Pop star Sabrina Carpenter drew criticism earlier this month with the release of her music video for “Feather.” The video, which includes provocative dancing, skimpy outfits, and death-related imagery including fake blood, was filmed inside Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation Catholic church in Brooklyn.
Since the resulting scandal ensued, the priest responsible for allowing Carpenter and her team to film inside his church has been relieved of administrative duties, as The Daily Wire previously reported. Msgr. Jamie J. Gigantiello apologized to the bishop, the Diocese, and parishioners for the “shameful representation” in the video, saying he “whole-heartedly” renounced it.
Now the 24-year-old singer, who has been on tour with Taylor Swift for several months, shared a few thoughts about the controversy. “We got approval in advance,” Carpenter told Variety about the video shoot in an interview published Wednesday. She also made a reference to her last name, telling the outlet, “And Jesus was a carpenter.”
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn has taken the situation very seriously. They shared a statement with the Catholic News Agency, that said, “The parish did not follow diocesan policy regarding the filming on Church property, which includes a review of the scenes and script.”
Following the music video’s release, the bishop celebrated a Mass of Reparation at the church to “[restore] the sanctity” and “[repair] the harm.”
The music video for the song “Feather” included scenes shot both inside and outside the church. Carpenter is seen dancing in a skimpy outfit amid decorations on top of and around the altar. These include items like cloths, candles, small statutes, a coffin, and a vase with a dark liquid that says “RIP.”
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In the video, several men are seen fighting over the singer and eventually kill each other. Their coffins become part of the props.
Gigantiello told the New York Times that the video was “not what was initially presented” to him after he approved the filming. He said he allowed Carpenter’s team to use the church in an “effort to further strengthen the bonds between the young creative artists who make up a large part of this community.”