Indio (United States) (AFP) – Thousands of fans have gathered in the California desert for the hotly anticipated Coachella Festival, which kicks off Friday with pop princess Sabrina Carpenter in the headliner spotlight. The star-studded line-up — which also includes headliners Justin Bieber and Colombia’s Karol G — will grace the stage in Indio on two consecutive weekends, kicking off the US music festival circuit for 2026.
Friday’s acts include standout emerging talent Teddy Swims and girl group KATSEYE, as well as established artists like Moby. But the highlight of the opening night will be Carpenter, who promised “the most ambitious show” of her career in an interview with Perfect Magazine. The “Manchild” singer made her Coachella debut in 2024, the year she released her catchy summer hit “Espresso.” Closing out the first day will be Italian DJ Anyma, who is set to premiere his new production, “ÆDEN,” which promises to be an immersive audiovisual experience that will hit the road after Coachella for a tour including stops in Milan, London, and Seoul.
The party continues across Coachella’s nine stages on Saturday, with the highly anticipated appearance of Bieber, who will close out the night. “Bieber fever” seems to have returned after a decade and already spread across the Coachella Valley, after the singer made a comeback at the Grammy Awards this year. Fans of the 32-year-old artist posted videos on social media this week of what appear to be rehearsals that included hits such as “Sorry” and “Where Are U Now.”
The night will also feature performances by techno stalwarts like Armin van Buuren and Adam Beyer, K-pop stars such as Taemin, and British dance sensation PinkPantheress. French DJ and producer David Guetta returns to the desert in Indio, and David Byrne, the legendary co-founder of Talking Heads, will make an appearance. Another highly anticipated act is Nine Inch Noize — a collaboration between the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails and German producer Boys Noize — which has just announced a joint album.
As a testament to the diversity of genres on display at Coachella, the festival’s main stage will host influencer-turned-singer Addison Rae, as well as New York rockers The Strokes. Led by Julian Casablancas, the band returns with a new album slated for June, following a six-year hiatus.
The cherry on top for Sunday will be reggaeton star Karol G, the first Latina to headline the festival. The winner of eight Latin Grammy Awards made her Coachella debut in 2022 with a performance that paid tribute to Latin music icons such as Selena, Celia Cruz, and Daddy Yankee. For this year’s show, the “Provenza” singer is expected to embrace the “Caribbean showgirl” aesthetic of her latest project, “Tropicoqueta.”
Sunday also promises the festival debut of K-pop kings BIGBANG, who are celebrating their 20th anniversary with a highly anticipated return to the international stage. Also appearing will be the godfather of punk, Iggy Pop, and Fatboy Slim — the British DJ and producer who dominated the electronic music scene in the 1990s. Other acts include Major Lazer, indie-pop band Foster the People, and British singer, dancer, and visual artist FKA twigs.
The festival will close with a screening under the stars of the first episode of the third season of “Euphoria,” the HBO high school drama series starring Zendaya, returning to television after four years. Coachella will also be streamed live on YouTube.
© 2024 AFP
