All The Best Surprise Performances From Coachella 2024 Weekend 1

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Uproxx had Aaron Williams and Philip Cosores on the ground at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California for Weekend 1 of Coachella 2024, and among their main takeaways was that the festival had “plenty of surprises.” In a literal sense, Coachella 2024 Weekend 1 staged several surprise guests who easily could have headlined their own sets.

Below, check out the best surprise performances from Coachella 2024 Weekend 1.

Billie Eilish With Lana Del Rey

Friday night’s (April 12) headliner was Lana Del Rey. Billie Eilish made a surprise appearance — although the rumor mill was busy earlier in the day, so it really wasn’t much of a surprise — during the set. They performed Eilish’s “Ocean Eyes” and Del Rey’s “Video Games” together. Eilish showered Del Rey with praise, telling the crowd, “This is the reason for half you b*tches’ existence, including mine.” (Eilish later held a surprise Coachella party of her own, where she debuted music from her forthcoming album, Hit Me Hard And Soft.)

Shakira With Bizarrap

Elsewhere on Friday night, Shakira made a she-wolf entrance during Bizarrap’s set. Of course, she performed their Billboard Hot 100 top-10 hit “BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” but she really stole the show by announcing her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour.

Becky G, Arcángel With Peso Pluma

Earlier on Friday, Peso Pluma and Arcángel released the video for “PESO COMPLETO.” It was all a set up for Pluma’s Friday night Coachella set, where Arcángel joined him for the live debut of the song. Becky G also joined Pluma to perform “Chanel.”

Olivia Rodrigo With No Doubt

It had been nearly a decade since No Doubt last performed before the iconic Gwen Stefani-led band reunited for Coachella 2024. The nostalgia-jammed set on Saturday night, April 13, hit all the right notes — including several “Just A Girl” callbacks (as chronicled by Billboard.) But one brand-new element for the ska band was inviting Olivia Rodrigo to the stage, where Rodrigo and Stefani sang “Bathwater.”

Juvenile With Jon Batiste

Jon Batiste is among music’s most ubiquitous collaborators, so he presumably had plenty of options when deciding who to bring out during his first-ever Coachella set. He landed on Juvenile and Willow to perform “Back That Azz Up” and “Be Who You Are,” respectively.

Paris Hilton With Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend was a last-minute add to the Coachella 2024 lineup. As a result, we got an unexpected appearance by Paris Hilton at Coachella 2024. That’s hot.

Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce

This one is mostly a joke, but we learned in 2023 that we are not allowed to ignore when Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce appear anywhere. Swift is on her The Eras Tour hiatus, so she did not perform, but she was notably in the crowd (dancing, kissing, singing, swooning) with Kelce for Bleachers and Ice Spice. X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok house unlimited footage.

ASAP Rocky, Charlie Wilson, Donald Glover, And Kali Uchis With Tyler The Creator

As aforementioned, Uproxx’s Aaron Williams was in attendance for Tyler The Creator’s headlining set on Saturday night. Tyler brought out ASAP Rocky (“Who Dat Boy,” “Potato Salad”), Charlie Wilson (“Earfquake”), Donald Glover (“Running Out Of Time”), and Kali Uchis (“See You Again”) throughout his three-act set — and “showed what a headliner is supposed to be.” It’s probably not a coincidence that, shortly thereafter, Glover revealed plans for a final Childish Gambino album.

Kesha With Reneé Rapp

It is truly Reneé Rapp’s world right now. She was introduced by the OG The L Word cast and brought out Kesha for an updated rendition of “Tik Tok” in which they shouted, “F*ck P. Diddy!”

Kesha was also spotted going down a gigantic slide with Paris Hilton, so that’s fun.

Will Smith With J Balvin

J Balvin has been a part of several notable moments in the past — as he shared on Instagram ahead of his set on Sunday, April 14 — so why stop now? The Colombian supernova was joined by Will Smith for an all-out performance of “Men In Black.” It was perfectly camp.

