coachella
Let’s Talk About 2023’s Coachella Lineup
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Who we’re excited to see
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What we’re most surprised about
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What the lineup says about this moment in music
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Notable returns & come-ups
Jai Paul’s Coachella Performance Will Be His First Live Show Ever
This year’s Coachella lineup is nothing short of historic. Bad Bunny is the first Latin act to headline the festival; Blackpink is the first girl group and K-pop act to headline. On top of all that, it’s Frank Ocean’s first show in a while and his Coachella performance has been long-awaited.
What’s more, Jai Paul is performing his first live show ever. The 34-year-old songwriter and producer is known for his enigmatic nature. Fellow Coachella performer Kaytranda expressed enthusiasm on Twitter: “forget about me performing, i’m going to see Jai Paul.”
forget about me performing, i’m going to see Jai Paul
— kaytra-NADA (@KAYTRANADA) January 10, 2023
Paul returned in 2019 with his first material since his debut album leak in 2013. “I wanted to use this opportunity to share a little information about what happened regarding my music in April 2013,” he wrote at the time. “As you may know, some of my unfinished demos were put up for sale illegally via Bandcamp. The leak consisted of a fairly random collection of tracks I had made over quite a long period of time (from roughly 2007 to 2013), in various stages of completion. Some are short skits and beats from my MySpace page back in the day before I signed a record deal. A large proportion of this music was to be completed and released officially in some format.”
He’ll be performing Sunday, April 16 and 23, the same days as Ocean.
Frank Ocean, Bad Bunny, & Blackpink Headline 2023 Coachella
Another Coachella is heading our way, and today, the festival has announced its official line-up. Days ago, speculative reports circulated regarding who would take the stages in California’s desert oasis. The annual festival hosts some of the world’s most popular, top-selling artists, and this year, it’s returning for two weekends that will host dozens of artists and thousands of fans.
Headliners include Bad Bunny, Blackpink, and Frank Ocean, and each weekend is just as stacked as the others. Bad Bunny is one of the most popular artists in the world, and he’ll tackle the first weekend along with Metro Boomin, Pusha T, Burna Boy, Gorillaz, and Kaytranada.
Read More: Frank Ocean & Bad Bunny Rumored To Headline Coachella 2023
The second weekend of Coachella hosts Blackpink at the main attraction as Kid LAROI, Rosalía, 070 Shake, and Flo Milli are also listed. Frank Ocean will close things out the third weekend with the help of A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Björk, Willow, Rae Sremmurd, Kali Uchis, and Latto.
According to a press release, “very limited Weekend 1 passes remain,” so Coachella recommends opting for Weekend 2. Presale tickets are available on Friday, January 13, at 11:00 a.m., but it “does not guarantee pass type, packages or camping.”
Read More: Mike Posner Praises Big Sean For Bringing Him Out At Coachella: “I’m Still Emotional”
“YouTube returns in 2023 as the exclusive livestream partner for both Coachella weekends on our official YouTube channel,” the release added. “Delivering iconic performances, exciting behind-the-scenes content, and so much more to millions of fans around the world.”
Some fans noted that there aren’t as many Hip Hop and Rap acts as there have been in previous years. However, there are still several notable artists from the culture that will certainly command attention.
Take a look at the full 2023 Coachella line-up above, and let us know if you’ll be making any of these dates.
Where’s All The Rap At Coachella 2023?
The 2023 Coachella lineup has been announced and among some truly historical moments — the lineup features both the first K-pop girl group and Latin music headliners, cementing both genres’ rising prominence in the American pop cultural landscape — one question hangs over everything else: Where are all the rap artists?
To be certain, rap has been a fixture at the festival, even though it started out as a rock-centric event, for the past few years. I’ve written about it a few times, including last year, when the festival returned after a two-year hiatus caused by COVID-19. Coachella added its first rap headliner with Jay-Z in 2010, and since then, Outkast, Eminem, Drake, Dr. Dre with Snoop Dogg, and Outkast have all delivered iconic moments (Travis Scott, billed to perform in 2020, was removed from the 2022 lineup when the event returned in the wake of his disastrous Astroworld Festival in 2021).
