Sabrina Carpenter has been criticised by animal rights group PETA for using a live bird during her performance at the Grammys.
The Espresso hitmaker hit the stage at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday night to give a theatrical performance of her song Manchild on an elaborate airport set.
During the performance, Carpenter pulled a white dove out of a magician’s hat and was reunited with the bird at the end of the song, when she held it in her hand and looked out at the crowd as her rendition came to a close.
Representatives for the organisation, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), released a statement condemning the 26-year-old singer for using a live bird as part of the act.
“Did Sabrina Carpenter really just bring a bird on stage in 2026?! The Manchild singer is giving childlike behavior. Leave animals out of the #GRAMMYs,” PETA reps wrote on social media.
Writing on top of an image of Carpenter with the bird, they continued, “Hey Sabrina. Bringing a live bird onto the Grammys stage is stupid, slow, useless, and cruel,” referencing the lyrics to Manchild. “Bright lights, loud noise, and handling cause fear and distress for a bird who belongs flying free in the open sky.”
Carpenter, who has yet to respond to the criticism, was nominated for six awards during the ceremony, but came away empty-handed.
PETA officials also took issue with Lady Gaga for allegedly wearing a costume made of feathers for her performance of Abracadabra.
“Whether they’re plucked out while the bird is alive, or after they are killed, the bird always suffers,” they wrote. “Lady Gaga, let birds keep their feathers. Feathers belong on birds and birds should be free.”
Other Grammy performers included Tyler, the Creator, Justin Bieber, Rosé and Bruno Mars, the Best New Artist nominees and Clipse and Pharrell Williams.
In addition, Post Malone teamed up with Duff McKagan, Slash, Chad Smith, and Andrew Watt to perform War Pigs as a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, and Lauryn Hill reunited with her Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean, as well as Jon Batiste, John Legend and Chaka Khan to perform a medley in honour of D’Angelo and Roberta Flack.
