Coachella 2022: Sizzling moments from Weekend 1 and artists to watch this weekend
A playground in the desert
Amazing music, beautiful people, dazzling lights, and an open sky as boundless as the freedom and exhilaration of youth. The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is back with a bang after a two-year hiatus and the world is watching. You can’t scroll Instagram without seeing at least one mention of *the* most anticipated music events on the calendar, not that we’re complaining.
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Living the Coachella life vicariously through social media postings of the music, festival looks and ambience is the next best thing to actually being in California right now. Whether you’re following the festival from home or will be right there making memories of a lifetime (lucky you!), here’s what to look forward to at Coachella’s Weekend Two—as well as highlights from last week.
Catch the live stream on YouTube.
Harry Styles
One of this year’s headliners, Harry Styles opened Coachella on Friday night with a dazzling show, clad in a sequinned jumpsuit that brought to mind Freddy Mercury. As this generation’s iconic gender-bending pop-rock star, Styles channelled similar energy and showmanship in a set that included a surprise appearance by Shania Twain.
Billie Eilish
Having performed her first Coachella timeslot at the tender age of 17, Billie Eilish returned on Saturday night as the youngest-ever headliner of the festival to date. The singer took to the stage in her signature oversized T-shirt, with on-theme pigtails to complete the look. “I want us all to feel loose and good and comfortable in our skin, and like, free, and happy,” she said after the performance. Her brother, Finneas, also put on a solo show on Sunday.
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Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd
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Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd replaced Kanye West (aka Ye) as festival headliners after the rapper pulled out for undisclosed reasons. Before being bumped up the bill, the electronic trio were scheduled to play right after Harry Styles on Friday night, with The Weeknd appearing as a guest to perform their recent collaboration.
Conan Gray
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One of the internet’s favourite pop stars right now, Conan Gray was sensational in a gender-fluid, custom pink Valentino outfit. Known for having stellar stage style—remember the beaded vest and sheer top at his Vancouver show?—we can’t wait to see what he’ll wear this week!
Daniel Caesar
You can’t mention Daniel Caesar’s Coachella set without talking about Justin Bieber’s sizzling, impromptu performance of ‘Peaches’, the song that earned them four Grammy nods. Bieber amped up the heat further by going shirtless and revealing the waistband of his white Clavin Klein underwear.
Doja Cat
Say what you will about Doja Cat, but the rapper sure knows how to put on a great show. Just one month after announcing her plan to retire soon from showbiz, she brought out pyrotechnics, fierce dance moves, and stadium-worthy props. A true queen and headline act, even if she isn’t one officially.
88rising Head in the Clouds Forever
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A must-see for fans of Asian representation in the music industry, Week One of 88rising’s ‘Head in the Clouds Forever’ showcase featured CL (which gave us the iconic 2NE1 reunion), Jackson Wang (the first Chinese singer to perform on Coachella’s main stage), Thai rapper Milli, Jakarta-born Niki, South Korean singer Bibi, and Indonesian rapper Rich Brian. The session wasn’t without controversy, as Japanese R&B artist Joji had to stop his performance mid-way due to underlying health conditions.
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This weekend, K-pop girl group Aespa will be out to impress by debuting a new, unreleased track. Another South Korean act making waves at Coachella this year is hip-hop trio Epik High, the first performers from their country to be invited back to the festival.
Girl in Red
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Girl in Red is the stage name of queer Norwegian singer-songwriter Marie Ulven Ringheim, who powered through a sandstorm on Saturday to complete a rousing show that had the audience singing along. It’s worth noting that Coachella is organised by entertainment conglomerate AEG, owned by billionaire Philip Anschutz who has donated to anti-LGBT organizations. In response, Girl in Red has previously stated that she wishes to “create a safe and accepting space for all the queer and straight ppl attending”.
Japanese Breakfast
This experimental pop band is headed by Korean-American musician, director, and author Michelle Zauner—who’s having a really great run lately. Her emotional memoir Crying in H Mart, about coming to terms with her mother’s death, has become a bestseller while Japanese Breakfast clinched a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Album.
With a very extensive line-up over three days, there are many stellar acts we couldn’t fit into this list. Check out the full list of performers here.
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