In 2022 alone, rap music dominated the lineup, from stars like Doja Cat, Lil Baby, and Megan Thee Stallion in the second line, to up-and-coming acts City Girls, Denzel Curry, JID, and Vince Staples peppered throughout the three biggest stages. This year, hip-hop barely cracked the second line, limited to a handful of big-name acts like A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie (whose name was shortened for space), Pusha T, and hitmaker Metro Boomin. Hip-hop is technically still the most popular genre in the world, so what gives?
However, scratching the surface might actually present one of the more interesting opportunities for some lesser-known names to climb the marquees of other festivals throughout the year and gain the sort of recognition that can see their tour venue caps jump up a level if they play their cards right. For one thing, there are the underground and indie favorites, many of whom Uproxx has covered pretty extensively as they built a buzz just below radar level. Those would be your AG Clubs, IDKs, and Tobe Nwigwes, the artists whose fans won’t shut up about them, even as they have yet to truly gain a toehold on the pop charts.
It looks like Noname is making her return to the Coachella stage after threatening retirement, while Doechii, GloRilla, Flo Milli, and Latto’s presences are making this year’s hip-hop offerings at Coachella something a women’s empowerment forum — something the rap scene sorely needs after the latter half of 2022 devolved into a maelstrom of counterproductive bickering among the top names.
Meanwhile, with producers like Kaytranada and Metro Boomin near the top of the bill, surprises could abound. Metro Boomin is almost certain to bring along the usual assortment of collaborators, the possibilities of which range from Atlanta trap mainstays like 21 Savage and the surviving Migos members to a potential impromptu ASAP Rocky sub-headlining set fueled by their extensive collaboration on Don’t Be Dumb. Kaytranada’s work with everyone from Anderson .Paak to IDK to Phonte Coleman to his own brother Louie Phelps could see him joined on stage by a who’s-who of some of rap’s most respected. Kenny Beats is up there too, opening the doors for Rico Nasty, Zack Fox, and many, many more to shock fans with unannounced cameos.
Even the Gorillaz, whose work has defied categorization for nearly 20 years, has a Rolodex of rappers ranging from the newly liberated De La Soul and other ’90s mainstays like Bootie Brown, Del The Funky Homosapien, Mos Def (aka Yasiin Bey), and Snoop Dogg, to British grime breakouts like Slowthai and Octavian (as well as contemporary faves Danny Brown, Little Simz, Schoolboy Q, Vince Staples, and more). So while the big names in hip-hop might well be taking a break from the desert this year, there will be just as many opportunities for discovery and the possiblity of more surprise appearances that might drop as many fans’ jaws as bars.
Bad Bunny Will Become Coachella’s First-Ever Latin Artist To Headline The Festival
There’s just no stopping Latin superstar Bad Bunny. If fans thought they saw a lot of the rapper/singer in 2022, they might want to brace themselves for what’s coming in 2023. After weeks of speculation, it has finally been confirmed that the “Tití Me Preguntó” rapper will headline Coachella this year on Friday, April 14, and Friday, April 21. This makes the musician the first-ever Latin artist to do so.
At this point, it is probably easier to list what he hasn’t accomplished. As there’s a long laundry list of accolades or historical achievements under his belt, including being the most nominated Latin artist at the 2023 Grammy Awards, breaking the Disney film Encanto soundtrack’s Billboard record for the most weeks logged, being the first Latin artist named artist of the year by Apple Music, and more.
Other Latin artists on the lineup include Becky G, Rosalía, Kali Uchis, Eladio Carrión, and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs.
https://twitter.com/coachella/status/1612903085625741312/photo/1
This year’s festival is set for the weekends of April 14 to 16 and 21 to 23 at Indio, California’s Empire Polo Club. Pre-sale for tickets starts on Friday, January 13, at 11 a.m. PT. For more information about tickets, visit the Coachella website.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The Full Coachella 2023 Lineup Is Here And It’s Led By Frank Ocean, Bad Bunny, And Blackpink
If the end of the year is for looking back, then the start of it is for looking ahead. Music fans are gearing up for the 2023 music festival season, and now the biggest of them all has made a major announcement: Coachella organizers, as they tend to do around this time of year, just revealed the festival’s 2023 lineup.
