When I think about the month of April, the first thought that pops into my mind is Coachella. As a music lover I was so jealous of everyone who got to go to Coachella this year since a bunch of my favorite artists were playing. Harry Styles was a headliner and performed his new hit single “As It Was” along with two new songs off his upcoming album Harry’s House which comes out in late May. Along with these new songs on week one of Coachella he had the legendary Shiana Twain make a special appearance, and during week two the queen herself Lizzo made a debut.
Along with Billie Elish, ROLE MODEL, The Weekend, Doja Cat, Wallows, girl in red, and so many more amazing artists, this Coachella was bound to be amazing. But as I scrolled through TikTok and Instagram, so many influencers who were at the festival seemed to think the complete opposite of me.
Remi Bader, a TikTok star with over 2 million followers documented her Coachella experience, and gave her followers some raw, candid insight into her Coachella trip. In one of her videos she said, “I think Coachella is a little overrated”. She then explains in other videos how even if you have VIP access, the festival is still jam packed and everyone is shoulder to shoulder in the middle of a hot desert. She posted another video of her unable to find an Uber back home in the middle of the desert with the sand and dust blowing everywhere.
Another TikTok star Kate Bartlett gave an honest review about her Coachella experience. Though she had a more positive experience at Coachella she didn’t shy away from how expensive everything is in the desert. Kate explained how one of her Ubers was $200 for a 20 minute drive, and coffee at the festival was $11.
People did not hold back in the comments on TikToks about Coachella, many people agreeing that Coachella isn’t even about the music and fans of the artists at this point but is just one big gathering of influencers to take pictures and post about Coachella in their festival outfits. Some even say if you’re not an influencer who didn’t get invited it’s not even worth it to go because of how expensive the festival is and how influencers get priority.
Many people were also disappointed with the Coachella fashion this year. Normally festival goers dress up to the nines in fun clothes that fit the “Coachella aesthetic”. This year many fans were let down when their favorite celebrities and influencers simply went to Coachella in jeans and a t-shirt. Thousands of people agreed that this year’s Coachella had the worst outfits of all time.
With expectations so high for this year’s Coachella since the past years were canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, fans of Coachella were ultimately disappointed by this year’s festival. Though I would still jump at the opportunity to attend Coachella, after hearing so many negative reviews I have to wonder if it is really for the music, or just a chance for influencers to get another photo-op.