This weekend kicked off the start of the infamous Coachella festival, and this year’s headliners’ have been making a splash online already.
Originally beginning as a two day festival, this year’s Coachella is set to run from April 10th to April 19th with expected performances from some of music’s greatest superstars. These two weekends gained the traction of millions each year, whether it be star-studded influencers or ordinary Californians flocking at the chance to see their favorite artists. From indie up-and-comers to world famous popstars, here’s a close look at incredible acts of the first weekend.
Friday, April 10th:
Starting the festival off strong, the first day of Coachella delivered highly memorable performances. This year’s performances spanned across eight separate stages, where fans could expect to find their favorite artists spread out based on the time frame. The Mojave stage was a delight to listeners of varied genres, as it hosted the likes of Blood Orange, Slayyter, and Ethel Cain. Cain, who took the stage at 10:35, stunned the crowd with her ethereal vocals and gorgeous Southern Gospel set pieces. Her performance included several songs from her infamous Preacher’s Daughter, including a performance of her nine-minute ballad Thoroughfare. The Sahara stage housed a lot of upbeat performances, notably starring KATSEYE and Sexyy Red. The stellar KPop group debuted their new single “Pinky Up” and gave this lucky audience a golden surprise, bringing out the voices of KPop Demon Hunter’s HUNTRIX to perform with them.
But the real star of Friday’s set was pop superstar Sabrina Carpenter. Dubbed “Sabrinawood”, the “House Tour” singer’s set and visuals painted a portrait of old Hollywood. The performance began with a cameo from Sam Elliot, who played the role of a cop in Carpenter’s classic black-and-white film landscape. In addition to Elliot, Will Ferrell and Susan Sarandon took the stage along this short and sweet singer-songwriter as she transported the audience through not only album specific eras but famous landmarks, as her set eventually transformed into a New York city skyline. As expected, Carpenter sang hits from her two latest albums Short N’ Sweet and Man’s Best Friend, but hardcore fans were delighted to hear the live debut of her song “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night.” Overall, Sabrina’s thematic choices and delightful cameos made her first Coachella headline a highlight for all attending.
Saturday, April 11th:
Following Friday’s star-studded lineup was a difficult task, but Saturday’s performances delivered, capitalizing on nostalgia and energy. The day began with a surprise performance by Jack White on the Mojave stage. White’s spontaneous addition to the lineup follows a long tradition of marking “surprise slots” within the festival schedule to build suspense and interest among fans. Some of the day’s larger stars included the likes of PinkPantheress, Addison Rae, Sombr, GIVEON, and Labyrinth. Known for his work on the soundtrack of HBO’s Euphoria, Labyrinth reclaimed several of his songs that were featured on the show, including “When I RIP” and “See You Assholes Later”, after cryptically posting “Double f*ck euphoria”. Former Hype House regular Addison Rae also amazed crowds in her Coachella debut, performing hits such as “Diet Pepsi” and “Fame is a Gun” and bringing out dancer Maddie Ziegler.
But we would be remiss not to name Justin Bieber as the star of the night. From the moment he took the stage at 11:25, Bieber impressed fans new and old with his music selection. His performance was one of the most unique of the night, as it consisted of him sitting with a laptop and choosing songs from there. While this tactic garnered mixed reactions from fans, it definitely suited the best interests of his audience. Rather than opting for his recent singles, Bieber brought back his iconic hits such as “Beauty and a Beat”, “Never Say Never”, and “Sorry”. In addition to these throwbacks, Bieber switched vocals to his famous falsetto on many older songs.
Sunday, April 12th:
While it received less media buzz than the initial two days, Sunday was also packed with outstanding acts across the eight stages. The artists of this day belonged mostly to the indie/alternative genre, with standouts including Foster the People, Gigi Perez, Wet Leg, and FKA Twigs. Singer of “Sailor Song”, Perez dazzled the crowd with her haunting vocals and two notable surprise guests – Hayley Kiyoko and Noah Cyrus! But Perez’s message went beyond this, as she urged audiences to support the crisis in Palestine as well as oppose the tactics of ICE agents in the United States. Special guests were certainly the theme of this weekend, as indie band Wet Leg brought out DJ Horsegiirl to enhance their set and tease tracks off their upcoming album Moisturizer.
Over on the Outdoor Theater stage, Laufey made her Coachella debut as well as the live performance debut of her new song “Madwoman”. Fans were thrilled to hear this new track alongside a haunting cello performance by one of her band members. The night closed on the Coachella stage with Latina artist Karol G at 9:55. Introducing herself as “Carolina from Mendellin, Colombia” — her ninety minute performance was centered around Latin culture. Throughout her set, she sang hits such as “Provenza” and “Latina Forever”, brought out fellow Latinx icons Becky G and Wisin, and led an all female mariachi band. Her performance even featured a fireworks show at the end, displaying Latin joy and pride during a time where Latinx identities are currently being silenced and erased.
