Bieber brought buzz to the California desert over the last two weekends, and left fans, both in person and online, with lots to talk about.
The Coachella Music and Arts Festival returned this year for its 25th anniversary. The two-day, two-weekend event offers different types of music, huge crowds, and numerous celebrities. Justin Bieber’s performance headlined the festival, drawing one of its largest crowds. Other artists that headlined were Sabrina Carpenter and Karol G; hundreds of artists, including KATSEYE, Addison Rae, and Young Thug, performed.
The festival also features surprise collaborations: this year Jennifer Lopez hit the stage during David Guetta’s Saturday night set. Olivia Rodrigo joined Addison Rae during her show, along with Madonna shocking fans on stage with Sabrina Carpenter.
In Oct. 1999, The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was launched by Goldenvoice in Indio, Calif. An estimated 125,000 people attend Coachella each year. The festival was founded by Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen.
Tickets in 1999 went for $50. This year a three-day pass for general admission went for $549-649. VIP passes ranged from $1,199 and $1,399.
Coachella draws in famous celebrities such as the Kardashians, the Jenners, Joe Jonas, Alix Earle, Katy Perry, and many more. The festival is often called the “Influencer Olympics,” as it is a way for creators to be present in the media, network, and seek brand partnerships.
While fans enjoyed sets from Sabrina Carpenter, SOMBR, and GIVEON; Bieber’s Saturday night spot drew the most attention.
After Bieber performed, his fans were left at a divide. Some enjoyed it because of the nostalgia factor. He sang many of his old songs such as “Baby,” “That Should Be Me,” and “Beauty and a Beat.” Others were disappointed because they felt there was a lack of energy. At one point Bieber pulled up his laptop and played YouTube videos while singing along. Bieber was reported to have earned nearly $10 million, the highest for any Coachella performer, but many argue his performance was not worth that much.
Liza Hampson ’25, a freshman at Elon University, thought Bieber could’ve brought more energy to his performance.
“I’ve seen clips of him at Coachella singing and it just looked like he had no energy,” Liza said. “People called Coachella ‘Bieberchella’ instead because they were so excited to see him perform. I believe he could’ve done a better job at satisfying his fans.”
Bieber did perform a long nostalgic 34-song set, but he didn’t have as much energy as fans were hoping for. He wore a sweatshirt with baggy shorts and rain boots, some say a lazy look for the headliner.
Maddy Klumpp., a junior from Easthampton, Mass., had mixed feelings about how Bieber did.
“I’ve definitely enjoyed seeing everyone so excited and anticipating his performance,” she said. “It made me feel excited even though I wasn’t even there. After, when videos were released, I was a little disappointed. I liked seeing him sing his old songs, but it felt like there was a lack of energy and he did not care very much.”
