Was Coachella Actually Fun This Year?
The festival might have finally made its triumphant return.
I never thought we’d see this day again, but is it possible that … Coachella looked fun this year? In post-Beychella years, the festival has struggled to find its footing. Last year, Jeff Bezos attended (not a good look for an allegedly “cool” space); the year before that, there was the Revolve Fest debacle, and that was after a global pandemic shut the whole thing down for two years. This year, however, it seems Coachella finally got things back on track despite Bezos’s return. By that, I mean I spent the weekend watching festival clips on my phone and considered texting my friends, “Should we go to Coachella next year?” Festivals are back, baby.
In case you want to experience the same FOMO pangs, here are the best moments from Coachella’s first weekend.
Lana Del Rey rode in on a motorcycle
Calling all girls for whom the “Ride” music video is a sacred text! Lana Del Rey headlined the first night of Coachella and rode in on the back of a motorcycle being driven by an older white guy. You have to respect that in a culture where all the girls are concerned with their “eras,” Lana has remained loyal to her brand for over a decade now.
Lana Del Rey arrives at her #Coachella headlining set perched on a motorcycle. pic.twitter.com/XNMsaJodEg
— Variety (@Variety) April 13, 2024
Del Rey also brought out Billie Eilish, and the two sang “Video Games” together. It’s just as good as that sounds in your head.
Billie Eilish joins Lana Del Rey at #Coachella to perform “Video Games.” pic.twitter.com/GwqYGhkQLt
— IndieWire (@IndieWire) April 13, 2024
Billie Eilish smooched onstage
Speaking of Eilish, she performed a brief surprise set at the festival on Saturday. Eilish teased three tracks from her upcoming album and, in between those, grabbed influencer Quen Blackwell by the face and planted one right on her lips.
Billie Eilish spotted kissing Quenlin Blackwell at #Coachella. pic.twitter.com/vS5F2FpXlw
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) April 15, 2024
Tyler, the Creator, held nothing back
To get things started, this is how Tyler, the Creator, began his Saturday headlining slot:
TYLER IS SO UNSERIOUS FOR THIS pic.twitter.com/RPd1aBiWVr
— Beep (Beep Beep) ⋆☀︎. ☁︎ (@iamtheeitgirl) April 14, 2024
During his set, Tyler brought out Childish Gambino and A$AP Rocky, and both of them killed it. The Childish Gambino number ended with Tyler explaining that he used to hate the rapper until he put out a song that was so undeniable he had to stop being a hater. Is that not the power of art?
Tyler, The Creator jokes that he used to hate Childish Gambino until "Urn" came out ????pic.twitter.com/rXht7f0AM7
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) April 14, 2024
Also, because Rocky performed, we got photos of Rihanna looking amazing at the festival. Everybody say, “Thank you, Tyler.”
Doja Cat let her hair down
Literally. Doja Cat closed out the festival on Sunday night by performing in a long blonde wig with blonde extensions on her outfit and woots (wig boots) on her feet. Her dancers were also covered in hair. Eventually, Doja changed and revealed her natural, close-cropped hair, but there’s no denying her starting look was quite striking.
doja cat is the best PERFORMER to debut in the last 10 years pic.twitter.com/oau8ygPT9r
— virgo’s grooviest. (@virgosgrooviest) April 15, 2024
Sabrina Carpenter wore a funny T-shirt
It read, “Jesus was a Carpenter.”
In the crowd at Carpenter’s set was none other than her beau, Barry Keoghan, who kept the dust out of his airway with a Burberry scarf. Chic! Like any good boyfriend, Keoghan dutifully filmed Carpenter’s set on his phone and generally looked like he was having a great time out in the desert. We hope he was wearing sunscreen.
barry keoghan he’s just the biggest fan of sabrina carpenter pic.twitter.com/3f69SUsyCd
— j (@juliettaastarr) April 13, 2024
Reneé Rapp won the guest game
Noted member of Gen Z Reneé Rapp used her stage time to shine a light on some iconic millennials, a bridge between the two generations that briefly brought peace. First, she had the cast of The L Word introduce her, which is a really funny way to use your newfound gay-famous status.
the L word cast introducing reneé rapppic.twitter.com/zjys0RR68u
— sapphics like: (@sapphicslike) April 15, 2024
Then Rapp brought out Kesha to perform “TikTok.” Kesha wore a tank top that read, “I AM MOTHER” (true), and the pair changed the song’s opening lyrics to say “Fuck P. Diddy.” This is exactly the kind of thing you want to see at Coachella — an unexpected pairing doing something cool and a little buzzy.
KESHA JUST CHANGED THE LYRICS FOR TIK TOK TO “FUCK P DIDDY” AT COACHELLA WITH RENEÉ RAPP OH MY GODDD pic.twitter.com/RrDvsyPKmo
— maxx HAS A BEYONCÉ AUTOGRAPH !!!! (@ArnoldMaxx) April 15, 2024
The Biebers came to have fun
Let’s take a break from performers for a second and talk about some attendees. Justin and Hailey Bieber showed out, and from the looks of it, they were having a great time. Justin and Jaden Smith did whatever this is:
And Hailey put a blunt in her viral Rhode phone case. Turns out it does fit more than just a Rhode lip balm.
hailey bieber at coachella demonstrating the many ways you can use the viral rhode phone case pic.twitter.com/kFrKxkDbXW
— Casey Lewis (@caseymlewis) April 14, 2024
J Balvin brought out Will Smith?
It’s kind of all in the headline. J Balvin brought out Will Smith to perform “Men in Black.” This is less of a highlight and more of a question for me. Does J Balvin just love Men in Black? Was E.T. busy? Is this the start of Smith’s promotional tour for the fourth Bad Boys movie that’s coming out in June? It’s probably the latter, but it’s still confusing.
Will Smith performing “Men In Black” at #Coachella will J Balvin: pic.twitter.com/LqHgRpef2G
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 15, 2024
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift acted like civilians
If you thought this highlight reel wasn’t going to include these two, what were you thinking? I cannot stop watching this video of Kelce picking Swift up at the Dom Dolla set so she could see better. It’s so cute, and they look so normal.
Of course, these two are not normal and were being filmed and photographed all of Saturday night. One fan all the way from New Jersey got a really good photo with Swift.
Taylor Swift and Teresa Giudice stun in new #Coachella photo. pic.twitter.com/FzIgfJCTM8
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) April 14, 2024
Chappell Roan sang her heart out
I know some of you aren’t sold on Chappell Roan yet, but just listen to her belt the bridge on “Good Luck, Babe.” That nervous whimper you just heard is an entire class of bedroom-pop girls getting really nervous that their time is running out.
Suki Waterhouse performed less than two weeks after giving birth
Earlier this month, Suki Waterhouse gave birth to her and Robert Pattinson’s baby. That wasn’t going to get in the way of her performing at Coachella, and if this shadow is to be believed, Pattinson brought their newborn along to the festival. Very Daisy Jones & the Six of them.
ROB HOLDING THE BABY OH MY GODDDDDDD pic.twitter.com/pEk54xQ0mp
— em???? (@sukimilkteeth) April 13, 2024
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