Sabrina Carpenter has issued an apology after a moment during her Coachella headline set went viral for all the wrong reasons, sparking a cultural conversation about a traditional Arabic celebration few in the festival crowd seemed to recognise.
During her headlining performance on the Friday night, Carpenter heard a distinctive ululating sound coming from the crowd and stopped to address it. Not knowing what the sound was, she responded with confusion and sarcasm, asking: “That is your culture, yodelling? Is this Burning Man? What is going on? This is weird.”
The fan replied that the sound was “part of my culture” and “a call for celebration,” but by then the clip was already spreading rapidly online.
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The sound was a zaghrouta, a traditional Arabic ululation typically performed by women across the Middle East and North Africa during celebrations such as weddings and festivals. It is a joyful expression of excitement and honour, widely used across Arab cultures as a mark of praise.
Carpenter addressed the incident the following day via a post on X, saying: “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 added that she is now aware of what the zaghrouta is and wrote that she will “welcome all cheers and yodels from here on out.”
The response online has been mixed. Many fans accepted the apology as genuine, arguing that Carpenter’s confusion was honest rather than malicious. Others felt the way the moment unfolded, including the “this is weird” comment after the fan explained it was their culture, reflected a more troubling lack of awareness.
The incident has opened up a broader discussion about cultural representation at major Western music events, and has introduced millions of people to the zaghrouta who had never heard of it before.
Written by
Elle Diaz
Elle Diaz is a freelance journalist and fitness model based in the UK. With a background in health, wellness, and popular culture, she covers the stories people are actually talking about — from viral trends and celebrity news to science, lifestyle, and human interest. Elle brings a sharp, relatable voice to every piece she writes.
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