 festival. Justin Bieber and Karol G also serve as this year's headliners, and they will conclude the first weekend of music on Saturday and Sunday night, respectively.
During Friday night's set, the "Espresso" singer had a star-studded slate of cameos, including features from Sam Elliott, Susan Sarandon, and Will Ferrell. She also notably performed a few of her own tracks for the first time (including "We Almost Broke Up Last Night" and "When Did You Get Hot?" from her most recent record Man's Best Friend).
Next week, Carpenter will deliver her second Coachella headlining performance on Friday, April 17.
