Sabrina Carpenter Reflects on Her Reaction to the Coachella Crowd Chant and Shares What She Learned
Sabrina Carpenter Responds to Crowd Reaction at Coachella
Sabrina Carpenter has addressed the online discussion surrounding her reaction to a loud, high-pitched cheer during her performance at Coachella on April 10.
The pop star appeared to be unfamiliar with the trilling vocal sound known as a Zaghrouta, a celebratory chant common in various cultures. This vocal expression, which honors and celebrates significant moments, was famously used by Shakira during her 2020 Super Bowl halftime show.
Video footage from Carpenter’s Coachella set showed her sitting at the piano with a puzzled look after hearing the cheer. She was recorded saying, “I don’t like it.” When a member of the audience shouted, “It’s my culture!” Carpenter responded, “That’s your culture, yodeling?” adding, “Is this Burning Man? What’s going on? This is weird.”
The following day, Carpenter took to social media to clarify her comments made on stage. In response to a post on X that accused her of being “insensitive and Islamophobic,” she wrote, “My apologies I didn’t see this person with my eyes and couldn’t hear clearly.” Carpenter elaborated, stating, “My reaction was pure confusion, sarcasm and not ill intended,” and acknowledged, “Could have handled it better! Now I know what a Zaghrouta is! I welcome all cheers and yodels from here on out.”
A Zaghrouta is a form of ululation often used by women in the Middle East and North Africa to express joy. According to the educational resource Arab America, it is characterized by a long, wavering, high-pitched sound created through rapid tongue movements.
Carpenter headlined the first night of Coachella 2026, returning to the festival just two years after her debut performance, where she had confidently predicted, “Coachella, see you back here when I headline.” Since then, she has released two albums that reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, including 2024’s Short n’ Sweet and 2025’s Man’s Best Friend.
