NEW YORK — At her concert at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night, Sabrina Carpenter joked about how she “got the mayor indicted.”
“Damn what now?” the “Espresso” singer said in a break between songs. “Should we talk about how I got the mayor indicted, or…”
The pop star’s quip was a reference to her “Feather” music video, which was filmed in a Brooklyn church and led to the demotion of lead pastor Msgr. Jamie Gigantiello.
Gigantiello is a friend of Mayor Eric Adams and was subpoenaed earlier this month in connection with one of several corruption investigations into the mayor.
The Diocese of Brooklyn’s internal investigation into how the “Feather” music video was allowed to happen reportedly led to further probing of Gigantiello’s relationship with the mayor.
“What I can say is the Diocese is fully committed to cooperating with law enforcement in all investigations, including of conduct at individual parishes or involving any priest,” the Diocese of Brooklyn told the Daily News after Gigantiello was subpoenaed.
Neither Carpenter nor Gigantiello was mentioned in charging documents against Adams. However, the mayor was indicted by the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office, not the Brooklyn U.S. attorney’s office, which subpoenaed Gigantiello.
Brooklyn investigators were apparently hoping to determine Gigantiello’s connection to Adams’ pal Frank Carone, the mayor’s former chief of staff who is running his reelection campaign.
Gigantiello and Carpenter crossed paths in 2023, when she sought and received his approval to film the “Feather” music video in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Williamsburg.
The video features Carpenter dancing through the church and includes a coffin that reads “RIP B—h.” After it was released, church leaders expressed outrage. Bishop Robert Brennan even reconsecrated the church after demoting Gigantiello.
Afterward, Carpenter cheekily wore a shirt reading “Jesus was a carpenter” for her performance at Coachella.