Justin Bieber And Wizkid With Tems

Justin and Hailey Bieber enjoyed Coachella 2024 from the crowd (and from Hailey’s Rhode pop-up) like everybody else — until Bieber (and Wizkid) made a surprise cameo with Tems on Sunday night for “Essence.” (Wizkid’s “Essence” featuring Bieber and Tems peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 2021.) Bieber’s performance felt especially surprising because he has mostly kept a low profile since canceling his Justice World Tour in February 2023 after several postponements due to health concerns.

21 Savage, ASAP Rocky, And Teezo Touchdown With Doja Cat

Weekend 1’s explosive finale came courtesy of Doja Cat on Sunday.

“This year, you brought a full-size Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton to your headlining set,” Uproxx’s Aaron Williams wrote in his review. “Bless you, you demented genius. You are the best.”

Doja also brought out 21 Savage, ASAP Rocky, and Teezo Touchdown. 21 was there to perform “N.H.I.E.,” his track with Doja from his American Dream album, while Rocky (“URRRGE!!!!!!!!!!”) and Teezo (“MASC“) each helped deliver live debuts from Doja’s Scarlet deluxe album.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Hit-Boy Tells The Story Behind Drake And Justin Bieber’s Hit Song “Right Here”

In a surprising revelation, Grammy-winning producer Hit-Boy has shed light on the intricate decision-making process that led to Drake and Justin Bieber’s chart-topping single “Right Here.” Originally crafted for a Big Sean and J. Cole collaboration, the beat found its way into the hands of two different camps. This is what ultimately shaped the trajectory of the song and the careers involved. Moreover, taking to Instagram, Hit-Boy shared a captivating video from the studio session where Drake and Bieber worked their magic on the track. In his post, the All-Star producer told the story of how the beat came to be. Moreover, he revealed its initial intended destination on Big Sean’s “24k of Gold,” a track from his Detroit mixtape.

However, in a candid reflection, Hit-Boy described the dilemma he faced in deciding which artist to send the beat to. Despite its alignment with Sean and Cole’s vision, Hit-Boy ultimately made the tough call to offer the track to Drake and Bieber. It was a decision not taken lightly, but one that was endorsed by Sean himself, who recognized the opportunity for Hit-Boy’s career to soar with the collaboration. Acknowledging Sean’s selflessness and support, Hit-Boy expressed his gratitude, recognizing the rapper’s integrity and understanding of the music industry’s dynamics. Furthermore, the gesture speaks volumes about the camaraderie and mutual respect shared among artists. Even in the competitive landscape of hip-hop.

Read More: Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist “VOIR DIRE” Review

Hit-Boy Tells The Story Of “Right Here”

“Crazy story for throwback thursday,” Hit-Boy wrote. “this is a clip of justin bieber and drake working on a beat i produced for their song ‘right here.’ the funny thing is big sean and j cole had a song called ’24k of gold’ over the same beat and i had to choose who to give the beat to. that was TOUGH but sean being the solid dude he is told me to run it with bieber and drake cuz he knew it was a a1 look for me.” “Salute to him for that,” he continued. “I never even knew they caught a vibe to the second beat playing at the end i made that too. Time flies.” Furthermore, he shouted out fellow producer Key Wane. “Shout to bro @keywane for flipping the 24k of gold joint and goin crzy on it.”

Furthermore, Hit-Boy offered glowing praise for both Big Sean and Drake, highlighting their reputations as individuals of character and influence within the industry. Their involvement in the song’s journey only adds to its legacy and significance within the realm of modern music. The story serves as a testament to the power of collaboration, the importance of mentorship, and the unpredictability of success in the world of hip-hop. In sharing this behind-the-scenes glimpse, Hit-Boy invites fans to appreciate the intricate tapestry of decisions, relationships, and moments that shape the songs we know and love, reminding us that sometimes the most impactful stories lie beneath the surface.

Read More: Hit-Boy Is The Producer Of The Year: On 21 Savage & Nas Collab, The Rise Of Loop Makers & Sampling “The Five Heartbeats” On “Legit”

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Hailey Bieber Shuts Down Marriage Rumors With Firm Response

In the age of social media, celebrity couples often find themselves at the center of unfounded rumors and speculation. Hailey Bieber, wife of Justin Bieber, recently found herself addressing such rumors head-on, asserting that the gossip circulating about her marriage is baseless. The controversy erupted on TikTok, where users shared “blind items,” cryptic gossip without direct references, concerning the couple’s relationship. Furthermore, in response to the speculation, Hailey took to Instagram to set the record straight, urging her followers not to believe the rumors.

