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Coachella 2026 has opened its first of two sold-out weekends in Indio, California, with pop star Sabrina Carpenter, Canadian singer Justin Bieber, and Colombian reggaeton artist Karol G sharing top billing across three consecutive nights in the desert.
Tickets for this year's edition sold out in three days, a strong turnaround following 2024's festival, which recorded the slowest sales in the event's history.
With some 125,000 fans attending each day across nine stages, the annual music festival has once again established itself as the opening event of the US live music circuit.
Carpenter opened the weekend as Friday's headliner, delivering what she had described as the "most ambitious show" of her career.
The singer, who made her Coachella debut in 2024, the year she released "Espresso," returned this time as a top-billed act.
Ahead of the set, she told Perfect Magazine it was "probably the most time I've ever had to actually just sit down and talk about a show as I'm building it."
Fans arriving at the festival grounds encountered a custom installation—a gas station themed around her "House Tour" video, complete with the pink van featured in the clip and a collection of vintage cars.
Lina Luaces, Miss Universe Cuba, attended the activation and noted that it is "so much more special when you can immerse yourself in and physically touch the concept an artist is trying to sell."
Other acts on Friday included emerging artist Teddy Swims, K-pop girl group KATSEYE, and electronic music pioneer Moby. Italian DJ Anyma closed out the night with the premiere of his new production, "ÆDEN."
Saturday's program centered on Justin Bieber's most significant live performance since he canceled his 2022 world tour due to health concerns.
Bieber had been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which left him experiencing full paralysis on one side of his face. In a statement at the time, he said his body was "telling me I gotta slow down."
As recently as last year, he acknowledged that the prospect of touring again felt "super daunting." In a message to fans on Twitch ahead of this weekend, he said he was "putting on a hell of a show" and "getting inspired" for the Coachella set.
His Grammy Awards performance earlier this year had already signaled a return, with the 32-year-old revisiting hits including "Sorry" and "Where Are U Now?"
Additional performances came from techno artists Armin van Buuren and Adam Beyer, K-pop artist Taemin, British act PinkPantheress, French DJ David Guetta, and Talking Heads co-founder David Byrne. Influencer-turned-singer Addison Rae also appeared on the festival's main stage.
Jack White was added to Saturday's schedule as a surprise addition during the week.
Karol G headlined Sunday's program, becoming the first Latina artist ever to top the bill at Coachella. The Colombian singer, who holds eight Latin Grammy Awards, made her festival debut in 2022 with a set paying tribute to Latin music figures including Selena, Celia Cruz, and Daddy Yankee.
This year's performance is built around the aesthetic of her latest project, "Tropicoqueta," described as a "Caribbean showgirl" concept.
In the lead-up to the festival, Karol G told Playboy magazine she had been advised against making any statements about US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over concerns it could affect her visa status.
She said she is "willing to say" ICE out but added that "it's something that crosses the line of what I have to do to protect myself."
Also on Sunday: K-pop group BIGBANG, marking their 20th anniversary with a festival debut; punk icon Iggy Pop; electronic music veteran Fatboy Slim; dance and visual artist FKA twigs; and indie-pop act Foster the People.
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