Sabrina Carpenter issued a public apology on Saturday after facing backlash over a viral clip in which she appeared to react negatively to a traditional Arabic cheer during her Coachella performance on Friday night.
The controversy began after a video in which Carpenter is seen yodelling in reply to an Arabic celebration call known as the Zaghrouta.
In response, the singer addressed the situation directly on X, stating, “My apologies i didn’t see this person with my eyes and couldn’t hear clearly.”
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Backlash over cultural misunderstanding
During one of her performances at Coachella, Sabrina responded to a fan in the audience who let out a Zaghrouta. She said, “I think I heard someone yodel. Is that what you’re doing? I don’t like it.”
The Zaghrouta is a high-pitched ululation commonly heard at celebrations across parts of the Middle East and North Africa. The sound or expression is often used to express joy during weddings, festivals, and performances.
The fan defended Carpenter’s comments and said, “It’s my culture! It’s a call of celebration.”
Several users on X accused the singer of insensitivity, with some posts describing the moment as “disappointing.” A user on X wrote, “as an arab i’m disgusted but then again it’s a stereotypical blonde girl so are we surprised.”
Another person commented on how they felt about the video on X and said she wanted Carpenter to address it. They wrote, “I’m a huge fan of Sabrina. When I went to check out TikTok, I saw a guy saying that she had done this and I didn’t believe it. When I went to watch the footage and saw it, I was speechless. I hope she speaks out about it, right?”
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“Could have handled it better”
The original clip drew criticism from some social media users who interpreted Carpenter’s reaction as dismissive of an Arabic cultural expression.
In her apology statement on X, Carpenter emphasised that her reaction stemmed from confusion and limited visibility during the interaction, not from any negative intent.
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,” she added