In her Instagram story posted on Tuesday, March 5, Hailey expressed frustration with the constant stream of misinformation. She emphasized that the rumors circulating on TikTok are consistently inaccurate and fabricated. She encouraged her followers to resist the temptation to engage with such stories, saying that there isn’t any truth to them. “Just FYI the stories and constant ‘blind items’ I see on TikTok are 100% of the time wrong,” she says. “Made out of thin air… come from the land of delusion.” Moreover, she added another thought. “So I know it may be fun feeding into these stories but just know they’re always false xx sorry to spoil it.”

Read More: Kim Kardashian Confesses To Hailey Bieber About Her Favorite Kind Of Sex

Hailey Bieber Addresses Rumors

Furthermore, the recent wave of rumors can be traced back to a social media post by Hailey’s father, Stephen Baldwin. He shared a video originally posted by Victor Marx, founder of All Things Possible Ministries, featuring Justin Bieber singing a worship song. Marx’s caption appealed to Christians to pray for the couple’s well-being and spiritual guidance. Moreover, Marx elaborated on the pressures faced by celebrities, acknowledging the spiritual warfare they often encounter. He emphasized the importance of support and prayer for those navigating fame and fortune, suggesting that external forces seek to undermine their faith and relationships.

Moreover, Hailey Bieber’s response highlights the broader issue of public scrutiny faced by celebrities. Her decision to speak out against baseless gossip serves as a reminder that behind the glamorous façade of fame lie real people whose lives are often distorted and dissected by the public eye. As the couple continues to navigate the ups and downs of celebrity life, Hailey’s firm stance against rumors underscores her commitment to protecting the sanctity of her marriage and maintaining authenticity in the face of relentless scrutiny.

Read More: Hailey Bieber Addresses “Dangerous” Selena Gomez Feud Rumors

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The Kid Laroi’s Journey From Start To Stardom Is Chronicled In ‘Kids Are Growing Up,’ A New Documentary

The Kid Laroi has been a certified star for a few years now and he’s only 20 years old. Indeed, he burst onto the international music scene as a teen phenom, and now his fascinating rise to stardom will be chronicled in a new full-length documentary, Kids Are Growing Up: A Story About A Kid Named Laroi.

The film is set to premiere on Amazon’s Prime Video on February 29, and a trailer is out now.

A press release notes of the movie:

Kids Are Growing Up tells the intimate story of Charlton ‘The Kid Laroi’ Howard who went from an unknown musician living in Australia to a teenage global superstar selling out his hometown arena on back-to-back nights in just three years. The film captures a unique moment in time, as Laroi enters adulthood, navigating the pressures of rapid fame, struggles with his mental health, first love, and the tragic death of his mentor — the late great Juice WRLD. Cameras began rolling before the massive success of ‘Stay’ and continue as Laroi gears up for his first world tour and studio album. As Laroi is forced to deal with problems greater than his age, he searches for what happiness truly means, and how to handle outsized expectations from the public, those closest to him, and himself.”

The release also notes that Justin Bieber and Post Malone will be featured in the film.

Check out the trailer above.

Usher Looks Back On The ‘Bidding War’ To Sign A Young Justin Bieber And Who He Was Up Against

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Usher was a major force in helping get Justin Bieber’s pop star journey off the ground, as he and Scooter Braun created the label Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG) to sign Bieber and manage his career. Justin Timberlake was also pursuing Bieber at the time, and Usher looked back on this “bidding war” in a new People interview.

He explained:

“When you are at the top of your game, some of the greatest things will be presented to you, and it was, I think, right after [my album] Confessions that I was introduced to Justin Bieber and Scooter Braun. I presented Scooter an offer that I felt like he couldn’t resist. […] We built a friendship, but this would obviously create a partnership that would span us forever, and it was a bit of a bidding war between me and Justin Timberlake. […] I was like, ‘I’m not certain that I could understand each and every producer that this artist could benefit from, but what I can tell you is I’m going to give you my passion, and I’m going to give you every bit of what I have to offer.’”

