Coachella opens with headliners Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber and Karol G

Coachella roared to life in the California desert on Friday, drawing thousands of festivalgoers as pop star Sabrina Carpenter stepped into the headliner spotlight for one of the year’s most closely watched music events.

The packed bill – also featuring headliners Justin Bieber and Colombia’s Karol G – takes over Indio across two consecutive weekends, launching the US music festival season for 2026 in blockbuster fashion.

Coachella 2026 – A stacked roster of artists is set to take the stage in Indio over two straight weekends, ushering in the 2026 US festival circuit

Beneath the desert heat, attendees embraced Coachella’s trademark style, turning up in cowboy boots, short shorts and plenty of glitter.

Friday’s programme featured Irish acts CMAT and NewDad, rising breakout Teddy Swims, girl group KATSEYE and electronica trailblazer Moby.

CMAT performs at Coachella on Friday

The Manchild singer first appeared at Coachella in 2024, the same year she released her infectious summer hit Espresso.

Festivalgoers also flocked to Sabrina Carpenter’s Pit Stop, where slushies and photo ops awaited at a petrol station-themed installation showcasing the pink van from her House Tour video, released this week.

Social media influencers pose for photos and film video at the Sabrina Carpenter Pit Stop in Indio, California, earlier this week

“It’s so much more special when you can immerse yourself in and physically touch the concept an artist is trying to sell,” said Lina Luaces, Miss Universe Cuba, while posing in one of the vintage cars on display.

‘Bieber fever’

The celebration rolls on across Coachella’s nine stages on Saturday, with a line-up steeped in big names and familiar sounds from past decades.

Among those set to perform are industrial rock veterans Nine Inch Nails, joining forces with German producer Boys Noize, while New York City rock band the Strokes will fly the flag for the aughts. The group is due to release a new album in June after a six-year hiatus.

Still, the biggest wave of nostalgia could come with a fresh blast of ‘Bieber fever’, following the 32-year-old singer’s comeback at the Grammy Awards this year, where fans were reminded of hits including Sorry and Where Are Ü Now.

Justin Bieber performs on stage at the 68th Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena on 1 February, 2026 in Los Angeles, California

Saturday night will also bring sets from techno heavyweights including Armin van Buuren and Adam Beyer, K-pop performer Taemin and British dance favourite PinkPantheress.

French DJ and producer David Guetta is back in the Indio desert, while David Byrne, the iconic co-founder of Talking Heads, is also due to appear.

Underscoring Coachella’s broad musical reach, the festival’s main stage will also welcome influencer-turned-singer Addison Rae.

Tropicoqueta

Sunday’s headline moment belongs to reggaeton star Karol G, who becomes the first Latina to headline the festival.

The eight-time Latin Grammy Award winner made her Coachella debut in 2022 with a set honouring Latin music legends including Selena, Celia Cruz and Daddy Yankee.

For this year’s performance, the Provenza singer is expected to lean into the Caribbean showgirl style of her latest project, Tropicoqueta.

Karol G becomes the first Latina to headline the festival

Sunday will also mark the festival debut of K-pop kings BIGBANG, who are celebrating their 20th anniversary with a much-anticipated return to the global stage.

Also on the bill are punk godfather Iggy Pop and British DJ and producer Fatboy Slim, a defining force in the electronic music boom of the 1990s.

Other performers include Major Lazer, indie-pop outfit Foster the People and British singer, dancer and visual artist FKA twigs.

The festival will wrap with an outdoor screening of the opening episode of the third season of Euphoria, the HBO high school drama starring Zendaya, which returns to television after four years.

Zendaya as Euphoria’s Rue Bennett – Season three “explores themes of faith, redemption, and the lasting consequences of past actions”

Coachella is streamed live on YouTube.

Source: AFP

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