PETA Accuses Sabrina Carpenter Of ‘Cruelty’ After Grammys Appearance

Sabrina Carpenter found herself at the center of controversy following her high-concept performance at the Grammy Awards, after animal rights organization PETA publicly called her out for featuring a live bird on stage. The 26-year-old pop star took over Crypto.com Arena on Sunday night with a theatrical rendition of her song "Manchild," transforming the venue into a full-scale airport set complete with airline visuals, runway workers, and choreography that leaned heavily into satire. But not everyone was happy with Sabrina Carpenter's performance.

Carpenter made a dramatic entrance descending from a rotating airplane carousel before addressing the crowd in a mock captain’s announcement. “Hey Grammys, how ya doing? It’s your captain Sabrina speaking,” she said, before encouraging the audience to stand and clap “if you came here tonight for a little validation.”

As the performance continued, Carpenter pushed boundaries with a string of uncensored lyrics in the chorus and wrapped the number by waving illuminated traffic wands as if directing planes, tossing them into the crowd as the song came to a close.

But it was one moment in particular that sparked backlash online.

Mid-performance, Carpenter pulled a white dove from a magician’s hat, later reappearing with the bird in her hand during the final moments of the song as she looked out across the arena. Shortly after the broadcast, PETA took to social media to condemn the decision, accusing the singer of putting spectacle over animal welfare.

“Did Sabrina Carpenter really just bring a bird on stage in 2026?!” the organization wrote, calling the moment “childlike behavior” and urging artists to “leave animals out of the #GRAMMYs.”

In another post, PETA overlaid text on an image of Carpenter holding the bird, writing, “Hey Sabrina. Bringing a live bird onto the Grammys stage is stupid, slow, useless, and cruel," which is a pointed reference to lyrics from "Manchild." The group added that bright lights, loud noise, and physical handling can cause fear and distress for birds, arguing that animals belong “flying free in the open sky.”

Carpenter has not publicly responded to the criticism.

As the clip circulated, the reaction online quickly turned divided, with viewers arguing over whether the moment was theatrical flair or a step too far.

Some fans rushed to defend Carpenter, insisting the bird was trained and handled responsibly. One commenter wrote that the dove was “trained for that” and returned safely afterward, comparing the moment to ceremonial releases at major events. Another added, “We have animals perform in ballets all the time, it’s not like they live there.”

Others, however, weren’t convinced. “I love Sabrina!! But I hope she doesn’t bring an animal onstage ever again. That was hard to watch,” one fan admitted, while another bluntly questioned the creative choice, writing, “I love Sabrina but I saw the bird and I was like… why?”

The controversy came on a night when the "Espresso" singer was nominated for six awards but ultimately walked away without a win.

“Manchild,” the album’s pre-release single, proved to be a breakout moment for Carpenter long before Grammy night rolled around. The track shot straight to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, marking the singer’s second No. 1 hit and cementing the song as one of her most successful releases to date.

Carpenter co-wrote “Manchild” alongside her "Short N’ Sweet" collaborators Amy Allen and Jack Antonoff, both of whom also landed multiple Grammy nominations.

The Grammys moment wasn’t the first time Carpenter’s music became part of a political firestorm. Last year, the White House drew backlash after sharing a video showing federal agents arresting individuals as part of President Trump’s immigration crackdown, set to Carpenter’s song "Juno." The clip was posted with the caption, “Have you tried this one?” a reference to one of the track’s lyrics.

The situation escalated when the White House doubled down in a statement that directly invoked Carpenter’s music and lyrics. “Here’s a 'Short n’ Sweet' message for Sabrina Carpenter,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said. “We won’t apologize for deporting dangerous criminal illegal murderers, rapists, and pedophiles from our country. Anyone who would defend these sick monsters must be stupid, or is it slow?” a pointed reference to Carpenter’s song "Manchild."

Carpenter swiftly shut down the association. Responding directly to the video, the "Espresso" singer made it clear she wanted no part of the messaging. “This video is evil and disgusting,” Sabrina Carpenter wrote. “Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.”

From Grammys controversy to political firestorms, Sabrina Carpenter’s music keeps making noise, whether she asked for it or not.