State Champ Radio Coachella Music Festival
Kid Cudi is headed to Indio. The Coachella Festival announced on Tuesday (April 16) that Cudder will join the lineup for the second weekend of the fest on Sunday (April 21) for a 40-minute set at the Sahara Tent kicking off at 5:10 p.m. PT. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest […]
For the most part, day three of the opening weekend of the 2024 Coachella Festival was focused on a string of jaw-dropping surprise appearances by everyone from Justin Bieber to Kesha, Lauryn Hill and many more during a picture perfect Sunday of music and skin-baring cowboy chic.
But during her set, 2024 best new artist Grammy winner Victoria Monét injected some politics into the mix when she made a bold statement during her appearance at the Indio, CA fest. “Stop the wars, stop the hate, stop the genocides, stop motherf–ing hating,” Monét said from the stage according to fan video of the moment. “Live with love. Stop thinking so small. You need to be thinking big, b–ch. Think big, b–ch.”
Though Monét did not reference Israel, Gaza or the now seven-month-old war between the Jewish state and militant group Hamas, the singer has been a longtime vocal proponent of a ceasefire in Gaza. Following Hamas’ surprise Oct. 7 attack on Israel — in which more than 1,200 men, women and children were killed and sexually assaulted and more than 250 taken hostage — Israel unleashed a retaliatory wave of strikes on Gaza and the West Bank that Palestinian authorities have said has killed more than 33,000, many of them non-combatant women and children.
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Monét was one of the founders of the Artists 4 Ceasefire collective, which penned an open letter to Pres. Jo Biden in March urging him to call for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict; the letter was co-signed by dozens of fellow artists, including R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, Dua Lipa, Killer Mike, Drake, Jennifer Lopez, Quinta Brunson, Rooney Mara, Jeremy Allen White, Jon Batiste, Frank Ocean, Zayn and many more.
While Monét did not directly attribute her use of the term “genocide” to Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas, the government of hard-right Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced accusations that his country is participating in such an action in the wake of Israel’s devastating bombing campaign in the Palestinian territories. To date the war has resulted in the displacement of more nearly two million Palestinians, the destruction of more than 157,000 buildings in Gaza and an emerging food crisis that experts warn could result in widespread famine.
Last week, U.S. defense secretary Lloyd Austin told the Senate Armed Services Committee that “we don’t have any evidence of genocide being [committed]” by Israel in Gaza. In January, the top United Nations court ordered Israel to do everything it could to avoid acts of genocide in the war; Israel has repeatedly denied that it is acting with genocidal intent.
The issue has become a part of the American presidential campaign, with a chant of “Genocide Joe” favored by pro-Palestinian protesters getting adopted on Saturday by supporters of former president Donald Trump at his rally in Schnecksville, PA. After Trump once again offered his unconditional support for Israel just hours after Iran launched retaliatory drone and missile strikes against the country this weekend, the twice impeached one-term president responded to the “Genocide Joe” shouts from the crowd with the line, “They’re not wrong, they’re not wrong. He’s done everything wrong.”
Watch Monét’s call for peace below.
Kesha seriously turned heads when she made a surprise cameo during Reneé Rapp‘s set at Coachella, joining the Mean Girls star for a collaboration on her 2009 breakthrough hit, “Tik Tok.” The song that famously pays tribute to Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger (and partying very hard) opens with the iconic line “wake up in the mornin’ feelin’ like P Diddy.”
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But in the wake of a raft of allegations of sexual assault and abuse aimed at the Bad Boy Records founder (born Sean Combs) — whose homes in Miami and L.A were raided last month by officers with the Homeland Security bureau in connection with an ongoing federal sex trafficking investigation — Kesha subtly, but pointedly, tweaked the line from her Animals album.
“Wake up in the mornin’ like, ‘F— P. Diddy,’” Kesha sang alongside Rapp, with both pop stars tossing up a middle finger at the same time. Kesha doubled-down later in the night, tweeting out the line as well, just in case anyone missed the reference. In November, shortly after the first stories of Diddy’s alleged actions came to light, Kesha removed the rapper’s name from “Tik Tok” during a performance in Los Angeles.
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The lyrical lambasting was not lost on one of Diddy’s chief hip-hop mogul antagonists, 50 Cent, who has been relentlessly trolling the former Revolt boss over his legal issues in his signature snarky social posts. Above a video repost of the moment, 50 took yet another opportunity to poke at Diddy, writing, “LOL she said [middle finger emoji] Fvck P DIDDY, HAHAAHAHA [eyeball emoji] PUFFY LIKE 50 TOLD HER TO SAY THAT!”