For the record, there seem to be no hard feelings toward Timberlake from Usher, as he said, “I’ve always wanted to do a record with Justin, and I have reached out many times, but we’ve never managed to make it happen.”

Read more from the interview here.

Usher Promises He Has Something Coming With Justin Bieber After Missing Halftime Show

Last week, Usher took to one of the biggest stages in all of music when he performed at the Super Bowl Halftime show. The R&B legend unpacked some of his biggest hits and most beloved songs of all time throughout the 13-minute performance. That included numerous guest stars like Ludacris and LIl Jon who joined him for their classic hit “Yeah!.” It also featured Alicia Keys who made waves for a viral moment of perceived intimacy between the two. But the show could have featured even more star power.

Reports emerged in the lead-up to the big performance that Justin Bieber could be among the guests brought out for the show. That didn’t end up being the case and in the wake of the performance many were curious as to why. Now Usher himself is speaking on Bieber’s potential appearance in the big show. He revealed that his team actually reached out to Bieber and that there was some mutual interest at first. Ultimately though, things didn’t pan out something that the R&B legend reveals happened with numerous stars he reached out to. Despite the Super Bowl plans falling through, Usher revealed that the pair do have something else in the works coming soon. Check out the full interview clip below.

Read More: What Is Usher’s Best-Selling Album?

Usher Opens Up On Justin Bieber Super Bowl Inclusion

Usher’s big weekend extended well beyond just his performance at the Super Bowl. The R&B darling also found the time to get married to his girlfriend while in Las Vegas. At the start of the weekend he dropped his new album Coming Home. The project sports some impressive features and is expected to make a pretty high debut on the Billboard 200. It’s his first new project in 6 years and his first new solo album in 8 years and he’s taking it on tour later this year.

What do you think of Usher announcing that he has something coming soon with Justin Bieber? Do you think Bieber could have made the Super Bowl performance even better? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Usher’s “Coming Home” Features, Ranked

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Usher Confirms He Did Ask Justin Bieber About The Super Bowl Halftime Show And Why Bieber Ultimately Said No

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Leading up to Usher’s Super Bowl Halftime Show performance earlier this month, there was a lot of speculation about whether Justin Bieber, who has been associated with Usher since early in his career, would join in on the festivities. Usher’s performance turned out fantastic, but Bieber did not end up taking the field.

Now, Usher has confirmed that he did in fact ask Bieber to take part, and shared his perspective on why he didn’t.

In an interview on The Breakfast Club, Charlamagne Tha God asked Usher why “things didn’t work out” with Bieber, and Usher responded, “You know what? They did work out with Justin. I honor and recognize that my brother… I think that it might have been that fact that he’s just wanting to tell a different story right now, and I understand that. But we did have a brief conversation, and we’re gonna do something else in the future. But no love lost or anything like that.”

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He continued, “I think that it’s a lot of pressure for the Super Bowl, obviously, for me to put together a show, so I reached out to everybody. Justin wasn’t the only person that I actually spoke to about doing the Super Bowl. But the moment was maybe for later. He’s gonna play the Super Bowl, I’ll go ahead and give you that, in the future.”

Lil Jon Admits That Justin Bieber Didn’t Join Usher’s Halftime Show Because He ‘Wasn’t Really Ready To’

Lil Jon appeared alongside Usher at the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show last weekend, as the two (and Ludacris) delivered the energy with their performance of “Yeah” — which served as the grand finale in Usher’s headlining set.

However, fans had been theorizing that Justin Bieber would have been one of the special guests, and Lil Jon recently opened up to TMZ about why that didn’t happen.

“We wanted to put Justin in the show, so we had the idea of doing a version of the show with Justin in it,” Lil Jon said. “I think Justin just wasn’t really ready to—that’s a lot of rehearsal, a lot of time, and a lot of eyeballs, and I don’t know if he was ready to do all of that, you know what I mean? But he was definitely there supporting us, and they’re really good friends.”

