Sabrina Carpenter has been branded "stupid and cruel" by PETA after performing with a live bird at the Grammy Awards.

The 26-year-old pop star took to the stage at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday night (01.02.26) to perform her hit track Manchild and she was seen cradling a white bird in the palm of her hand.

However, the move has been condemned by officials at PETA, who referenced the lyrics to Manchild in a statement posted on X, writing: "Hey Sabrina, bringing a live bird onto the Grammys stage is stupid, slow, useless … and cruel!

"Bright lights, loud noise, and handling cause fear and distress for a bird who belongs flying free in the open sky."

The message added: "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!"

The organisation also had some stern words for Lady Gaga for wearing a costume seemingly made of feathers for her performance of her song Abracadabra at the awards show.

A post on X read: "Feathers belong on birds and birds should be free, not in cages. Not sure what @LadyGaga's #GRAMMYs message is, but that's PETA's.

"Whether they're plucked out while the bird is alive, or after they are killed, the bird always suffers."

The message added: "Lady Gaga, let birds keep their feathers. Feathers belong on birds and birds should be free."

However, the organisation added a message applauding Cher for winning the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award as she has dedicated much of her life to fighting for animal rights.

The post on X read: "A Lifetime Achievement Award at the #Grammys feels right for @Cher ... From working to help captive elephants to dogs suffering in the cold. Thank you for using your platform to change the lives of animals."

There was also a message dedicated to Billie Eilish over her vegan lifestyle and her "respect for animals". It read: "Congrats to @BillieEilish on #GRAMMYs Song of the Year for Wildflower.

"From powerful music to powerful compassion, our 2021 Person of the Year continues to lead with vegan values, fur-free fashion, and respect for animals."