For the uninitiated, Coachella is a three-day music and fashion extravaganza held annually in the scorching Coachella Valley. This year, I found myself back amidst the throngs, having secured VIP entry with my sister Bella. While Coachella maintains a certain phantasmagorical allure, a shimmering desert mirage against the backdrop of the Santa Rosa Mountains, it’s also a marathon of endurance.
Despite this, people continue to return to the festival year after year.
That’s because Coachella promises escapism — it’s a fantasy world of sorts, one that exists in a bubble impenetrable by the outside world. Walking across the sprawling polo fields, you hear the distant echoes of multiple concerts simultaneously. People are dancing, dressed in fun outfits, and smiling ear to ear as they watch their favorite artists perform live. This is the reason most people spend so much time and money on the event: for the music.
This year, my sister and I tried to see as many performances as possible. Often, that meant showing up late to a few and leaving early for others. On Friday, Sabrina Carpenter shined on the Main Stage. At 4 feet 11 inches, she wore platform heels and somehow effortlessly danced in them. “This has always been a dream of mine,” she said to the sea of fans. Sabrina danced around her baby blue retro Motel-style set and changed multiple outfits — including a t-shirt that said “Jesus was a carpenter.” She sang her new single “Espresso,” which was released the day before her Coachella set. Needless to say, she set the tone for a fun-filled weekend.
This year, the weather was hot but bearable. Each night, once the sun went down, the festival grounds became cold and windy, prompting many people to purchase Coachella merchandise hoodies and blankets. We spent most of Friday afternoon exploring the festival and set bouncing. VIP tickets allowed us access to areas with shade and places to sit and to fancy porta-potties — the kind with private stalls.
We people-watched and analyzed Coachella fashion while lying on the grass between sets. Many people opted for the practical choice of shorts and a T-shirt. Others went all out. I saw many cowboy boots and people wearing multiple belts at a time. I spotted more unique ensembles, like a monochromatic pink fur outfit, an iridescent dress with a matching hat and sun umbrella, and a few outfits in which bejeweled nipple pasties replaced a shirt.
Coachella attendees may come dressed to the nines, but the musicians pushed their fashion and creative boundaries. On Friday night, headliner Lana Del Rey arrived at her set wearing a shimmering blue dress and riding on the back of a motorcycle. The artist enchanted the crowd with her haunting and ethereal voice and even brought out Billie Eilish. The two praised each other’s musical talents and sang Eilish’s hit song “Ocean Eyes.”
It’s now 9:33 p.m. on Saturday, and I’m charging my phone at a charging station. We spent the day seeing Vampire Weekend, Jungle, Grimes, and Sublime. Everyone around me is tired, but we’re all getting through it together. There’s an oversized couch in the VIP section. During the day, it’s mostly empty, but by this time of the night, people take up every square inch available.
I watched the rock group No Doubt’s set from afar. Gwen Stefani brought out Olivia Rodrigo, and the pair sang “Bathwater.” At the end of their incredible show, the group took a photo with the cheering crowd.
On Saturday night, Tyler, the Creator emerged from a camper trailer dressed as a park ranger for his performance. He was his usual goofy and blunt self as he expressed his tiredness and disdain for his 11:40 p.m. start time. He thanked the audience for staying late to watch him, acknowledging that we’d been on our feet for most of the day. “Thanks for staying to watch my tired ass up here all night,” he said to the audience before asking, “Can we dance? Can we boogie?” Throughout the show, the artist brought out an impressive lineup of musicians to join him on stage — A$AP Rocky, Childish Gambino, Charlie Wilson, and Kali Uchis.
It’s now day three, and everyone is exhausted by day three. My feet ache. The Health App on my phone tells me I walked almost 17,000 steps yesterday (I wore stiff boots that whole day, too). Right now, at the festival, I see people rubbing the bunions on their sore feet. I spot a crowd gathered underneath the shade of the rainbow tower in hopes of escaping the sun. I see someone lying flat on their back, resting from what I assume has been a long day. And it’s only 4 p.m.
We ate a questionable combination of sesame noodles and iced lattes before stopping by Renee Rapps’s set. We then saw Bebe Rexha, who absolutely killed it and brought out deejay David Guetta to sing “In The Name of Love,” a track Bebe made with Martin Garrix.
Shortly after Bebe’s set, J Balvin took the stage and instantly held the audience in the palm of his hand. My sister and I planned to go to a different set, but as we walked away, we heard the first notes of his hit song “Mi Gente” and quickly turned around. His stage set included a suspended spaceship and, later, a gigantic alien head. He also brought out Will Smith. The pair performed Smith’s song “Men In Black.”
Day three headliner Doja Cat came at 10:20 p.m. I remember watching her perform at Coachella in 2022. At the time, she was nearly in the headliner position but not quite there yet. Because of the singer’s experimental fashion choices recently, I wasn’t sure what to expect from her. When she took the stage, my sister leaned to me and asked, “Is she in a hazmat suit?” She was, indeed, in a hazmat suit as she sang “Schutcho” alongside the South African Acapella group, The Joy. This was one of many outfits of that night.
For her song “Demons,” she crawled across the stage as her long blonde hair trailed behind her. She then performed with a group of yeti-like creatures, also with long blonde hair. Later, her set included a mud wrestling pit, but I didn’t see this part of the show as we left early to avoid the crowds.
I watched fireworks erupt from the stage as I walked the dirt path that led us out of the festival. And just like that, it was over. It was a calmer experience than the previous two times I attended — but a fun one at that. Even so, I’m unsure if or when I’ll go back. That’s the funny thing about Coachella: you cycle through loving and hating it. Either way, you find yourself going back.
Coachella weekend 2 is April 19-21. See coachella.com for more information.