Combs has kept a low profile since the mogul’s former girlfriend, singer Cassie, filed a lawsuit in November accusing the hip-hop entrepreneur of years of abuse and one accusation of rape. The lawsuit alleged that she had “endured over a decade of his violent behavior and disturbed demands,” including repeated beatings and forcing her to “engage in sex acts with male sex workers”; the suit was settled a day later. Diddy has denied any wrongdoing and in a social post after the Cassie settlement he lashed out at the “sickening allegations,” which his lawyer dubbed a “witch hunt.”
Diddy has also been accused of a “gang rape” of a teen in 2003 in a separate lawsuit, as well as sexual assault and sex trafficking in another lawsuit from music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones Jr.
In December, 50 said he was working on a documentary through his G-Unit Films division about the history of sexual misconduct allegations against Diddy, with 50 promising to donate proceeds to help victims of sexual assault. At press time there was no update on that project.
See 50’s post below.
While Sunday (April 14) was the coldest night of the first weekend of Coachella 2024 — with many attendees keeping warm by wrapping themselves in silver emergency blankets — you wouldn’t have known it by looking at Doja Cat. Closing out the festival as its Sunday night headliner, the rapper performed a lot of her […]
J Balvin‘s Coachella 2024 set on Sunday night (April 14) was nothing short of a spectacle, blending sci-fi visuals, infectious beats, and surprise guest appearances into an unforgettable experience for fans.
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Emerging from a brief hiatus since 2022, the Colombian superstar returned to the global stage with a bang, reminding everyone why he reigns as the king of Colombian reggaetón.
As the clock struck 8:30 p.m. Pacific time, Balvin took the stage amidst the eerie sight of a UFO hovering overhead, setting the tone for a night of otherworldly entertainment. Rocking cornrows and a Vetements leather jacket adorned with alien-like patches — and later changing to a sparkly stardust get-up — the Medellín native opened with his signature hit “Mi Gente,” instantly captivating the audience with his magnetic presence and electrifying energy.
Joined by collaborators Jowel & Randy and De La Ghetto, Balvin’s performance seamlessly blended old-school reggaetón vibes with futuristic EDM beats, keeping the crowd on their feet with hits recent hits like the Tainy-produced “Colmillo” and “Dientes.” But the night took a thrilling turn when Balvin surprised fans with a special appearance by none other than Will Smith, who delivered a nostalgic rendition of “Men In Black,” dressed as his iconic character from the movie.
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Throughout the night, Balvin’s stage presence and visuals were nothing short of awe-inspiring, backed by extraterrestrial visuals and dancers in costums, and even a mechanical space praying mantis adding to the sci-fi atmosphere. From his breakthrough hit “Ginza” to collaborations like “Con Altura,” the superstar showcased the breadth of his catalog, leaving fans lit with every song.
Taking a moment to express gratitude to his fans, he acknowledged the love and support that had fueled his journey back to the stage. “Y si el pueblo pide Reggaeton!” he shouted. As the night came to a close with “Qué Calor,” Balvin left the audience buzzing with excitement, proving once again why he’s one of Latin music’s biggest stars.
Other Latino artists performing at Coachella this year included Young Miko, Bizarrap, Santa Fe Klan, Ludmilla and Hermanos Gutierrez.
Watch the “Men In Black” moment below.
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Plus, highlights from LE SSERAFIM, Vampire Weekend, Bleachers, RAYE, Grimes, Michael Bibi & more.
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BLACKPINK made music-festival history during their Coachella 2019 performance as the first female K-pop group to play at the iconic festival. Four years later, the quartet set a new standard entirely with a headlining slot at the Indio, Calif., fest.
Alongside Bad Bunny and Frank Ocean, BLACKPINK reign as one of the three main headliners for Coachella 2023 and the main musical affair for day 2 of both festival weekends on Saturday, April 15 and 22. While 2019 saw the act less than three years into their journey together for their Coachella debut with two EPs, Jennie‘s “Solo” debut and a handful of singles, the BLACKPINK ladies now boast two full-length albums, solo music from each member and multiple world tours to draw on for experience.
