Nostalgic, Monumental and Chaotic.
Coachella—the world’s most anticipated festival of the year—took place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California from April 10 to April 19, 2026. This world-renowned festival spotlights Bieberchella, Sabrinachella, and Karolchella, which set the stage for the next generation of performances. This year, Coachella was grander than ever, featuring exquisite art installations, elaborate set designs, and highly anticipated performances.
HEADLINERS
Justin Bieber, the Canadian singer and global pop icon was the most anticipated set throughout the entirety of the festival. Unlike the other performances, which included elaborate set designs and fancy costumes, Bieber showed up in a cozy hoodie and jorts in an almost empty stage paired with a laptop and a water bottle.
Bieber faced immense backlash amongst critics who called the performance “lazy” and “underwhelming”, while many of his so-called “Beliebers” had a hit of nostalgia along with internal healing over his long awaited return from a 4 year hiatus.
(Kevin Mazur)
Throughout his performance, Bieber brought up world-class artists as special guests. This included Billie Eilish, a self-proclaimed superfan of Bieber, SZA who sang along with Bieber, Sexy Red, who vocalized a duet with Bieber, and Big Sean, who made a special appearance throughout the show.
The set included “Baby” , “One Less Lonely Girl” (with Billie Eilish), “As Long As You Love Me” (with Big Sean), “No Pressure” (with Big Sean), “Snooze” (with SZA) , “Daisies”, and more.
Sabrina Carpenter, an American singer, songwriter, and actress set the stage for Coachella 2026. She caught the eyes of many with her elaborate stage designs, multiple costume changes, and surprise appearances from HollyWood actresses says Gerrish Lopez, writer for Time Out: Los Angeles.
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As a headliner, Sabrina Carpenter transformed the main stage into a Hollywood-themed set design called “Sabrina-Wood”. The star who has become the champion of celebrity cameos from her past tour, Carpenter brought up many familiar faces during her set like Susan Sarandon all the way to Will Ferrell who had popped up on stage with her.
However, during her performance, Sabrina Carpenter faced controversy when she accidentally mistook a fan’s traditionally Arabic zaghrouta as “yodeling” and called it “Weird” and “ didn’t like it”. The interaction went viral, leading to criticism that she was mocking a fan. Some fans believed that her reaction was disrespectful, however, others argued that it was an awkward misunderstanding.
Sabrina’s setlist included songs like “House Tour” , “Tears” , “Espresso” , and more.
Karol G, Columbian singer and songwriter set a historical headline by being the first Latina to perform at Coachella. Karol G delivered an impressive, visually stunning set that featured surprise guests like Becky G, Mariah Angeliq, Wisin and Greg Gonzalez according to Ethan MillMan, writer for The HollyWood Reporter.
( Christopher Polk)
The set included numerous costume changes and set shifts. From the intro video, to the ending song, her performance stayed consistent and had the audience begging for more. Karol G planned on having her set have a lasting impact on the broader Latin community. Karol acknowledged that her performance was met to showcase a message of resilience as she stated “ is not just about me, this is about my Latina community, this is about my people”.
Karol’s set included “ Provenza” , “Papasito” , “Latina Foreva”, and more.
UNDERCARD – SETS
KATSEYE, a 6 member global girl group formed by HYBE and Geffen Records, was featured at Coachella 2026 as a 5 member group, with Manon being on hiatus. They performed with high energy with their new song “PINKY UP” and a special collaboration with the girl group, HUNTR/X for the song “Golden” stated Laura Ratliff, writer for Time Out: Los Angeles.
BINI, an eight member Filipino girl group, made history as the first Filipino act at Coachella 2026.The P-pop group, known as the “ Nation’s Girl Group,” captivated a packed stage while showcasing synchronized choreography, live vocals, and stylish, Philippine-inspired outfits.
Addison Rae, an American singer, songwriter, and influencer made her solo Coachella duvet in 2026 delivering main-stage set designs and costumes. She included many famous artists as her surprise guests like Olivia Rodrigo and Maddie Zeigler. She performed hits like “Diet Pepsi” and “ Aquarium” responding to critics during her set.
“COUCH – ELLA”
Coachella features high-list celebrities looking for a weekend away with a brand sponsorship, but for the average person, it can cost up to hundred of thousands of dollars just to get a ticket.
Many argue that Couch-ella offers the same experience. Instead of having to go into the desert heat with an empty wallet and bank account, watching it at home will be more cost-friendly and prevent heat stroke. Teddy Schwertfeger stated “Watching Coachella while I was on the coach didn’t really change my experience, and I still really enjoyed it.”
Ultimately, whether festival-goers are dancing in the ‘Sabrina-Wood’ front row or watching the desert sunset from the laptop screen, Coachella 2026 sends a reminder that as long as the music is playing, the world is watching.
