Coachella 2025
Photo courtesy of Setoxxx / Wikimedia Commons
Coachella, officially called the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, is an annual festival located in the Colorado Desert. Since it spans two weekends— this year falling on Apr.11 through Apr. 13 and Apr. 18 through Apr. 20 —Coachella 2025 is already halfway over, delivering chaos and ground-breaking performances in need of a proper debrief.
Coachella is open to the general public, featuring both popular and emerging artists, though celebrities and influencers also make up a large percentage of attendees. Every year, influencers showcase their outfits on social media— a brave, risky thing to do in front of Coachella critics. This festival is very serious when it comes to fashion (typically boho-chic attire: fringe, crochet, statement sunglasses, cowboy boots, etc.), and when one’s outfit does not meet these high expectations, they truly feel the wrath.
Aside from fashion, this year’s Coachella truly shines through the performances and guest appearances. Lady Gaga, one of the headliners for weekend one, revolutionized what it means to perform at Coachella. From the opera singing, set design, costumes, and all around— the theatrics of it all! —this career-defining performance forever altered my expectations for what performers should bring to the table. If you have not already, do yourself a huge favor and watch clips from her set.
Charli xcx also hyped up the crowd with unexpected guest appearances. During her live rendition of their remix, “Guess,” Charli brought out Billie Eilish, an iconic surprise for attendees. Additionally, during the remix “Girl, So Confusing,” a song that fans speculate is about Charli’s jealousy and envy for Lorde, Lorde herself makes a jolting appearance onstage.
On the topic of surprise guest appearances, one cannot forget to mention singer-songwriter Clairo’s opener: Bernie Sanders. In front of this crowd of young Americans, Sanders emphasizes that the future of this country is dependent on this generation. The senator restates his political views about economic inequality and universal healthcare, telling the audience to fight for justice. In response, the crowd booed the mention of our current President, suggesting that this audience was accepting of Sanders's advocacy.
Though it may be hard to top a political figure, another unanticipated guest appeared during singer-songwriter Benson Boone’s performance of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” This rising star brought out the legendary guitarist for Queen, Brian May, to contribute to this amazing rendition. Interestingly, the Coachella crowd seemed underwhelmed (or unaware) of May’s appearance, a disappointing reaction that Boone pokes fun at on TikTok.
Overall, I did not expect so much to happen during week one of Coachella. From guest appearances to killer performances, I am having a little FOMO for not having the resources to be at the festival.
Of course, there is always controversy about this event turning into an influencer playground— prices so high and conditions so poor that only those with an online persona (or money) can enjoy Coachella. But since I do not want to face intense dehydration or suffer from dust allergies, I feel a bit better for watching from the sidelines. I look forward to staying entertained through clips online— who knows if next week can top this one?