Sabrina Carpenter apologizes for zaghrouta mishap at Coachella

DUBAI: Singer Sabrina Carpenter took to X on Saturday to apologise after misidentifying a fan’s zaghrouta — a traditional Arabic celebratory ululation — as yodelling during her headline performance at Coachella on Friday evening.

“My apologies, I didn’t see this person with my eyes and couldn’t hear clearly,” Carpenter 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.”

Clips of the moment circulated widely online after the set. While seated at the piano on the festival’s main stage, Carpenter reacted to a fan who performed a zaghrouta from the crowd. Speaking into the microphone, she said: “I think I heard someone yodel. Is that what you’re doing? I don’t like it.”

The fan responded: “It’s my culture!” prompting Carpenter to reply, “That’s your culture, is yodeling?” The audience member then clarified, “It’s a call of celebration.” Carpenter responded with a quip: “Is this Burning Man? What’s going on? This is weird.”

The exchange drew backlash on social media platforms, with critics accusing the two-time Grammy winner of dismissing a culturally significant expression of joy.

Carpenter’s Friday performance included appearances from Sam Elliott, Will Ferrell and Susan Sarandon, the latter delivering a seven-minute monologue during one of the singer’s costume changes.

Sarandon delivered a dramatic monologue in the middle of Carpenter’s set, playing an older version of the singer. The 77-year-old actress sat in a classic car and reflected on “what it was like to be a star” in her glory days. 

Carpenter is among this year’s Coachella headliners, alongside Justin Bieber and Karol G.

She took fans on a nostalgic journey through a Hollywood-themed fantasy world called “Sabrinawood” on Friday as Coachella wrapped up its first day in the California desert.

The 26-year-old headliner packed 20 songs into a Tinseltown-inspired set complete with A-lister cameos, vintage film props and a “Sabrinawood” billboard in huge white letters evoking the Hollywood sign.

The “Manchild” singer made her Coachella debut in 2024, the year she released her catchy summer smash “Espresso.”

“Two years ago, I wanted to put on a little song for Coachella,” Carpenter said on Friday as fans belted out the words to the megahit.

Her performance included live debuts of songs from her latest album, “Man’s Best Friend.”