Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is one of the most famous festivals in the world. It is a major annual music and arts festival held over two weekends in Indio, California. It is important due to the various big stages spread all over the event that offers artists the opportunity to create their most ambitious show to date and the possibility to get it recorded an air publicly, thanks to the support of Youtube. It features a mix of popular and emerging artists across genres like pop, rock, hip-hop, electronic, and more, along with large-scale art installations and sculptures. Coachella is the place to be and be fixated by if you want to know anything about celebrity culture and fashion trends for the season. Three days went by so fast due to the relaxation of consuming the performances through screens at home and delayed, an unmatchable experience that can only be found during the first weekend of it (the second one is focused on putting highlights of the biggest artists or the ones that have captured the attention of more people). Now, let’s get into analyzing and dissecting some of the performances that I found most interesting.
Friday, April 11
Day one started with the performance of SAINt JHN, an artist that has been on my radar for years and that I really enjoyed what he has to offer. A couple months ago, the artist released “FESTIVAL SEASON”, a compilation of songs specifically crafted to be played live, that infused energy to the crowd and let the artist connect deeply with it. An appetizer for what is to come this summer with the release of “Collection Two”. Mojave Stage presented a show that was complemented by a chorus of people turned around showing the artist’s insignia, the red cross, while he played with a giant cross lying on one side of the stage. He wore a pair of Timberlands, a white tank top and a pair of denim shorts with some bedazzled accessories; while the crowd went crazy with “Sucks To Be You”, “Guyanese Moshpit” or the overplayed “Roses (Imanbek Remix)”.
After that, I chose to see MARINA on the Main Stage. A queer icon that is immersed in the roll-out of her “PRINCESS OF POWER”, which is getting released on June 6. Accompanied by a live band and the golden hour, the artist presented her most known hits like “Bubblegum Bitch” or “Oh No!”, a nostalgia experiment on those who used Tumblr as I did as a kid. She was wearing a custom look by Erik Charlotte with a Marie Antoinette wig that resembled the aesthetic she went for in the music video of “CUNTISSIMO”. Pastel platforms with towers of lights were the atrezzo for a show in which the artist reinforced the idea that she has been a powerful female in the music industry, even with the low acceptance of her latest projects.
At the same time, on Mojave Stage, we could enjoy a shortened performance from Ravyn Lenae, an R&B singer-songwriter known for her genre-blending sound and ethereal vocals. She showed strength and theatricality through movement in a white custom look by KNWLS. An empowered woman that enchanted the crowd with songs like “Skin Tight” or “Love Is Blind”. Her use of lighting emphasized the emotional message behind her lyrics, sharing an intimate moment with a crowd inside an international festival with thousands of people in attendance.
Tyla was next in the Outdoor Theatre and I need to make sure to make you all understand that this is one of the next headliners of the festival in upcoming editions. Her proposal relies on giving to the public every single perspective you could think of when looking at the stage. It felt like a movie and a performance from a veteran artist, the way she moves on stage and how she interacted with fans throughout her set was outstanding. An inflatable tiger accompanied her catchy tunes and sensual movements that set fire to the hot and wet environment (“SHAKE AHW” and “Jump” really connected with the crowd). She is bringing the South African flair to the desert of California, while she is defining herself as a rising star with her aesthetic choices and the acting of it all. It was fun and refreshing to see an artist in archival Dolce & Gabanna, while shaking her ass, signing with graffiti the atrezzo and getting wet in a portable pool. Becky G and Tems even appeared to support the young artist, singing their collaborations. Tyla really understood her assignment in bringing her eponymous album to a thirsty crowd, “Water” was one of the most chanted songs of the day.
At 7:45PM, the Sahara Stage became the center of attention for all K-pop and female rap lovers in general. The presentation of Lisa’s new album “Alter Ego” resulted in a cinematic experience that unleashed an hour of spectacle where fashion, dance and a killer attitude intertwined. She trusted the vision of known stylist Brett Alan Nelson to keep the clothing to the excellence level that the proposal was; getting to show us customs from ROMBAUT, GCDS, Asher Levine and Michael Schmidt Studios. Throughout her setlist, we could see why she is one of the most celebrated Idols, her engaging storytelling gave birth to a presentation in which “LALISA”, “MONEY” and “Lifestyle” were received by the public as hits. Without forgetting a sentimental and precious part with songs like “Dream” or “Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me)”.