“He was there with his wife having a good time and, you know, it’s a lot of time you have to dedicate to being in a show like this,” he added. “It’s not just, ‘Okay, let’s go do one rehearsal’ and you get onstage. It’s a lot of time that’s dedicated, so I don’t know if he was ready to do all of that.”

Although Bieber’s appearance didn’t wind up working out, a source told Page Six that there are no hard feelings between Usher and him about it.

Check out Lil Jon discussing the halftime show above.

Justin Bieber Did Not Perform At Super Bowl LVIII With USHER, Here’s Why

The Super Bowl Halftime Show always produces some interesting story angles every year. In just two days since the performance, fans already have so much to say about it. In fact, fans are already trying/hoping to get certain artists to hit centerfield when the game heads to New Orleans, Louisiana in 2025. Of course, Super Bowl LVIII’s (58) headlining act was Texas-born R&B legend USHER. The show was widely praised due to its impressive choreography, singing, and overall energy. Another reason why it was widely loved could be attributed to the guest acts. Lil’ Jon, Ludacris, H.E.R., and Alicia Keys were just a few who joined USHER. However, one person who was missing in action was Justin Bieber.

The Canadian pop superstar was a highly-anticipated Super Bowl performer. He and USHER have a handful of tracks together as well. Bieber recruited his mentor for “Somebody to Love” and its remix, “First Dance,” and “Peaches (Remix).” So, why did we not get to see some nostalgic songs be put on display for the millions of people watching?

Read More: Bear1Boss & SoFaygo Hop On Their First Track Together With “Conscious”

There Are No Hard Feelings Between Bieber & USHER

 
 
 
 
 
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Well, it was as simple as Justin saying “he wasn’t feeling it.” That comes from The Neighborhood Talk and sources close to Page Six. However, there is no ill will whatsoever. In fact, Biebs went on IG to congratulate his pal for show will he sat in the stands watching it all unfold, according to Uproxx. “LOVE YOU MY BROTHER. NOONE CAN SING AND DANCE THE WAY YOU DO. LOVE YOU FROM THE DEPTHS OF MY HEART. BROUGHT THE ‘A’ TO THE WORLD, ONLY YOU BABYYYYYY 😘” It is also worth mentioning Bieber did have health complications not too long ago. But, it is good to see the brotherly love.

What are your thoughts on Justin Bieber’s reason for not performing with USHER at Super Bowl LVIII? Do you think he will get the chance to do it at some point in his career again? Would he have been the best guest performer during the Halftime Show? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to tell us in the comments below. Additionally, keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Justin Bieber, USHER, and Super Bowl LVIII. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on around the worlds of music and sports.

Read More: Erykah Badu’s “Soft Dude” Super Bowl Tweet Offends Some, But She Doesn’t Care

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Justin Bieber Didn’t Join Usher At The Super Bowl Halftime Show, But He Thought It Was Fantastic

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Leading up to this past weekend, there were rumors that Justin Bieber would be at Super Bowl LVIII to join Usher for the halftime show. That turned out to be only half correct: Bieber went to the game, but he was there merely as a spectator and did not get on stage with Usher. As for what actually did happen on the field between halves, though, Bieber thought it was great, as he heaped praise on Usher after the performance.

Sharing a photo from Usher’s performance, Bieber wrote yesterday (February 12), “LOVE YOU MY BROTHER. NOONE CAN SING AND DANCE THE WAY YOU DO. LOVE YOU FROM THE DEPTHS OF MY HEART. BROUGHT THE ‘A’ TO THE WORLD, ONLY YOU BABYYYYYY [kissing emoji].”

According to TMZ, before the game, Usher reached out to Bieber and asked if he’d make a halftime show appearance. A Daily Mail report from October 2023, meanwhile, said, “[Usher] really wants to prove himself worthy of such an honor because he definitely sees that the excitement level for him doing it is not at an all-time high. He has asked some of his friends who are artists to help him out and join him on stage, and he has thrown a few ideas towards Justin.”

Plenty of non-Bieber guests did take the field alongside Usher, though, including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and Lil Jon.