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Sabrina Carpenter has addressed the moment that threatened to overshadow her Coachella headlining debut.
The singer faced a wave of backlash after she appeared to mishear a traditional Zaghrouta, which is a sign of celebration in Arab and North African cultures, for “yodelling”.
The 26-year-old directly responded to a post on X on Saturday, which criticised her reaction to the sound, claiming it was “insensitive and Islamophobic”
“My apologies I didn’t see this person with my eyes and couldn’t hear clearly,” she explained. “My reaction was pure confusion, sarcasm and not ill-intended.”
The artist went on to say she “could have handled it better”, adding that she now knows what a Zaghrouta is and she welcomes “all cheers and yodels from here on out”.
The apology comes after clips of the exchange circulated rapidly across social media, sparking a debate that extended well beyond Sabrina’s fanbase.
During a quieter moment in her set, a sound rose from the crowd – a high-pitched wavering trill that Sabrina didn’t recognise.
What she labelled as “yodelling” was actually a traditional zaghrouta, a celebratory ululation common across the Middle East and North Africa.
“Is that what you’re doing?” Sabrina said into the microphone, shaking her head. “I don’t like it.”
When a festival-goer called out that it was part of their culture, Sabrina pressed back: “That’s your culture… yodelling?” and went on to describe the sound as “weird,” comparing the atmosphere to Burning Man in front of a reported 100,000-strong audience.
What she heard is a zaghrouta – a traditional ululation rooted in Arab and North African culture, often heard at weddings, celebrations and moments of communal joy.
The zaghrouta dates back thousands of years and is one of the oldest vocal traditions in the world, and one that carries deep significance across the Middle East. The action of the zaghrouta itself is created by a rapid back-and-forth movement of the tongue while emitting a sustained high note. The result is a distinct sound which can vary in pitch and duration.
The moment divided opinion with many saying it was “disrespectful”, while others said it “wasn’t that deep”.
For now, Sabrina looks to next weekend at Coachella for her second headlining performance on April 17.