By the time I was back to the Main Stage, I got the opportunity to watch two presentations without interruption. The first one being Benson Boone’s attempt to become the sweetheart of America with a presentation that focuses on energizing the public through non-stop movement and the power of a bulge. “There She Goes” and “Beautiful Things” were chanted by almost everyone in that festival. Unprecedented thinking, knowing that this is his first Coachella with only three years in the music industry. He was wearing a butter yellow fantasy in which he announced that his sophomore album is coming out on June 20 and it is called “American Heart”. But his interpretation of “Bohemian Rhapsody”, with Brian May playing the guitar, was an unforgettable moment for everyone that saw it.
Afterwards, Missy Elliott came on stage to embrace Hip-Hop culture and the importance of Black artists in the music industry. Her show was a throwback to show that she was the blueprint for lots of artists today, “Cool Off”, “I?m Really Hot” and “Ching-A-Ling” reaffirms it. Her setlist also includes her latest hits like “Throw It Back”, a song that was part of her “ICONOLOGY” project back in 2019 and that opened the show that day. She has empowered the female energy through body diversity and the casting process of the dance crew. The proposal was composed of three recognizable aesthetics that range from glittery motorcycle wear to graffiti prints on garments, reminding us that the hood has always been the inspiration and the beginning of every trend cycle.
Getting political is so important that more than one artist can improve on it, but in the case of CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso is always present. Their aesthetic choice and their mannerism in-stage has changed the perception of masculinity to wide followers. First time doing a show in the US, after an unforgettable Tiny Desk presentation, it feels only right that they do it in Coachella. Their project consists in translating with their live band, songs that talk about concerns that young people might be facing at the moment. “IMPOSTOR” and “LA QUE PUEDE, PUEDE” are big examples of it with lyrics that translate big social issues of the present into digestible and catchy tunes. Their odd and inflatable presence got the crowd crazy, getting them ready to present their latest project “PAPOTA” that is a compilation of songs that define the essence of the duo and exploits the positive reception they received from their YouTube performance for NPR.
To finish the day, Lady Gaga outdid herself with a presentation where everything was measured down to the last millimeter and getting to a point of excellence that we did not get from the artist since her “Born This Way” era. “Mayhem” has been the result of years recovering from her crazy first years in the industry and throughout acts we could see the evolution of an artist that has been always in our radar. Duality was one of the main themes in the show, as Lady Gaga encountered herself fighting with the past and trying to establish herself in the present acknowledging all that had led her to become a pop star. A magical “Abracadabra” and “Judas” performance justify all this year waiting for a big comeback, wearing a custom look by Samuel Lewis, she got to play with everything in the scene and make a world out of a stage in the middle of the desert. “Poker Face” was her tribute to Alexander McQueen and all the inspiration that he has given us, a fight with her iconic and fashionable past that is ingrained in our memory. Choreographed by Parris Goebel, the show was a romantic gesture to build an opera house for all the love she has received in her years of career. Mechanical accessories over a Dilara Findikoglu custom reflects on her past self and how she is never getting tired of singing the songs that has led her to pursue her best life, and “Paparazzi” is one of them. She worked around the idea of impersonation to make the show work even with her medical problems. Wearing a reinterpretation of a Marni look, allowed her to sing some of her newest songs while keeping in it classy; “Killah” with the appearance of Gesaffelstein or “Die With A Smile” were among them. The most magical moment of the day was “Shallow” with the piano in the middle of the crowd, a sentimental act after one of the hottest days in Coachella’s history. However, the most epic part of the performance happened with her last and more famous song, “Bad Romance”, a performance for the Little Monster that has been with her since the beginning. A reflection on queer music culture wearing the emerging designers of the decade, a custom Matiéres Fècales look and 32 backup dancers in Luis de Javier top to bottom.
