As the music world gears up for another epic edition of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, anticipation is at an all-time high and the first weekend of Coachella certainly delivered. This year’s festival, held over two weekends from April 11-13 and April 18-20 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, is redefining the modern festival experience.
Headliners and Lineup Highlights
The 2025 lineup stands as a testament to Coachella’s ability to unite a wide range of audiences under one desert sky. Lady Gaga, Green Day, and Post Malone headline the festival, delivering electrifying performances that span genres from pop to punk rock. Travis Scott makes a significant impact with his “Designs the Desert” concept, transforming a large portion of the festival grounds into an immersive experience that blends performance and art installation.
Other notable acts include Missy Elliott, Charli XCX, Megan Thee Stallion, and solo performances by BLACKPINK members Lisa and Jennie, highlighting the festival’s embrace of global K-pop phenomena. The lineup also features unexpected reunion acts and classical music surprises, making Coachella a boundary-pushing event that continues to evolve with each edition.
Coachella 2025 has seen significant changes in its marketing strategy, aiming to revitalize attendance and social media excitement. The lineup was revealed in November 2024, providing an extended promotional period that helped boost early ticket sales and maintain buzz throughout the holiday season. This year, the festival has adopted a more balanced approach to influencer marketing, focusing on showcasing the music and atmosphere rather than just curated moments.
The festival continues its partnership with Fortnite, offering in-game events and virtual concert experiences that allow fans worldwide to engage with Coachella even if they can’t attend physically. Additionally, Coachella’s agreement with YouTube ensures multiple stage live streams, complete with interactive features like real-time polls and watch-party modes, further broadening its global reach.
Coachella 2025 pulses with more than just music—politics surges through the festival grounds. On Saturday night, Senator Bernie Sanders makes a surprise appearance, stepping onto the stage before Clairo’s set. The crowd, already buzzing, surges forward as Sanders, flanked by Rep. Maxwell Frost, the youngest member of Congress, delivers a rousing call to action. He warns festivalgoers, “The future of America relies on your generation. You can choose to look away and disregard what unfolds, but doing so would be at your own risk.” Sanders urges the youth to fight for economic, social, and racial justice, universal healthcare, women’s rights, and climate action. Green Day, headlining the main stage, weaves political references into their performance. Billie Joe Armstrong alters lyrics to reference Palestinian children and pointedly distances himself from the “MAGA agenda.” The band’s set becomes a platform for commentary on the Trump administration and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Coachella 2025 Weekend One: The Best Performances
Coachella’s first weekend in 2025 delivered a dazzling array of performances, surprise collaborations, and genre-defying moments that set the bar high for the rest of the festival season. From pop icons to hardcore upstarts, here are the standout sets that defined the opening weekend in Indio.
Lady Gaga’s Friday night headlining set was nothing short of a spectacle. Staging a five-act, high-concept performance inspired by her latest album Mayhem, Gaga transformed the main stage into a neoclassical opera house, complete with elaborate costumes, intricate choreography, and a narrative that blurred the lines between pop concert and rock opera. Highlights included a chess-themed rendition of “Poker Face,” throwbacks to fan favorites like “Bloody Mary” and “Judas,” and a show-stopping dance break for “Garden of Eden.” Critics and fans alike hailed it as one of the best Coachella performances ever, with The Guardian awarding it five stars and Rolling Stone calling it a “once-in-a-generation” show.
Megan Thee Stallion’s Sunday night set was a masterclass in energy and star power. Despite some technical hiccups, she kept the crowd enthralled with a genre-blending performance that featured surprise appearances from Queen Latifah, Victoria Monét, and Ciara. Charli XCX brought her Grammy-nominated album Brat to life with a vibrant, high-energy show. The performance was punctuated by surprise cameos from Billie Eilish and Lorde, sending both the live audience and online fans into a frenzy. Billboard described the set as a “Brat Victory Lap,” cementing Charli’s status as a pop innovator.
Pop newcomer Benson Boone delivered a dynamic set filled with acrobatics and crowd engagement, but the real showstopper was his duet with Queen’s Brian May on “Bohemian Rhapsody.” May stayed on for Boone’s hit “Beautiful Things,” marking a memorable cross-generational moment that left the crowd in awe. Blackpink’s star Jennie made her solo Coachella debut, as she delighted fans with her own hits and a surprise appearance by Kali Uchis. Her performance was both humble and electrifying, reinforcing her global appeal.
Check out the Coachella Livestream