Ahead of the official reveal, rumors indicated that Blackpink, Bad Bunny, and Frank Ocean — the latter of whom festival co-founder Paul Tollett said in 2021 would lead the 2023 event) would be headlining this year’s fest. It turns out that was true. Also on this year’s poster are acts like Gorillaz, Burna Boy, Rosalía, Boygenius (Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker), The Kid Laroi, Charli XCX, Björk, Kali Uchis, Dominic Fike, Latto, Willow, Glorilla, Weyes Blood, Calvin Harris, Alex G, Mura Masa, Snail Mail, Earthgang, Pusha T, Wet Leg, Muna, Doechii, Benee, and Magdalena Bay, among many others.
Ugh was stuck in drafts
Register now for access to passes at https://t.co/qujCsdlTip. Presale begins Friday, 1/13 at 11am PT. Very limited Weekend 1 passes remain. For your best chance at passes, look to Weekend 2. pic.twitter.com/5zMQ4dJZHq
— Coachella (@coachella) January 10, 2023
This year’s event is set for the weekends of April 14 to 16 and 21 to 23, in its usual location at Indio, California’s Empire Polo Club. Pre-sale for tickets starts on Friday, January 13 at 11 a.m. PT, although organizers note, “Very limited Weekend 1 passes remain. For your best chance at passes, look to Weekend 2.” More information about tickets is available on the Coachella website.
Meanwhile, the 2022 festival was full of memorable moments: Arcade Fire was added to the lineup at the last minute, Hayley Williams joined Billie Eilish to perform Paramore’s “Misery Business,” Lizzo popped up at Harry Styles’ set, Kendrick Lamar made a surprise appearance with cousin Baby Keem, The Weeknd played an apology voicemail on stage, and 100 Gecs’ set was cut short.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Will Bad Bunny Headline Coachella 2023?
Bad Bunny could be performing on the main stage of Coachella next. Today (January 6), a report was released naming the Puerto Rican superstar as a possible headliner for the upcoming music festival.
Hits Daily Double released a report with the rumored headliners for 2023 Coachella. Bad Bunny is listed as a possible headliner along with South Korean girl group Blackpink and elusive singer-songwriter Frank Ocean. After finishing off 2022 as the No. 1 global artist, Coachella would be the perfect stage for Bad Bunny to take on next.
Thanks to his success of his blockbuster album, Un Verano Sin Ti, Bad Bunny made history by claiming the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 year-end chart. The album was first Latin LP and the first all-Spanish release to reach the summit of the chart. Bad Bunny was also named Spotify’s most-streamed artist of 2022. He claimed the top touring artist of the year title as well. Bad Bunny pulled ahead of Ed Sheeran and Elton John with a total touring gross of $373.5 million.
Bad Bunny started off 2023 in a storm of controversy. Earlier this week, a video went viral of the singer tossing a fan’s phone after they were forcefully trying to take selfies with him. Bad Bunny responded to the backlash by calling the fan’s behavior “a lack of respect.” The Coachella stage in April could be a great way for him to make a triumphant comeback to the live music scene.
Who Are The Rumored Headliners For Coachella 2023?
Celebrities, reality TV stars, and social media influencers’ favorite annual music event, Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, is just months away. This year’s multi-day celebration of arts and culture is locked in for the second (April 14 to 16) and third weekend (April 21 to 23) of April. At the same time, the festival’s location is no surprise. Each year, it is held on the grounds of the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. The headliners are always a fun guessing game for music lovers. As festival goers financially prepare themselves for the steep ticket price, whispers of this year’s headliners have begun to make the rounds on social media.
In 2021, Coachella co-founder Paul Tollett told Los Angeles Times that he’d love to have Frank Ocean return as a headliner, given that his 2020 return to the festival was canceled due to COVID. Tollett and Ocean have since remained tight-lipped about his potential resurgence. However, with anticipation building for the festival, social media users have begun circulating a flyer of Coachella’s entire lineup.
The image has not been authenticated and should only be treated as speculation; fans are excited at the possibility of seeing Justin Bieber, Bad Bunny, and Frank Ocean headlining the first weekend. Other notable acts on the graphic include Jack Harlow, Skrillex, and Lil Durk, as well as international acts Blackpink, Rosalía, Burna Boy, and Tems.
Brehhhhh if this is real pic.twitter.com/aICMX0MIgR
— John SUMIF() (fan) (@johnsummif) January 5, 2023
The Coachella lineup is usually released in mid-January, so it won’t be long until this flyer is confirmed or updated.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.