An iconic time of the year for music, Coachella is once again returning. Starting on Friday, the two-weekend-long sabbatical attracts some of the world’s biggest musical stars every year. With general admission costs ranging from $450 to $550, the event brings in over 250,000 people. From Frank Ocean to Bad Bunny, Coachella 2023 is again stacked.
Taking place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, the weekends are going to be a calculated mess. With numerous iconic artists overlapping each other, fans will be frantically darting from venue to venue to catch their personal favorites. For example, you must pick between rockstar Yves Tumor and the iconic Blink-182. Are you looking to experience Blink-182‘s complete surprise set? By doing so, you’ll miss out on the beginning of Kaytranada’s performance. In summary, calculating your Coachella experience can be a complicated one. Today, we’re going to take a look at some of the must-see artists at Coachella 2023.
Frank Ocean
This was an obvious one. After a six-year hiatus from performing live, Frank Ocean is returning as the main headliner at Coachella. Rumors have been circulating about Ocean beginning his next album rollout after Coachella. The Mercedes Benz E-30 on the cover of Nostalgia, Ultra has been seen around the venue. In addition, Frank Ocean has reportedly registered two new songs for licensing within the past 24 hours.
While the L.A.-based artist prefers not to perform often, he’s certainly not camera-shy. His performances have been consistently brilliant and iconic. Ocean’s booming vocals radiate throughout venues, making him among today’s most in-demand live performers. He’ll perform at 10 pm on Saturday as the main act at Coachella 2023.
Kaytranada
Spearheading the revival of ’90s dance and house tunes, Kaytranada’s DJ set is set to be pure fireworks. The Montreal-born artist has been on a heck of a run over the past year, from touring with The Weeknd to releasing his Intimidated EP in 2021. Kaytranada’s sets are unique in that he’s not just playing streamable tracks. Making his name through remixing songs in the Soundcloud scene, he’ll often mix these tracks into his live sets. With Canadian duo Kaytranada and Amine releasing Kaytramine sometime this summer, we may hear some new tracks from that project during Coachella 2023.
Pusha T
Pusha T is another essential artist to see at Coachella. You never know what you’re going to get from his sets. While he’ll be performing cuts from the critically acclaimed It’s Almost Dry, the veteran MC tends to mix in an unpredictable collection of songs from his past eras, including when he was a member of The Clipse. In addition, hearing classics such as “Don’t Like.1” or “Trouble On My Mind” in a live setting is an unforgettable experience.
Gorillaz
Amidst the release of their new album, Cracker Island, Gorillaz are capitalizing on the hype by performing at Coachella 2023. The upbeat nature of their last record should translate well to the live stage. The band tends to do more than perform their songs on-stage. Gorillaz has presented itself live in various ways throughout its history. They’ve hidden the touring band from the audience’s view in the project’s early years, projecting animated band members on stage via computer graphics and traditional live touring featuring a fully visible live band.
Yves Tumor
On the live stage, Yves Tumor is pure electricity. Recently releasing Praise a Lord Who Chews but Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds), their new studio album is being hailed as one of the better projects to release this year. Tumor is captivating live, confidently waltzing around the stage and jumping into the crowd. The electric guitar is a driving force behind much of their sound, so their transition to a live performance is seamless. In addition, the menacing soundscapes of his last record will sound even better in a live setting.
Kali Uchis
Like many artists on this list, Kali Uchis is riding the wave of a successful new project. Gleeful and soulful, Red Moon in Venus has captivated the R&B world throughout the first half of 2023. Spearheaded by the hit song “Moonlight,” the record has already eclipsed 200 million streams on Spotify alone. Uchis’ voice has proven to sound even better life. Touring alongside Tyler, the Creator during his 2022 tour of Call Me If You Get Lost, she indeed won’t be experiencing any ring rust when she returns to the mainstage on Sunday afternoon.
Metro Boomin
Known for his dark production style and influence on modern trap, Metro Boomin returned to the performance stage Friday night. The St. Louis-born producer is behind numerous modern classic trap albums, such as Savage Mode and Without Warning. However, he additionally sports a strong personal catalog. He released Heroes & Villains in December 2022, a record that quickly jumped-up lists for rap album of the year. Therefore, his sets are exhilaratingly unpredictable, as you never know which songs he’ll choose from a deep vault of hits.
Domi & JD Beck
One of the most talented musical duos, Domi & JD Beck are undeniably one of those groups that can’t be fully appreciated unless experienced live. The jazz duo heavily emphasizes live instrumentation, blending classic sounds with modern-day piano chords. The two released their first album, NOT TiGHT, in August of 2022. The project featured the likes of Snoop Dogg and Thundercat. Singlehandedly spearheading jazz revival, they’ll undeniably be a duo to watch over the following years. A perfect opportunity for that came on Friday afternoon at Coachella 2023.
Remi Wolf
First appearing on American Idol as a bubbly teenager, Remi Wolf has since propelled herself into an iconic popstar. If anything, her latest release Juno dived into the erratic spaces of hyper-pop and rapid electronica. The sonic shift fit her high-pitched vocal falsettos to a tee. Wolf makes it a point to interact with her audience during her shows, serenading the crowd with positive energy. The Palo Alto-born singer-songwriter will perform at Mojave around 6:30 on Saturday afternoon.
Bad Bunny
There’s an argument to be had that Bad Bunny is the biggest artist on the planet right now. The Puerto Rican singer and rapper boasts over 60 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Morphing Latin grooves with modern-day rap, his sound has attracted fans across every corner of the globe. Previously performing at Coachella in 2019, he returns with an even bigger crowd in front of him for Coachella 2023. Approaching a year since Un Verano Sin Ti, the project should drive his performance.