TikTok has crowned Justin Bieber the 'mood' of Coachella — and he didn't even perform

Coachella — the annual music festival in California — has become known for drawing in a high number of celebrities and influencers, whose posts about attending the event dominate feeds all over social media every spring. 

This year, many attendees have been complaining, instead of bragging, about the festival on social media, sharing the unglamorous realities behind camping out at the event on TikTok, and the difficulties they've faced in dealing with huge crowds on the ground. 

One particular point of disappointment for many attendees was Frank Ocean's headlining set, which went viral after it was cut short due to a curfew and was considered artistically unconventional and controversial among many who watched it. 

More broadly, social media appears to have grown more cynical towards the celebrities and influencers who attend the event year after year, suggesting some attempt to make the experience of going to the festival look more attractive than it is for the sake of gaining clout and likes and social media. 

Amid such disappointment and negativity, one celebrity came out of the recent Coachella weekend with a glowing response from fans on social media — and he didn't even perform on stage. 

Justin Bieber, who was continually spotted dancing and appearing to have a good time in the crowd during the festival, has been praised for his positive vibes and energy, which to many, felt like a breath of fresh air and of genuine enjoyment among the arguably less genuine side to the event.

TikTokers who filmed behind-the-scenes snippets from their time at Coachella continually saw Bieber in the crowd, "vibing hard" to the music as he demonstrated some very energetic dance moves. 

While other celebrities have also gone viral after being spotted in the throngs of the VIP crowd zone at Coachella in previous years — a video of Timothée Chalamet bobbing his head up and down from 2022 has 2 million views on TikTok — users said they particularly respected the way Bieber seemed to really be dancing his heart out to the music. 

"MOOD ALL COACHELLA," one such video of the singer, which has 3.1 million views, was captioned. ("Mood" is an internet slang term used to refer to another person as relatable.) 

Another video of Bieber jumping in the crowd, which has received 3.3 million views, had an on-screen caption that referenced reports that Bieber turned down an offer to headline this year's Coachella festival to focus on upcoming music, first published by TMZ. 

The caption on the viral post praised Bieber's rumored decision to turn down the opportunity and subsequent decision "to get LIT IN THE CROWD" instead. 

Many commenters under the video said they were pleased to see the singer looking so happy and as though he was genuinely enjoying himself at the event. 

Though Bieber did not perform at the festival, Australian rapper The Kid LAROI, whose real name is Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard, gave the singer a shoutout from the stage during his set at the festival, and clips of his speech have gone viral on TikTok. 

Howard, who collaborated with Bieber on their hit 2021 song "STAY," was about to perform the song during his set, when he mentioned that Bieber was likely somewhere in the crowd at that very moment, and said he wanted to thank him for the impact that the song has had on his career. 

"Justin thank you for changing my fucking life. You're such a special fucking human being and I wanted to let you know, man, I love you and I got you forever bro," he said. 

Footage of the artist's speech has circulated on TikTok, and under one such clip, which has received 2 million views, many commenters said they felt Bieber deserved the positive recognition and that they were glad he was there to hear it in person. 

Dozens of commenters said Bieber appeared to be "taking in" the music during Frank Ocean's divisive Coachella set, underneath a video that showed him closing his eyes during the performance. 

On Instagram, Bieber wrote in a post that he was "deeply moved" by Ocean's set, adding, "It made me want to keep going and get better as an artist. He continues to set the bar high and gave me a night I will never forget!"

A video that appears to show Hailey Bieber rubbing her husband's back while the couple was in the crowd at the festival together has been circulating on TikTok, and many users have said it looks like she's comforting him. 

Many commenters said they thought the video captured a cute moment between the couple, in contrast to many previous videos about the pair on TikTok, which often depict interactions that users criticize and use to suggest there could be cracks in their relationship, possibly due to the fact that Hailey is often villainized by fans of Bieber who were long-term supporters of his previous relationship with Selena Gomez. 

Apart from Bieber, several celebrities who attended Coachella made appearances in TikToks when they were spotted by fans who were at the event. 

A clip that appears to show Hailey Bieber dancing on her own in the crowd during Bad Bunny's set has 1.7 million views, and a video that appeared to show Shawn Mendes and Camilla Cabello, who were reportedly seen kissing each other at the festival, two years after breaking up, has also gone viral, receiving 8.8 million views. 

Historically, Bieber has been one of the more controversial celebrity figures who have a big fanbase on TikTok, with his marriage to Hailey Bieber often proving to be a particular point of criticism. 

However, more recently, TikTok users appear to be growing more sympathetic toward the singer. In June 2022, Bieber announced on Instagram that he had been living with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a condition which left half of his face temporarily paralyzed, leading many users on social media to direct well-wishes toward him at the time. 

More recently, in March, Insider reported that resurfaced footage of a teenage Bieber being "sexualized" by people in Hollywood did the rounds on TikTok, drawing in a new wave of sympathy about his life and rise to fame. 

Representatives for Justin Bieber did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. 

For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here.