- Sabrina Carpenter questioned an Arab fan's cheer during her April 10 performance
- Online critics called her comment culturally insensitive and offensive
- Carpenter apologized on X, citing confusion and lack of intent to offend
What the Sunburn Festival is for Indians, Coachella is for Americans. It's an annual arts and music festival organised over two weekends in April in California. The Coachella Valley witnesses a sea of spectators waiting in queues under the sun to see their favourite stars line up. From Sabrina Carpenter and Justin Bieber to Anyma and Karol G, the headliners this year are grabbing headlines.
see you tomorrow night coachella ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/5mmMM7pYeN
— Sabrina Carpenter (@SabrinaAnnLynn) April 10, 2026
Amid such a star-studded lineup, controversies are sure to seep through the cracks. In Sabrina Carpenter's case, it was her "confusion" that led her to face massive backlash online. The 26-year-old pop star was performing on Friday, April 10, when an Arab fan's cheer caught her attention, and her tone-deaf comment resulted in online trolling.
'Your Culture Is Weird': Sabrina Carpenter Trolled For Comment On Arab Fan
While Sabrina Carpenter was performing, a fan let out a Zaghrouta, an Arabic celebration call usually performed by women during happy events like weddings, births, and graduations. It's a high-pitched, trilling sound.
When the singer heard it, she said, "I think I heard someone yodel. Is that what you're doing? I don't like it." Yodelling refers to singing that involves rapid switches between high and low pitches.
Yelling back, the fan said, "It's my culture!"
Sabrina replied, "That's your culture, is yodelling?"
"It's a call of celebration," said the fan, explaining.
"Is this Burning Man? What's going on? This is weird," quipped the singer.
Online Trolling
Taking to X, a user wrote, "Sabrina saying that she doesn't like a cultural Arabic cheer... this is so insensitive and Islamophobic. I am very disappointed in her."
sabrina saying that she doesn't like a cultural arabic cheer… this is so insensitive and islamophobic. i am very disappointed in her. pic.twitter.com/wzFd7jBK0d
— poppy 🦋 (@notpopbase) April 11, 2026
Another wrote, "Even if it's not Islamophobic, the way she said, 'Yodelling is your culture?' with that facial expression... yeah, something was off."
sabrina saying that she doesn't like a cultural arabic cheer… this is so insensitive and islamophobic. i am very disappointed in her. pic.twitter.com/wzFd7jBK0d
— poppy 🦋 (@notpopbase) April 11, 2026
Some people even sided with the singer. They defended her by saying that she is not an anthropologist and had made an error. One person even wrote that a person has the right to have an opinion on what they like or dislike, as long as it does not come across as insulting.
It's okay I'm Arab and wasn't offended, everyone has the right to have an opinion and to like or dislike whatever, it shouldn't be insulting that's just dumb. Love you 🤍
— عزيز 🇸🇦 (@dreamguyxc) April 11, 2026
Sabrina Carpenter Apologises After Coachella Controversy
After online trolling, Sabrina Carpenter took to X and apologised for her remarks.
"My apologies, I didn't see this person with my eyes and couldn't hear clearly. My reaction was pure confusion, sarcasm and not ill-intended," she wrote.
my apologies i didn't see this person with my eyes and couldn't hear clearly. my reaction was pure confusion, sarcasm and not ill intended. could have handled it better! now i know what a Zaghrouta is!
— Sabrina Carpenter (@SabrinaAnnLynn) April 11, 2026
I welcome all cheers and yodels from here on out https://t.co/f3KuT8sggH
"Could have handled it better! Now I know what a Zaghrouta is!
I welcome all cheers and yodels from here on out," the singer concluded.
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