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girls at a festival waiting for the show begins.
girls at a festival waiting for the show begins.
Photo by Aranxa Esteve from Unsplash
Columbia Barnard | Culture > Entertainment

Coachella in Review

Alyssa Finigan Student Contributor, Columbia University & Barnard College
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Columbia Barnard chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Now that Coachella 2026 has come to an end, let’s recap the past two weeks. From brand deals sponsoring the hottest influencers on the internet to Justin Bieber using Youtube as his only set piece, this year was definitely one to remember. Let’s dive deep into the hottest outfits, the best performances, and the most notable celebrity moments of the season.

The outfits this year were over the top. Even before Coachella officially happened,“2016 Coachella” trends were emerging across social media platforms, encouraging festival goers to wear their best throwback attire: flower crowns, cowboy boots, and ripped tanks. “Basic” attire trends were also on the rise, with influencers like Kylie Jenner spotted wearing shorts and a tank—keeping it both classy and simple. Other stand-out outfits included Sabrina Carpenter’s red glittery dress and we can’t forget James Charles’ rainbow body suit.

Moving onto performances, while some might hate Justin Bieber’s YouTube filled set, I personally thought it was a work of art. He was able to captivate an entire audience of loyal fans from across generations despite him selling his music in the past. He added plenty of throwbacks into the mix, so everybody could sing along to at least a couple of his songs. And let’s not forget the iconic moment of bringing Billie Eilish on stage for “One Less Lonely Girl” where she could barely even walk up to him without falling due to her years of fan-like excitement. One of the other headliners, Sabrina Carpenter, also stole the show with movie set level production elements and incredible choreography. She played many songs live for the very first time, such as those from her Man’s Best Friend album and did a total of five custom Dior outfit changes.

Finally, what’s Coachella without celebrity and influencer moments? This year it felt like more brands than ever were hosting celebrities in themed houses to promote their specific product. If you were to log onto any social media platform during the two weeks of Coachella, I can promise you that you will see a video of a star at some sort of Airbnb in Palm Springs decked out in festival attire with a pool right behind them. Some of the standouts this year are Camp Poosh, as always, along with White Fox’s pink house and Poppi bringing in the neon colors. Overall, this year is one to remember at Coachella, and I am already excited to see what next year will bring.

Alyssa Finigan

Columbia Barnard '29

Alyssa Finigan is a driven and thoughtful student whose academic interests and personal experiences are deeply rooted in leadership, advocacy, and community engagement. She is a freshman at Barnard College of Columbia University, where she plans to major in Political Science and Human Rights with a minor in Psychology. Alyssa is highly motivated to attend law school and aspires to become a criminal defense lawyer, with a particular interest in advocating for equity and fairness within the justice system.

Recognized as a Milken Scholar, Alyssa has demonstrated a strong commitment to academic excellence while actively pursuing opportunities to make a meaningful impact beyond the classroom. Her passion for civic engagement began early, as she founded a debate club at her local middle school. Through this initiative, she introduced students to world geography and global politics while helping them build confidence in public speaking, critical thinking, and respectful discourse. This experience reinforced her belief in the importance of education as a tool for empowerment.

In addition to her educational outreach, Alyssa volunteered with the Beach Cities Health District, where she advocated for increased attention to youth mental wellness. Her work emphasized the importance of accessible mental health resources and proactive community-based solutions, further shaping her interest in the intersection of policy, psychology, and social justice.

At Columbia, Alyssa serves on the recruitment committee for Phi Lambda Sigma, a pre-professional society for students interested in policy, politics, and government, and is also an active member of the university’s pre-law society. Outside of academics, she enjoys exploring New York City, discovering new food spots, and spending time in Central Park observing its wildlife. Alyssa is motivated by growth, curiosity, and a desire to contribute meaningfully to the communities she is part of.