Sabrina Carpenter
Walt Disney Television/Flickr | CC BY-ND 2.0

The 68th Annual Grammy Awards began with dazzling spectacle on Sunday evening, yet one pop star's theatrical flourish sparked outrage from animal rights advocates who branded her decision 'stupid, slow, useless and cruel.' Sabrina Carpenter took the Crypto.com Arena stage in an airport-themed white suit, performing her chart-dominating hit Manchild as the ceremony's opening act.

Then, on an ascending platform shaped like a silver aeroplane, she produced a live white dove and cradled it in her palm whilst gazing at the audience as her song concluded. The moment lasted mere seconds. PETA's condemnation lasted considerably longer.

The 26-year-old singer, who received six Grammy nominations including Album of the Year but won none, has not publicly commented on the backlash. Yet within hours, animal rights campaigners flooded social media with criticism, wielding the singer's own lyrics against her.

'Did Sabrina Carpenter really just bring a bird on stage in 2026?! The Manchild singer is giving childlike behaviour. Leave animals out of the #GRAMMYs,' PETA posted, alongside a photograph of Carpenter holding the trembling bird.

The organisation followed with pointed language: 'Hey Sabrina. Bringing a live bird onto the Grammys stage is stupid, slow, useless, and cruel.' They cautioned that 'bright lights, loud noise, and handling cause fear and distress for a bird who belongs flying free in the open sky.'

Sabrina Carpenter's Dove: A Grammys Scandal Reflecting Broader Animal Welfare Tensions

Carpenter's staging drew parallels to longstanding Grammys controversies over live animal use. The dove appeared courtesy of a magician figure in her ensemble cast — backup dancers portraying passengers, crew and an astronaut alongside the aforementioned magician. Some social media users echoed PETA's condemnation, calling the performance 'disgusting' and 'awful', with one commenter likening it to 'a magic trick gone wrong.'

PETA also targeted Lady Gaga, who wore a sculptural feathered gown by designer Matières Fécales on the red carpet. 'Feathers belong on birds and birds should be free, not in cages,' the organisation declared. 'Whether they're plucked out whilst the bird is alive, or after they are killed, the bird always suffers.' Gaga's seven Grammy nominations — including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for her album Mayhem — did not shield her from similar criticism.

The animal rights group praised Billie Eilish and Cher for their 'vegan values' and animal advocacy work, offering a counterpoint to performers deemed less conscious of welfare concerns.​

Critics Question Grammy Standards As Carpenter Faces Mounting Backlash

Carpenter's 2025 album Man's Best Friend, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, yielded Manchild as a dominant single. The track has earned four Grammy nominations across major categories. Her opening Grammy appearance marked only her second consecutive year performing at the ceremony; she last appeared in a sparkling vintage tuxedo, performing medleys from Short n' Sweet.

Yet for all her musical success, the bird's welfare became the night's unexpected focal point. PETA's swift action signals growing scrutiny of live animal use in entertainment, even in small-scale moments. As Carpenter navigates her career trajectory — she won Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album at 2025's Grammys for Espresso — the question lingers: whether a three-second onstage flourish warrants years of animal-related recrimination.

For the Recording Academy, the controversy raises uncomfortable questions about oversight of performers' staging decisions. Precedent exists: the 1994 Grammys saw Michael Jackson's performance scrutinised over animal handlers present backstage. Whether the Academy will implement stricter guidelines regarding live animal use remains uncertain, but PETA's mobilisation suggests public appetite for change has shifted decisively toward animal protection.

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