'Zaghroota' explained: Sabrina Carpenter’s Coachella reaction sparks cultural conversation

'Zaghroota' has never been just a sound. It’s a feeling, a glimmer of joy and for many Arabs and North Africans, the unmistakable sonic stamp that, perhaps, something big is about to happen.

So, when American singer Sabrina Carpenter reacted to a fan’s 'Zaghroota' at Coachella by calling it “weird” and comparing it to yodelling, it struck a nerve far beyond the festival crowd. Suddenly, an ancient celebratory tradition found itself at the centre of a global cultural conversation.

But what is 'Zaghroota' really?

'Zaghroota' (also written zaghrouta or zaghareet) is a high‑pitched ululation performed mostly by women to express collective joy, pride or intense emotion. It’s that rolling, trilling sound you hear at Arab weddings when the bride walks in, during engagements, graduations, even at births and sometimes funerals to honour the departed, instantly changing the emotional vibe of a room.

Technically, it's created by sustaining a loud vowel sound while rapidly flicking the tongue to produce that vibrating trill. Culturally, for generations, it has also been one of the loudest public expressions women could claim, especially in communities where that wasn’t always the case. That's why, to this day, a single 'Zaghroota' can feel like both a cheer and a statement.

From the Middle East to parts of North and East Africa, variations of this ululation exist with different names but a shared function of vocalising joy.

The Coachella moment

At Coachella, when a fan in Carpenter’s audience did what fans from this part of the world often do when they’re overwhelmed with excitement, the singer did not recognise it as a cheer. Instead, she labelled it “weird” and joked about whether she was at Burning Man.

Even after someone in the crowd tried to explain that it was part of their culture, the singer's response landed as mockery for many viewers online.

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A post shared by Carolyn Burt (@carolynburt)

For a lot of Arab and North African fans, the issue wasn’t that a Western pop star didn’t recognise zaghroota on the spot. Cultural literacy gaps do exist, after all, nobody can claim to know everything about every culture.

The problem, however, came from how quickly something so personal to so many fans was reduced to a punchline on a massive global stage, especially at a festival that markets itself on diversity and “global” music.

Hence, the backlash. The clips went viral, opinions flooded the Internet and fans started asking the question we always circle back to: When does ignorance become disrespect? 

To her credit, Carpenter later acknowledged the moment and apologised, which is a crucial step a lot of celebrities still resist. 

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!
I welcome all cheers and yodels from here on out https://t.co/f3KuT8sggH

— Sabrina Carpenter (@SabrinaAnnLynn) April 11, 2026

Dubai RJ Kris Fade weighs in

Back in Dubai, radio host Kris Fade also took to Instagram to share a video reacting to the Coachella clip, breaking down what a 'Zaghroota' is, where it comes from and why empathy matters more than ever, when it comes to understanding different cultures.

“Can we learn from @sabrinacarpenter. Empathy and understanding one another is the key to a peaceful existence,” he wrote, before explaining that this tradition is displayed across the Middle East and in parts of Africa, and that moving to Dubai 19 years ago exposed him to a whole spectrum of cultures and religions that made him “a better human.”

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A post shared by Kris Fade (@krisfade)

The post quickly garnered hundreds of comments. One person wrote, “I grew up in Sydney, Australia, and heard that sound my whole life. It was the sound that told me I should run outside immediately because there was probably a massive wedding party about to start.”

So, if there’s anything this saga proves, it’s that “cancelling” someone is the least interesting part of it all. It’s the conversation, and hopefully the learning, that follows.

Do we stay at the level of memes and outrage, or the next time we hear a sound we don’t immediately recognise, do we choose curiosity instead? Because more often than not, it may carry someone’s history, culture, love and pride, all packed into that one unique expression.