Saturday, April 12
Starting the day, at Sonora Stage, one of the upcoming musical figures of Spain and the only vocalist from Spain in the line up, Judeline is getting ready to enchant everyone with her gracious vocals. With the help of performer Hector Fuertes, the Spanish singer is getting immersed into a journey of duality, while discovering the world of “Bodhiria”, her debut album. “INRI”, “BRUJERIA!” and “JOROPO” are the best representation of the range that the artist has, a variety of styles and tones that have been developing since her first singles. Surprising everyone in attendance, the singer covered Miley Cyrus’s “The Climb”, a song that feels full circle to her, because of her dream of living the life of Hannah Montana and how she is making it a reality. “zarcillos de plata” got chanted by quite a few people in the crowd, while “2+1” got everyone to shake their asses and live the moment. Taking advantage of the spotlight that this festival brings him, he has released several songs that will be released throughout the festival tour, for now «TÚ ET MOI» featuring Mc Morena comes out on Friday and we can’t wait to hear it in better quality.
Female energy did not stop through the presentation this second day. VTSS and horsegiirL represent what being a stylish DJ means. Their complexities come through the multidisciplinary aspect of their life, the first one as a model in a fashion industry that cannibalizes everything it touches, and the second one the performative arts and the fact that do not align with the standards of the mass, her appearance changed everything. The work of the Polish-born, London-based DJ, VTSS is an act of immersive club experience. She delivered a raw and expressive sound that challenged and energized the audience, while maintaining her signature style of intense and fast-paced sets that often exceed 140 BPM. In the case of horsegiirL, she is a Berlin based DJ, singer and songwriter that focus on blending of high-BPM genres, while playfully being a equine-themed persona. Her music can be defined as high-energy and often incorporates elements of hyperpop and techno, creating a vibrant and eclectic musical experience. She presented her latest EP “v.i.p. – very important pony”.
Next, at Gobi Stage, we could enjoy the energy that 2hollis brought to the livestream. His music is a combination of hyperpop, trap, EDM, and emotional pop. He presented some tracks from his last album “star”, getting the crowd to chant his songs. The golden hour plus his use of fog make the performance a mystical space to feel the energetic vibes through exploration, fame, identity, and emotional dissonance. His look stands out among other artists, because he is aware of his white privilege and makes it shine through being overexposed and looking like a vampire. A mood maker with the power to have people waving flags between the public. He would get so spoiled if Matthew M. Williams would be still at Givenchy, but for the moment he wore a white satin hoodie with a matching tank top and pants. Reflecting the overstimulated emotional landscape of the digital age, he is capable of singing a song like “trauma” or “crush”, while getting undressed and showing his Calvins with “jeans” and “light”. A true gem that captivates the youth through melodramatic themes about relationships.
Ivan Cornejo and El Malilla are representing Mexico in this second day of the festival, showing the range of this country. With a crystalized outfit, Ivan Cornejo shared with the public his “MIRADA”, some songs from his latest album cycle like “Sale Para Ser Feliz” or “Aquí Te Espero”. His music ranges from traditional regional Mexican to alternative and indie. It is wonderful to see the nominees to Latin Grammys live and understand their power when their voice hits the stage and a vibe is shared with a crowd. He surprised everyone by getting Greg González from Cigarettes After Sex onto the stage to perform K. On the other side, El Malilla brought the urban flavour to the Sonora Stage interpreting his anthems like “Azótame”, “B de Bellako” or “BEIBY (Remix)”. A presentation that got the attention of all the latinos in the festival, where choreographed dancers played with the sensual rhythms of the songs the crowd was listening to. He was wearing a red set with snakeskin and tattoo details, while keeping his glasses on during almost the whole show, showing a Latin Lover attitude to a crowd hungry for shirtless content, that in “Vaquero” already happened.