Weekend 2
Friday, April 17th:
Friday night was headlined by Sabrina Carpenter, and she made it count. Sabrina, who already set the bar high on weekend 1 with celebrity cameos from Will Ferrell and Susan Sarandon somehow topped herself. Madonna joined her for three songs mid-set: a duet on “Vogue,” a preview of “Bring Your Love” off her upcoming album Confessions II, and “Like a Prayer.” The whole thing felt surreal in the best way. Earlier in the night, KATSEYE held down the Sahara Tent at 8pm, BINI opened the day in the Mojave at 4:15pm (the first Filipino group to ever perform at Coachella), and The xx delivered one of the quieter but more emotionally resonant sets of the weekend on the main stage.
Sabrina came out in full custom Dior, a bridal-showgirl theme with a white strapless bodysuit, lace detailing, a bow at the bust with fringe beads, and a veil for the dramatic entrance. Each look was a color inversion of her Weekend 1 outfits: red turned blue, blue turned red, black turned white. The fashion storytelling across both weekends was genuinely thoughtful. Madonna, for her part, wore the exact same purple Gucci corset, boots, and jacket she wore at her Coachella debut 20 years ago, and then announced afterward that the archival pieces had gone missing after the show, which is a whole situation. Central Cee took the Mojave in a red velvet Gucci zip-up and branded belt. BINI opened Friday in metallic purple bra tops and mini skirts with silver knee-high boots, a full upgrade from their Weekend 1 siren-inspired bodysuits and one of the most memorable looks of the entire festival.
Saturday
Saturday had the most chaotic energy of the three days. Kacey Musgraves kicked things off at 3pm in a last-minute addition to the Mojave Tent, the slot Jack White had held Weekend 1. She showed up on a horse, debuted two brand new songs (“Back on the Wagon” and “Uncertain, TX”), and played “High Horse” to a crowd that was not expecting any of it. It was the most intimate set of the weekend and possibly the best surprise of all three days.
Addison Rae played the main stage in the afternoon and brought out Olivia Rodrigo to perform her new single “drop dead.” Weekend 1, Rae had no surprise guests. Weekend 2, she brought Olivia Rodrigo. The crowd lost it. GIVEON performed later that evening and brought out Snoop Dogg (plus Teddy Swims), a full upgrade from his Weekend 1 guest Kehlani, double the star power. Sombr also returned, this time with Billy Idol, Steve Stevens, and Quenlin Blackwell in tow.
Justin Bieber closed the night at 11:25pm. He brought out SZA, Sexyy Red, and Dijon — but the moment that had everyone screaming was the Billie Eilish serenade. She wasn’t performing; she was just there as a fan of her self-described biggest inspiration, and Bieber dedicated “One Less Lonely Girl” to her in front of tens of thousands of people. It was genuinely a lot.
Sunday
Sunday belonged to Karol G, the first Latina artist to ever headline Coachella, and she showed up knowing exactly what that meant. Her Weekend 2 guest list was an upgrade on Weekend 1: J Balvin and Peso Pluma joined her on stage, both carrying significantly more mainstream international recognition than the Weekend 1 lineup. The energy built from opening look through closing performance wear, and by the time she closed out the night, it felt like a genuine celebration.
Earlier on Sunday, Laufey played the Outdoor Theatre in a romantic white dress and brought BINI back for a second appearance, this time in Western-inspired festival fashion with custom warrior outfits featuring Y2K flowers, styled by Filipino designer Marian Zara. FKA Twigs performed in the Mojave and delivered a fully conceptual, futuristic set that reminded everyone what Coachella looks like when an artist comes to make a statement. PinkPantheress closed with a guest list that included Zara Larsson, Janelle Monáe, Blood Orange, Slayyyter, and Megan Stalter, a set that was genuinely unhinged in the best way.Karol G opened in a custom Etro two-piece: a crystalized blue lace top with a matching tassel mini skirt and a dramatic feather headpiece designed by Raul Lopez. She rotated through gold and silver modern pieces, mariachi-inspired looks, and flag-colored designs that directly referenced Latin pride before closing in sparkly, movement-ready bodysuits with custom Reebok footwear. The whole wardrobe arc told a story. FKA Twigs leaned fully into Y3K styling: futuristic, conceptual, fashion as art. Laufey in her white dress, BINI in their custom warrior fits, and the Sunday crowd in comfortable worn-in denim and ponchos rounded out the weekend’s fashion story in the most fitting way possible.