INDIO, United States — Shakira made a surprise appearance at Coachella on Friday night with Argentine superstar producer Bizarrap, a highlight of the festival’s first day that saw a diverse selection of Latin artists break into the conversation.
Lana Del Rey, meanwhile, arrived at the festival with a motorcycle escort to headline the opening night of the massive California desert arts event, which traditionally kicks off the concert circuit summer.
But there was no onstage appearance from Taylor Swift, the megastar currently on hiatus from her blockbuster billion-dollar “Eras” tour, who is reportedly spending a romantic weekend at Coachella with her longtime boyfriend. NFL, Travis Kelce.
Swifties speculated that she might appear on stage with friend Del Rey or Sabrina Carpenter to no avail – but there’s always a tomorrow, where she might join longtime producer Jack Antonoff during his Bleachers set, or his collaborator Ice Spice, the Bronx rapper who is also on deck. .
The singular Del Rey returned to perform at Coachella a decade after her first concert there, offering her cult style of ethereal pop.
She wore sparkling knee-high boots and a mini dress to guide fans through a dreamlike, sultry sequence of her hits and deeper cuts, flanked by a group of writhing, pole-doing dancers dance and perform acrobatics to the rhythm of “Born to Die”. the languorous voice of the singer.
And even though Del Rey didn’t bring Swift on stage, she did invite Billie Eilish and Jon Batiste for several songs, much to the crowd’s delight.
Latin revolution
It was an atmospheric end to a day that had a very hot afternoon, thanks in part to Shakira and Bizarrap’s collaboration which saw the former announce a world tour.
She appeared on stage for a powerful, dance-heavy performance, including the duo’s joint hit which saw Shakira seek revenge on her ex.
“Arriba Coachella!” » shouted Bizarrap to the explosive cheers of the crowd.
It was one of several Latin acts on Friday, a year after Bad Bunny played a historic set as the first-ever Spanish-language headliner.
Latin representation has increased significantly in recent years at Coachella, and another strong showing in 2024 indicates that such bookings are becoming less of an anomaly than the norm as Latin music continues to dominate global charts.
Peso Pluma drew a huge crowd to the main stage with his unique brand that fuses traditional regional Mexican music with Latin rap and heavier reggaeton.
Among fans, Mexican flags fluttered in the wind as the 24-year-old played, while projections of news articles referenced the criticism he received for delving into the “narcocorrido” subgenre. “, which some critics say glorifies drug culture.
And Young Miko, from Puerto Rico, ruled the main stage with a wild set, showcasing his playful Spanglish bars and Latin trap that also hinted at 1990s West Coast rap.
Cimafunk, meanwhile, became the first Cuban-born artist to perform Coachella, in an electrifying performance blending Afro-Cuban funk, New Orleans-style brass and high-octane dancing on a dramatically mountain-flanked terrain of San Jacinto.
“I’m really happy to be here, it’s really crazy,” said the beaming artist backstage.
A virtual star
A crowd of screaming fans descended on famous Japanese virtual singer Hatsune Miku – a vocal bank from Vocaloid software whose impersonation is a teenager with turquoise pigtails – who made her Coachella debut after initially being booked for 2020.
The “artist” – who is not real – began as a virtual instrument in 2007 and has become a cultural icon, touring since 2014.
The stage production featured trippy visuals and a live band, a development from the group’s online debut.
“There was no physical space or actual gatherings that sparked this fandom,” Riki Tsuji, who is part of the sales team at Crypton Future Media, the company behind Miku, told AFP before the festival.
A stage like Coachella’s offers fans “a way to enjoy each other’s company,” he said, as with any other artist.
Saturday’s headliner is Tyler, the Creator, while Sunday closes with California native Doja Cat.
The weekend also offers a good dose of indie rock nostalgia with Saturday’s reunion of No Doubt, the group led by Gwen Stefani who will play together on stage for the first time in fifteen years.
Vampire Weekend also returns to the desert, having last played there over a decade ago.
Legendary rockers Blur will perform on Saturday, as will Sublime – the 1990s stoner reggae rock band beloved for hits including “Santeria” – with late frontman Brad Nowell’s son Jakob up front.
Coachella 2024 takes place this weekend with a near repeat of the lineup scheduled for April 19-21.