At 8:15PM, Bernie Sanders gave out a speech in front of a crowd of young people before Clairo took the stage. He talked about the necessity to fight against the current government and the setback that is leading them to live as a country. After that, “After Laughter (Comes Tears)” by Wendy Rene started playing and Clairo and the band came to stage with a glass of wine, before getting to the first song. The artist brought emotional consciousness to the stage, the crowd enjoyed the feeling of being at the studio with the artist. “Flaming Hot Cheetos”, “Add Up My Love” and “4ever” represented her point of view in music, with introspective lyrics and genre-blending sound. Also, she got the opportunity to sing songs from her last project “Charm” that showcased a relaxed and mature sound with vintage soul influences. A cozy performance from an artist, wearing Clever Disguises, All-In Studio and vintage Christian Dior, that even brought out the group from where she got famous, Shelly, and performed “Steeam”.
Going back to Main Stage, Charli XCX was next to present her “Brat” era in one of the most viewed events in the year. “365 (remix)” and “360” started a show that infused energy into a crowd of dead bodies, the music of the artist is synonymous with pop hooks with abrasive, futuristic production, while still grounding her work in strong songwriting. The setting reminded me of a mix between an explosion of strobe lights and a battle between giant baffles. Third song went in and she was already among the public, injecting the rawness of the “Von dutch” music video into the real live. Some of the artists that were invited to the show make the most out of a stage that seems kind of simple at first sight. Troye Sivan performed an iconic “Talk talk remix” version where his political implication was to share his support on the trans community by wearing the “Protect the Dolls” T-shirt by Conner Ives, styled by Marc Forné. So on, Lorde with “Girl, so confusing remix” and Billie Eilish with “Guess remix” represented the masculine part of the album of remixes, a take of female empowerment through reversive dressing, very tomboyish. Without forgetting that during the “Apple” performance Alex Consani and Gabriette among other friends of the artist were recorded on the big screens doing the TikTok dance that has been in every of our For You pages. The British artist was styled by Chris Horan in a vintage black blouse from the time of Tom Ford at YSL, an archive Dolce & Gabbana belt, a pair of Seymoure gloves and boots by the talented Fidan Novruzova. Understanding where she comes from and reminding people that she is not a product of the present, “I Love It” closed the show on a high energy note. “Brat” is not over, summer festivals are here to let more people live the experience that defined last summer.
Closing the Main Stage ,on Saturday night, and exceeding the level of energy that the headliner for the day brought to the table (Green Day in this case). Travis Scott was in charge of bringing rage, representing the youth. His performance was focused on presenting songs on the adjacent stage, where he is in the middle of the audience, to bring his “UTOPIA” worldbuilding into the middle of the desert. A set that reminded me of a rock with fog all over it, and different heights that infused power into the vocals of the artists. “BACKR00MS”, “SIRENS”, “FE!N” and “SICKO MODE” made sure to create moshpits in the crowd and let the savage in everyone be free for some minute. An explosion of energy that tamed with “Mamacita” or “HIGHEST IN THE ROOM”. Throughout the performance, we could see how some songs were presented in a symphonic way with a massive live band positioned in the Main Stage. His outfit was composed by a Chrome Hearts custom look and some Nike accessories that created desirability and radiated power. “goosebumps” and “TELEKINESIS” closed the day, making sure that everyone was going to sleep really tired that night. A multidisciplinary experience where fashion crashed with music in a raw way, with even people flying out on the stage and a model walking through the catwalk with a custom look by Yaz XL.
Sunday, April 13
The songs of Shaboozey serve as the appetizer for a tame final day of a trendy festival in sunny California. His work got known through the exposure that Beyoncé gave to him by adding him into “COWBOY CARTER” last year, but he has been in the industry more than 10 years. The flowers that he deserves are getting to him now, as one of the main representations of country music in the US. His blend of hip-hop, country, rock, and Americana provide him with incredible tools to create powerful hymns. “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and “Highway” are great examples of his magnificent talent for creating music, a talent that is improved by his black heritage. Noah Cyrus made an appearance to sing “My Fault” and to bring some female energy to the stage, time to get emotional and conceive feelings as powerful tools to create. Through the setlist, we could hear some records from his Complete Edition of his album “Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going”. Main Stage is what he deserved and what he got.
