Coachella 2026 took place over weekends April 10–12, and April 17-19 and was the event of a lifetime. The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is one of the most anticipated annual music festivals in the 21st century. This year, the top three most popular performers were Sabrina Carpenter, who staged a spectacular Hollywood themed set; Justin Bieber who kept it minimalistic, simple, and nostalgic, with hits from his early years; and Karol G who executed an empowering and breathtaking medley of her popular songs. Each of these performers brought out unexpected guests that added to their sets and shocked the audience. 

Sabrina Carpenter

Carpenter’s whole Coachella performance was inspired by Hollywood, while still combining it with her own brand. She called it “Sabrina-wood” and it was one of the most captivating set designs Coachella has ever seen. The stage contained all the aspects of the “old hollywood glamour” vibe on a stage in the middle of a dessert. The main runway of the stage was elaborately designed to look like the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Behind her, a huge “Sabrina-Wood” sign was displayed that looked almost identical to the real sign.

The most enchanting part of the whole set design was how it changed every couple of songs to tell a story. It started in the Hollywood mountains, where her sign was displayed, it then shifted to a hiking path for her hit song ‘Manchild’. Later, for “Please Please Please” the set became a vintage recording studio, then an 80’s dance studio, and she ended the performance in the Hollywood Blvd. She brought out many exciting guests throughout both weekends but the most notable surprise celebrities were Will Ferrell and Madonna. During weekend one, Will Ferrell came out as a handyman to fix an on stage power outage. Then, during the second weekend, she brought out Madonna and they performed “Vogue” as well as a brand new song, “Bring your Love”. Overall, Sabrina Carpenter’s Coachella performance was one that will be remembered for years to come. 

Justin Bieber 

Justin Bieber’s set differed greatly from Sabrina’s by delivering a performance that completely shifted the energy of the festival to a more sentimental, feel-good light. Bieber shocked the massive crowd as he walked onto the stage to perform his hit collaboration with Tems, “Essence.” Unlike Carpenter’s elaborate set changes, Bieber’s performance focused on connecting with the audience. Instead of sparkly designer outfits, he kept it casual in a backward cap and baggy clothes, letting the music say everything he needed.

His set was untraditional in more than just his outfit, though. Bieber sat on stage and scrolled through his old songs on youtube, leading him to perform songs he hadn’t sung live in years. His most shocking guest was Billie Eilish, who he performed a heart touching rendition of “One Less Lonely Girl” with. He also brought out SZA, Big Sean, and Sexyy Red. He had no intricate set design, hundreds of backup dancers, or outfit changes every song, but his stage presence hit the audience just as hard as Carpenter did. 

Karol G 

History was made on the final night of the festival when Karol G became the first Latina to ever headline Coachella! Her stage design was just as storytelling as Sabrina Carpenter’s, featuring a prehistoric theme that started with a huge cave that looked like something out of an ancient world. As the night went on, the set transformed into an enchanting vibrant jungle and eventually a shallow pool of water. In this pool, Karol G performed a dance routine so vigorous and high energy that it seems impossible to do after singing so much, but she executed the routine perfectly.

Karol G used her platform to highlight her roots, even bringing out an all female mariachi band to perform alongside her. Her guests were just as impressive as the other stars, she brought out huge celebrities like Becky G, Peso Pluma, and even a surprise appearance by J Balvin. She ended the night waving the Colombian flag, inspiring Latinas all over the world.