Sabrina Carpenter apologized for dismissing a fan’s Zaghrouta, a vocal expression of joy expressed mainly by women in Arab cultures, saying she “could have handled it better.”

“my apologies i didn’t see this person with my eyes and couldn’t hear clearly,” the “Espresso” singer wrote Saturday on X. “my reaction was pure confusion, sarcasm and not ill intended. could have handled it better! now i know what a Zaghrouta is! I welcome all cheers and yodels from here on out.”

During a quiet part of Carpenter’s Friday set at Coachella, while Carpenter was sitting at her piano, a fan made the sound and Carpenter responded by telling the crowd someone was yodeling.

“I don’t like it,” Carpenter said.

The fan responded, “It’s my culture.”

Carpenter, seemingly confused, said, “That’s your culture? Is yodeling?”

The fan then told her that it was a “call of celebration.”

Carpenter then asked the crowd, “Is this Burning Man? What’s going on? This is weird.”

The video quickly gained traction online, and Carpenter received backlash for the way she handled the interaction. The post on X that Carpenter reposted to apologize called the interaction “insensitive and islamophobic.” Another person called her “disrespectful and rude” for her response to the fan.

This isn’t the first time a Zaghrouta has made news. In 2020, Shakira performed a Zaghrouta during her Super Bowl performance, and the moment quickly became fodder for memes.

Zaghrouta is a high-pitched sound accompanied by rapid tongue movement, according to Arab America. In Arab culture, people perform it at weddings or even just for when something exciting happens.

By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.