In the meantime, Amaarae was presenting his musical project to the people that were located under the tent in the Gobi Stage. Her music comes from a place of innovative soundscapes and exploration of themes related to gender and sexuality. “Angels In Tibet”, “Co-Star” and “Princess Going Digital” were great examples of her potential and the unique point of view that she got in her sophomore album “Fountain Baby”. Luar was the fashion brand selected to align her present and her future in the music industry, a custom look that represents the fierceness in her attitude and the newness of her voice. She has been the first Ghanaian artist to perform solo in this festival and has presented some upcoming songs that are inspired by the culture of his country, “Godzilla”, “Stables”, “Sore” or “Wengeze”. A story that can only lead her to shine in the future.
At 8:35PM, the world of Arca was shown in full at the Gobi Stage. Her first time at Coachella has been a walk through the hits that have influenced the music industry these past years and that has established the thematic line of her releases. In this show, the Venezuelan artist presented a collection of songs that inspired the Mutants to have a great time with tunes like “Rakata” and “Prada”, or more laid back moments like “Desafío” and “Time”. In custom Rick Owens, she portrayed her freakness, timeless and raw energy. An armor to fight for trans rights in a country where freedom of expression is slowly disappearing. She got two guests on the stage with her throughout the setlist, an astonishing Tokischa to sing “Chama”, a song that explores desire, intimacy, and feminine empowerment through glitchy reggaeton rhythms with electronic textures. Addison Rae, with an angelic attitude wearing Chloe by Chemena Kamali, was the other guest that performed her “Aquamarine” remix by the artist, spotlighting the talent that the underground industry and the queer community see in the figure of this upcoming artist.
Afterward, I tuned in to the Outdoor Theatre to witness JENNIE making her solo debut at the festival. She has just released “Ruby”, her debut album in the international market, breaking the K-Pop artist figure she had before it. Throughout the presentation we can become aware of what his position in the musical industry might be, as a romantic but full of courage female figure. Songs like “Mantra”, “F.T.S.” and “like JENNIE” she can be considered to be an innate hitmaker, she understands what the public expects from her and shapes it to improve with each release. Relying on little to non outfit changes, she is secured with her red set and the adaptation to the moods of the different songs through the incorporation of outerwear pieces or accessories. The appearance of Kali Uchis for “Damn Right”, while we hope to see Doechii on the second weekend to perform “ExtraL” with her. It was a big statement to what his tenure in music might be and how involved she is in it, singing every lyric and getting almost no interludes to rest the vocal cords.
To finalize my time watching Coachella this year, Megan Thee Stallion performance was a non-stop rap energy that revolves around the empowerment of the female body and the self exploration of it. Even through the screens, I could feel the type of hunger that has made her to be in that stage after so much pain and stabs in her career. “Thot Shit”, “Freak Nasty” and “Savage” are still hits as on the first day, they are anthem songs that rely on sex to get us crazy hyped. Her red wig shined through the whole performance, being the perfect shade for the two outfits that the artist put together: two cowboy sets, one in black leather and the other one a more laid-back denim version of it, reminding everyone that she was born in Houston, Texas. One of my favourite parts of the show was the interlude that showed us how she was changing backstage, the rawness of it all really clicked for me. Across the performance, different references in the female rap industry appeared to let everyone know that they support each other, like Queen Latifa, Victoria Monet or Ciara. We could find diverse tunes from “Cognac Queen”, that define herself as a intoxicating presence, or “Big Ole Freak”, highlighting her control and dominance in romantic encounters; to with “Mamushi”, a declaration of independence and strength, encouraging listeners to embrace their power and live authentically.
And this is a wrap up for me, Coachella 2025 was a reaffirmation that female empowerment is a need in the US, that queer people have a space and the right to create music, and the immigration problem needs to be solved. A very political take on the situation we live in at the moment. A variety of countries presented their best bets, bringing their culture to an international setting. Someday I will be covering the festival from California, but in the meantime I am happy to enjoy the music through Youtube and the commodity of my living room. For the people that go to the second weekend, good luck with the temperatures and enjoy!
Words: @alraco43
