Billie! Bernie! Bad Romance! The 12 Best Coachella Moments from Weekend One

Roddy Rich, 2 Chainz, Tyga, Ella Mai, Big Sean — did anyone have a more packed performance at Coachella than Mustard? The longtime producer and DJ proved just how dense his rolodex is by piling his set with some of the names he’s climbed the charts with over the last decade.Over an elaborate stage design, artists kept the crowd roaring with non-stop classics like “Rack City,” “I’m Different,” and ““IDFWU.” In addition to reliving his catalogue, so much of the excitement was just watching to see who might come out next.

“Don’t be too cool, now!” Tyla called out midway through her sunset performance at Coachella’s Outdoor Theatre. It wasn’t that the crowd was subdued; everyone just seemed mesmerized as the South African star sang hit after hit in her velvety voice, pulling out all the stops onstage. She had a small but mighty army of dancers to back her up and then got even more reinforcements when Becky G popped out to perform “On My Body.” The surprises didn’t stop there: The audience lost it when she covered a snipped of Aaliyah’s “Rock The Boat” and then, to end things with a bang, she leaped into a kiddie pool for “Water,” splashing in bubbly suds for a feel-good ending. 

By the time the California rockers took the main stage at 9 p.m., the crowd was completely fired up. The band dove headfirst into a high-voltage rendition of “American Idiot,” all while fans screamed along to every word. From there, they hit all the classics from their catalogue, including a thrashing version of “Minority,” “Basket Case” and “When I Come Around.” The setlist was built with back-to-back blows that served as a reminder of the band’s longevity and staying power through the years. 

It was a sweet, full-circle moment in the música mexicana world: In 2024, Peso Pluma had brought his friend Junior H onstage with him during his explosive performance. This year, as Junior H got the grounds dancing with his versatile catalogue, Peso returned the favor and made an appearance at his set. He followed his cousin Tito Double P, who also performed with Junior — and as soon as his name was announced and his raspy voice began filling the speakers, fans bolted to get as close to the stage as possible, starting a mini-stampede on the concert grounds, all for the love of Peso.

Addison Rae had important news to share when she joined Arca onstage at Coachella. Rae twirled ethereally next to the Venezuela electronic music diva, who delivered an avant-garde set, and joined her in performing “Arcamarine / Aquamarine.” When they were done, the rising pop star turned around to show the words “June 6th” written on her underwear, revealing the release date for her anticipated debut album. This was a moment her fans had been waiting for as they’ve jammed to Rae’s recent bangers, like “Diet Pepsi” and “High Fashion.”

Megan Thee Stallion’s Coachella performance was an example of how she gives everything to her fans. The star-studded, high-production spectacle included guest appearances from Queen Latifah, Victoria Monét, and Ciara — and even though Megan briefly faced a technical glitch, she barely blinked and kept moving like a pro. At the end, she faced another mic cut after running a bit overtime, but still ended on a charming note:  “Bitch, they said we gotta go!” she shouted before hoping offstage. “Hotties, I gotta go — I love y’all and thank y’all!” 

Weezer fans showed up in full force just before the band took on the Mojave Stage on Saturday, spilling out way past the rent area and into the fences closing the grounds. It was all worth it: For 45 minutes, Weezer’s tight afternoon set spanned fan-favorites like “Say It Ain’t So,” “Beverly Hills,” and “Island in the Sun,” and even included a quick cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” Though there was some uncertainty after an LAPD incident involving bassist Scott Shriner’s wife, none of it deterred the performance. In fact, it ended with wild cheers as the crowd screamed the band’s name as its members concluded with “Buddy Holly.”

Conductor Gustavo Dudamel is saying goodbye to his 17-year tenure with the L.A. Philharmonic as he prepares to move across the country and lead the New York Philharmonic — but before he does all that, he had the orchestra make history (and weave some magic across the desert) by performing at Coachella for the first time. Easily one of the most stunning examples of musicianship at the festival, the L.A. Phil played classical standards and then welcome a parade of stars onstage: The surprises included LL Cool J, Laufey, Becky G, Paco Amoroso and Ca7riel, Maren Morris, and more.

During his evening set on the main stage, Benson Boone welcomed Queen‘s Brian May for a high-octane rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody” and his hit “Beautiful Things.” Dressed in a Freddie Mercury-esque white and light blue outfit and a regal cape, Boone started playing the Queen classic on piano before May appeared, riffing on guitar. Boone later took issue with the crowd’s tepid reaction, poking fun at himself and writing in the caption, “Me trying to get the Coachella crowd to understand what an absolute legend Brian May is and the cultural impact he has on music and THE WORLD.” But even if the reception wasn’t what he expected, for a lot of people, the cameo made for one of the coolest moments at the festival.

Clairo had an unexpected guest for fans on Saturday night at Coachella: Just before her set began, Bernie Sanders came out for a moment of political activism in the desert. The Vermont Senator, who was in California for an anti-oligarchy rally earlier in the day, encouraged the crowd to fight for the country, warning of the dire consequences the country faces if people remain apathetic. “This country faces some very difficult challenges,” he said. “The future of what happens to America is dependent upon your generation. Now, you can turn away and ignore what goes on but if you do that, you do it on your own peril. We need you to stand up and fight for justice, to fight for economic justice, racial justice and social justice.”

She should have been a headliner indeed… It was clear Charli was the Coachella favorite before she even got onstage, seeing how fans turned up in brat gear, practically painting green. Once she started, it was chaos in the best way: Screaming crowds flocked to see her, losing their absolute minds with every twist and turn she’d plotted. Troye Sivan was the first guest of the night, joining her for “Talk, Talk” while wearing a white “Protect the Dolls” t-shirt, likely a response to Trump’s attacks on transgender people. Then, Billie Eilish appeared for the “Guess” remix that made the grounds roar. And toward the end, Lorde dramatically emerged from the center of the stage’s runway to duet “Girl, So Confusing” with Charli. Brat AF.

Coachella this year was all about Gaga, period, end of story. No one came close to the drama, camp, and opulence of her headlining set Friday night, which kicked everything off. She transformed the desert into a gothic opera-house, delivering a four-act spectacle telling the story of Mayhem. Over two hours, she explored the duality of light and dark through theatrical performances, and eccentric costumes, while bringing in old hits like “Bloody Mary,” “Judas,” and “Poker Face.” She rose from the afterlife, battled her inner demons, and honored her Little Monsters for a once-in-a-lifetime performance. With fireworks and the message “monsters never die,” Gaga closed the night as a feathered angel. Her set proved once again she’s in a league of her own.