Pop culture is an ever-evolving landscape with a seemingly endless ability to inspire controversy. Pop singer Sabrina Carpenter's new music video "Feather" has recently ignited tensions with the Catholic Church. The scandal has provoked a variety of responses, and a priest lost his position in the Church.
Who Is Sabrina Carpenter?
Sabrina Carpenter is a 24-year-old pop singer who came to fame while starring on the Disney Channel. She is most well known for the show Girl Meets World, a long-awaited spin-off series of the beloved TV show Boy Meets World. Despite finding success on television, Carpenter pursued music first, releasing her first album at just 16 years old.
Carpenter has been working tirelessly to raise her profile as a musician. She released the music video for "Feather" on October 31 and immediately gained attention, both positive and negative. The lyrics and images of the song address topics such as nonconsensual actions, patriarchy, sexism, and mortality. She filmed the video inside a Catholic church in New York City.
What Is the Music Video Scandal?
The controversy erupted because Carpenter's video for "Feather" takes place in the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Brooklyn. The video features provocative scenarios with men misbehaving, and many of these men meet gruesome fates. The climax unfolds in the church, with Carpenter dancing amidst pastel-colored coffins.
Catholics in the New York community as well as across the country reacted with outrage and anger. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn swiftly responded and expressed shock and dismay, officially stating that they had not been involved in allowing a film crew inside the church. According to Catholic officials, Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello overlooked key measures and did not get the approval of the diocese.
Why Did Monsignor Gigantiello Approve the Music Video?
Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, the priest leading the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, found himself at the center of the storm because he approved the music video. He explained that he felt confident after meeting the film crew because he found nothing out of the ordinary about the people or the concept of the music video. However, he was not present for the filming and had no prior knowledge that there would be sexual scenes of any kind.
On Facebook, the priest asked for forgiveness from his community. Gigantiello tried to justify his decision by saying that he saw the music video as an opportunity to cultivate a positive relationship between the Church and young people.
How Did the Catholic Community Respond?
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn has stated the lack of protocol, apologized for the controversy, and stripped Monsignor Gigantiello of his administrative duties, including his role as vicar of development. Even these actions didn't seem to satisfy the Catholic community at large. Disgust and disappointment rippled outward from the New York community, and the situation received attention in the Catholic media. To restore the sanctity of the church, Bishop Robert Brennan conducted a Mass of Reparation, symbolically repairing the harm caused by the controversial video.
What Is the Relationship Between Pop Culture and Religion?
Since time immemorial, artists have clashed with religious institutions. Creative expression and the fight for freedom of speech don't necessarily fit within the Catholic Church's value system. Blasphemy is something the Church and the Catholic community take very seriously. Artists such as Madonna, Lady Gaga, and Sinead O'Connor have all offended the Church in different ways.
Carpenter is not the first artist to do something seemingly unthinkable, but the fact that she got permission to film a pop music video inside a church is unique. The video's themes and the choice of a church as a backdrop inspire the question: should religious spaces be exempt from artistic exploration, or is there room for a dialogue that bridges the gap between these seemingly disparate worlds?
