Since 1999, music fans from all over have gathered in Indio, California. You might be wondering, what’s in Indio that draws so many people? Well, it’s the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
Since its debut in the late 90s, Coachella has undergone many different phases. In 1993, Pearl Jam performed at the Empire Polo Club in the valley, demonstrating the site’s ability to host large events and crowds to co-founders Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen. The pair co-founded the Coachella festival six years later.
The festival paused in 2000, but has since been running every year since 2001, except during the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally, the festival was a one-day event, but slowly evolved the two-consecutive-weekend format we know today.
Coachella 2026 weekend two recently wrapped up, and much like recent years, it was six days focused on outfit competitions, social media posts and out-of-touch influencers complaining about festival conditions.
When influencer culture began infiltrating festivals, there was a shift away from the actual music and a much greater focus on the aesthetics of attending a music festival. Once brand deals and “business trips” were added into the mix, Coachella became an event for the “elite,” for those who can promote brands with their following.
“I feel like the influencer culture has definitely impacted the festival a lot. Just about 10 years ago, I’d say it was when it started, and it’s very much like oversaturated,” Maz Zembur, junior public relations major and 2025 Coachella attendee, said. “Ticket sales have gone up exponentially, and there are a lot of influencer-only experiences where if you have a certain number of followers, you can go to this cool event. So it’s very limiting.”
Most influencers and celebrities who attend the event have artist passes, a step up from general admission, yet very different. Artist passes give patrons access to free drinks, golf cart rides, special sections set aside for them to hang out and more food options. Artist passes are accessible for anyone to buy, but most often influencers are gifted these passes, creating a great divide from people attending the event on a budget.
With that being said, the Coachella music festival brings lots of big names to perform. This year’s headliners were Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter and Karol G. Other big performances included Katseye, Sombr, Addison Rae, The Strokes, Young Thug, Disclosure and over 130 artists total.
Nicknamed “Bieberchella,” Bieber had a somewhat unique performance. With a set list that included songs old and new, Bieber brought fans of all ages together on a nostalgic rollercoaster of a show.
From hits like “One Less Lonely Girl” all the way to “Yukon,” Bieber relied heavily on old music videos, home videos and brought back iconic tour traditions, like when he picked Billie Eilish to be his one less lonely girl, for both his performances.
“People did say the first half is boring, but as an artist, I understand wanting to play your new music and not your old ones, especially if they come with bad memories,” Maya Sefchick, a junior business major and Coachella attendee, said. “I like the mix he did, and the fact that he used his computer because he doesn’t own the rights to his old songs was a fun way to do it.”
Sabrina Carpenter, who in her 2025 Coachella performance manifested her headline debut, held her own in strong performances filled with fun pop ballads and her always-impressive stage designs. Her weekend two show featured a surprise appearance by iconic pop star Madonna, where they performed her song “Vogue.”
“I love Sabrina. I thought her hat was gorgeous and really entertaining. She put on a play that had everyone who weren’t even her fans engaged,” Sefchick said.
Coachella will return next April, and along with it will come expensive outfits, overwhelming social media posts and star-studded performances.