Ahead of the meaningful moment this weekend, each BLACKPINK member reflected with Billboard about their first performance in 2019, their feelings about playing in the desert this time and more.
While Jennie wowed with her group and “Solo” performances at Coachella in 2019, the singer-rapper says her anticipation of returning to the festival stage surpasses any butterflies.
“We’re so excited and honored to be able to return to Coachella as headliners,” The Idol star says. “We had the best time in 2019 and can’t wait to experience the energy of the audience again. There are some nerves, but more than anything, we’re just ready to have fun.”
Rosé says she’s still coming to terms with the opportunity to come back as headliners but recalls how substantial their first performance was in fueling the quartet’s ambitions.
It feels absolutely unreal,” the “Gone” singer-songwriter says. “I think performing for Coachella in 2019 was a moment that really woke us up as BLACKPINK—to be motivated, to dream on and dream big. But we never expected anything as big as being the headliner of a festival we’ve all grown up admiring and hoping someday we could find ourselves in the crowd of.”
From left, Jennie, Rose, Lisa and Jisoo of BLACKPINK perform onstage during the 2019 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 12, 2019 in Indio, California.
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Fresh off her solo debut with “Flower,” Jisoo says with a laugh how “it’s always so happy to meet BLINKs up close” before adding, “2019 Coachella was full of fascination and excitement, but we have no clue how 2023 Coachella will be. We try all the time to show a new side of ourselves for each stage to repay the love from BLINKs. It is an honor to perform as a headliner for Coachella festival; we want to show our improvement as BLACKPINK on stage — and will — so, stay tuned.”
Despite the hundreds of thousands that attend Coachella, BLACKPINK’s youngest member Lisa says she’s sticking to the group’s mantra when approaching any performance, including anything unique for this weekend.
“Our motto is to enjoy every stage and moment, ‘as if it’s the last,’ [by] interacting with the audience by energy and doing our best while performing,” the “Money” superstar says while referencing a beloved BLACKPINK single from 2017. “We’re working hard on various performances for 2023 Coachella; look forward to it!”
While Rosé also wants to keep the focus on simply returning to the stage, she and her band mates know they must meet the moment. “We’re honestly just excited to be back at Coachella performing, period, but the deal here is—we’re headlining,” she explains. “We feel honored for this opportunity as much as we feel the immense responsibility. We’ll be bringing something fun to the table.”
After photographers snapped Jisoo and Lisa leaving for the U.S. from South Korea’s Incheon International Airport together earlier this week, the members have stayed relatively quiet – both from public view and on their social media – as they put in final preparations for Weekend 1.
Jisoo closes by saying, “Hope you enjoy 2023 Coachella with BLACKPINK,” before Jennie signs off with, “See you in the desert!”
Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK and Frank Ocean were announced as headliners for the 2023 iteration of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. The trio of acts are certainly history-making and, in the case of Ocean, long-anticipated, which makes it the perfect time to look back at Coachella’s many headliners throughout history.
Founded in 1999, the very first Coachella took place at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, Calif., with Beck, Tool and Rage Against the Machine topping the lineup. And for the next decade, the festival became a go-to destination for rock fans as the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, Radiohead, Coldplay and The Cure delivered memorable headlining sets from the California desert.
By the early 2010s, hip-hop heavyweights had become synonymous with the festival, with Jay-Z and Kanye West each dominating a headlining slot in, respectively, 2010 and 2011. The following year brought together an all-star show for hip-hop heads led by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, who were joined by special guests Eminem, 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa, Kendrick Lamar and a holograph of the late Tupac Shakur.
The tone of Coachella changed forever, though, in 2017 after Lady Gaga was named a headliner alongside Radiohead and Lamar. Mother Monster’s arrival to the Empire Polo Club attracted an entirely new type of festivalgoer, as Little Monsters flocked to the desert to witness a 90-minute spectacle that included hits across each of the superstar’s eras just months after she headlined the 2017 Super Bowl halftime show, as well as the debut of new song “The Cure” for the occasion.
The following spring, Beyoncé transformed Coachella into Beychella with a history-making set documented for her 2019 concert film Homecoming and its companion live album. In 2019, Ariana Grande took over for Arichella, even trotting out four-fifths of *NSYNC for a boy-band reunion years in the making. After being canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, Coachella came roaring back to life in 2022 thanks to headliners Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Swedish House Mafia with The Weeknd.
Click through Billboard‘s gallery of past Coachella headliners below.
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