Sabrina Carpenter issued a public apology Saturday following a viral moment at Coachella 2026 where she misidentified a traditional Arabic celebratory cry as yodeling.
The incident occurred during the singer's Friday set while she was seated at a piano. After a brief silence, the 26-year-old artist reacted to a sound from the crowd by asking, “I think I heard someone yodeling. Is that what you're doing? I don't like it.”
When a member of the audience responded that the sound was part of their culture, Carpenter replied, “That's your culture, the yodel?” She concluded the exchange by asking, “Is this Burning Man? What is happening? This is weird.”
Following the backlash on social media, Carpenter addressed the situation in a post on X. She stated that she did not see the individual and could not hear the sound clearly.
“My apologies, I didn't see this person and I didn't hear clearly,” Carpenter wrote. She characterized her reaction as a mix of “pure confusion” and “sarcasm,” adding that there was “no bad intention” behind her words.
“I could have handled it better,” the singer admitted. She also noted that she has since learned the correct term for the sound. “Now I know what a zaghrouta is. From here on out, I'll take all the cheers and also the yodels.”
Understanding the zaghrouta
The sound, also known as ululation, is a high-pitched, vibrating vocalization used to express joy in many Arabic-speaking cultures. According to Arab America, a media resource for the Arab-American community, the practice involves a rapid, trilling movement of the tongue.
The practice has deep historical roots dating back to the pre-Islamic era. Historically, it was used in various communal rituals and remains a staple of celebrations across the Middle East today.
