Sabrina Carpenter was publicly condemned by PETA after incorporating a live white dove into her 2026 Grammy Awards performance
After taking to the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 1, to perform her hit “Manchild” while holding the bird in her palms during one stage of the performance, Carpenter, 26, was criticized through People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Account X.
“Hey Sabrina, bringing a live bird on stage at the Grammys is stupid, slow, pointless… and cruel!” the organization wrote about an image of the pop star holding the dove that referenced the “Manchild” lyrics. The message continued: “Bright lights, loud noise and handling cause fear and distress to a bird that belongs to fly freely in the open sky.”
An additional caption read: “Did Sabrina Carpenter really bring a bird on stage in 2026?! The ‘Manchild’ singer is acting childish. Leave animals out of the #GRAMMYS!”
Us Weekly A representative for Carpenter has been contacted for comment.
Carpenter, who is nominated for six Grammys this year, including Song of the Year for “Manchild,” was the first live performer of the night and provided an airport-themed backdrop to help set it up.
Sabrina Carpenter
Amy Sussman/Getty ImagesThe bird appeared towards the end of his performance when Carpenter sat in what appeared to be an airplane while taking “flight” and took the pigeon out with his hands. The animal was seen fluttering within reach before the performance concluded.
PETA representatives were in attendance during the annual event, as the company staged a stunt inside the Grammys gift suite, to an article published via PETA’s website on Sunday. The story reported that a “walking, talking robot chicken” supplied samples of vegan food to the stars, including Reba McEntire i Sheryl Lee Ralph. Addressing their presence at the music industry-exclusive event, the article noted, “Bringing star power, humor and seriously good food to one of music’s biggest weekends, PETA encouraged celebrities to use their platforms this awards season and beyond to save chickens and help make the world a kinder place for all animals.”
Carpenter is no stranger to criticism about her creative choices. His album Man’s best friendpublished August 2025, caused concern of fans and other social media users for multiple reasons. The lyrics of “Manchild” — especially “It’s all so familiar, baby, what do you call it? Stupid / Or is it slow? / Maybe it’s pointless? / But there’s a nicer word. I know, Manchild” — raised eyebrows after being seen by some as an insult.
Give Sabrina Carpenter the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. The 26-year-old pop princess is wittier than ever in Man’s Best Friend (out Friday, August 29), turning her hookups and heartbreaks into LOL-worthy one-liners. Carpenter roasts her ex-boyfriends and past flings throughout the unapologetically 12-track album, which features the same sassy lyricism that became her (…)
One person wrote via X: “The word ‘slow’ in child… is a historically apt term,” suggesting that the word did not prioritize the needs of people with disabilities. Carpenter has not publicly addressed criticism of the song.
In addition, the Man’s best friend The album cover, which shows the singer on all fours like an animal while being pulled by her hair, was criticized by social media users for glorifying domestic violence. One person wrote via X: “Women face horrific domestic abuse and degradation at the hands of men every day all over the world, yet she (Carpenter) wants to cash in on images of herself being degraded, comparing herself to a dog.”
Carpenter was questioned about the album reaction during an interview with interview magazine in September last year. “You can be sure that everything I do and say has a little bit of a wink to it. If I’m being completely transparent, I don’t do anything anticipating what the reaction will be,” he responded at the time. “I just make things that speak to me, that feel right and that make sense when you listen to the music. When I came up with the image, it was very clear to me what I wanted to say. So the reaction is fascinating to me. You just watch it unfold and you’re like, ‘Wow.'”