RELATED: Lana Del Rey and Doja Cat headline Coachella where Taylor Swift is rumored to appear
INDIO, United States — Shakira made a surprise appearance at Coachella on Friday night with Argentine superstar producer Bizarrap, a highlight of the festival’s first day that saw a diverse selection of Latin artists break into the conversation.
Lana Del Rey, meanwhile, arrived at the festival with a motorcycle escort to headline the opening night of the massive California desert arts event, which traditionally kicks off the concert circuit summer.
But there was no onstage appearance from Taylor Swift, the megastar currently on hiatus from her blockbuster billion-dollar “Eras” tour, who is reportedly spending a romantic weekend at Coachella with her longtime boyfriend. NFL, Travis Kelce.
Swifties speculated that she might appear on stage with friend Del Rey or Sabrina Carpenter to no avail – but there’s always a tomorrow, where she might join longtime producer Jack Antonoff during his Bleachers set, or his collaborator Ice Spice, the Bronx rapper who is also on deck. .
The singular Del Rey returned to perform at Coachella a decade after her first concert there, offering her cult style of ethereal pop.
She wore sparkling knee-high boots and a mini dress to guide fans through a dreamlike, sultry sequence of her hits and deeper cuts, flanked by a group of writhing, pole-doing dancers dance and perform acrobatics to the rhythm of “Born to Die”. the languorous voice of the singer.
And even though Del Rey didn’t bring Swift on stage, she did invite Billie Eilish and Jon Batiste for several songs, much to the crowd’s delight.
Latin revolution
It was an atmospheric end to a day that had a very hot afternoon, thanks in part to Shakira and Bizarrap’s collaboration which saw the former announce a world tour.
She appeared on stage for a powerful, dance-heavy performance, including the duo’s joint hit which saw Shakira seek revenge on her ex.
“Arriba Coachella!” » shouted Bizarrap to the explosive cheers of the crowd.
It was one of several Latin acts on Friday, a year after Bad Bunny played a historic set as the first-ever Spanish-language headliner.
Latin representation has increased significantly in recent years at Coachella, and another strong showing in 2024 indicates that such bookings are becoming less of an anomaly than the norm as Latin music continues to dominate global charts.
Peso Pluma drew a huge crowd to the main stage with his unique brand that fuses traditional regional Mexican music with Latin rap and heavier reggaeton.
Among fans, Mexican flags fluttered in the wind as the 24-year-old played, while projections of news articles referenced the criticism he received for delving into the “narcocorrido” subgenre. “, which some critics say glorifies drug culture.
And Young Miko, from Puerto Rico, ruled the main stage with a wild set, showcasing his playful Spanglish bars and Latin trap that also hinted at 1990s West Coast rap.
Cimafunk, meanwhile, became the first Cuban-born artist to perform Coachella, in an electrifying performance blending Afro-Cuban funk, New Orleans-style brass and high-octane dancing on a dramatically mountain-flanked terrain of San Jacinto.
“I’m really happy to be here, it’s really crazy,” said the beaming artist backstage.
A virtual star
A crowd of screaming fans descended on famous Japanese virtual singer Hatsune Miku – a vocal bank from Vocaloid software whose impersonation is a teenager with turquoise pigtails – who made her Coachella debut after initially being booked for 2020.
The “artist” – who is not real – began as a virtual instrument in 2007 and has become a cultural icon, touring since 2014.
The stage production featured trippy visuals and a live band, a development from the group’s online debut.
“There was no physical space or actual gatherings that sparked this fandom,” Riki Tsuji, who is part of the sales team at Crypton Future Media, the company behind Miku, told AFP before the festival.
A stage like Coachella’s offers fans “a way to enjoy each other’s company,” he said, as with any other artist.
Saturday’s headliner is Tyler, the Creator, while Sunday closes with California native Doja Cat.
The weekend also offers a good dose of indie rock nostalgia with Saturday’s reunion of No Doubt, the group led by Gwen Stefani who will play together on stage for the first time in fifteen years.
Vampire Weekend also returns to the desert, having last played there over a decade ago.
Legendary rockers Blur will perform on Saturday, as will Sublime – the 1990s stoner reggae rock band beloved for hits including “Santeria” – with late frontman Brad Nowell’s son Jakob up front.
Coachella 2024 takes place this weekend with a near repeat of the lineup scheduled for April 19-21.
RELATED: Lana Del Rey and Doja Cat headline Coachella where Taylor Swift is rumored to appear