Coachella, officially called the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Colorado Desert. The event features musical artists from many genres, including rock, pop, indie, hip hop and more. While it had its ups and downs getting its start in the early years, this year commemorates the 25th anniversary of the event.
The event started in 1993 when Pearl Jam performed for almost 25,000 fans. The festival started as a concert performed by the band as a way to boycott Ticketmaster. Pearl Jam refused to play in Los Angeles due to a dispute with the site over service charges applied to ticket purchases.
This festival took place two weekends, April 11-13 and April 18-20. Some of the performers include Lady Gaga, Missy Elliott, Charli XCX, Green Day, Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion and Travis Scott.
“All I really know about the performances this year was the Brian May performance, where the crowd didn’t recognize him,” said Elizabeth Brosman, a senior theatre major. “I’m a big Brian May fan, so I was so jealous of the crowd being able to see him live and not appreciating it.”
Beyoncé’s 2018 performance, nicknamed “Beychella,” was one of the most famous Coachella sets in history. On April 14, Beyoncé was the first Black woman to headline the event. Her performance paid tribute to the culture of historically Black colleges and universities, with a full marching band and majorette dancers, while incorporating aspects of Black Greek life.
“[Coachella] looks pretty cool,” said Emily Harrell, a senior theatre major.
I’ve never been to a music festival, so I’m curious.”
Gaga’s set this year was all the rage this year. She performed songs from her new album, “Mayhem,” with hits like “Abracadabra” and “Zombieboy.” She also went back to her roots and performed songs from her older albums, and fans rocked out to songs such as “Bad Romance,” “Just Dance” and “Judas.”
Other artists, such as Charli XCX and Clairo, brought out guests during their performances. Charli XCX brought out Billie Eilish to sing their song “Guess,” Troye Sivan and Lorde. Senator Bernie Sanders introduced Clairo and praised her for her political activism.
While the performances are what most people are there for, people on the internet get to see their favorite celebrities and influencers, and what they wear to this festival.
Attendees used to dress “boho,” which is drawn from bohemian and hippie influences, with people, mostly women, wearing long, flowy dresses and skirts. This was the style for the early 2010s at this event, with celebs like Vanessa Hudgens and Kylie Jenner popularizing the style.
Famous influencer and makeup artist James Charles has dubbed himself the “Queen of Coachella,” but many people, news outlets and some of his fans beg to differ. He has even made the Daily Mail’s Coachella 2025 Worst Dressed List. Other celebs who unfortunately made this list are Julia Fox, Paris Hilton and Cara Delevingne.
While Coachella can be a time of music and fun, it comes with its downsides. A lot of people who go are not rich and famous, and are forced to camp in their cars or outside in tents. They also have to wait in line in the morning for the shower, where they are only allowed a few minutes. While celebrities and influencers can rent Airbnbs or hotels, everyone else has to brave the elements.
“I’ve seen the videos people post about camping and showering outside, and it doesn’t seem that fun,” said Shira Funk, a sophomore environmental science major. “The shows look great, but I am not sure if it is worth all that.”
Influencers on TikTok and Instagram always make content about the festival each year. Whether it is showing off their outfits, concert footage or just having fun, videos and pictures like that always rack in big numbers.
Coachella has been a staple in music history for almost 30 years and has become a way for people to appreciate the popular music of today and also discover new artists.