Coachella returns for first festival in three years

Photo Courtesy of USA Today

The three-day dusty music festival in Indio, California, Coachella came back stronger than ever with an immaculate lineup featuring Harry Styles, Phoebe Bridgers, Bishop Briggs, Princess Nokia, Billie Eilish, 21 Savage, Conan Gray, Doja Cat, Måneskin, Orville Peck and many more. 

The last year Coachella was held was in 2019, and approximately 152,962 people were in attendance. This year, over 100,000 people were at Harry Styles’ night one headliner performance. Styles performed many hits from his Love on Tour concert set, but he also added in new surprises when he took the desert stage at 11:35 p.m. PST. Shania Twain joined Styles on stage performing “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” and “Still the One.” Prior to performing with Twain, Styles told the crowd, “In the car with my mother as a child, this woman taught me to sing.” 

For his Coachella audience, Styles premiered two new songs from his album “Harry’s House,” which will be out May 20, including “Boyfriends” and “Late Night Talking.” Both songs have blown up on the internet already, with millions of TikTok audios featuring lyrics to the songs, especially his introduction to “Boyfriends” live at Coachella when he said, “To boyfriends everywhere, f— you.”

The rest of the 2022 Coachella lineup put on incredible performances that, while not garnering as large a crowd as Harry Styles, still were magnificent. Many performers included special songs in their Coachella setlist, like Måneskin’s cover of Britney Spears’ “Womanizer,” Phoebe Bridgers’ duet with Arlo Parks, Damon Albarn joining Billie Eilish onstage and Doja Cat bringing Tyga and Rico Nasty to perform with her. 

Gucci was the prominent clothing line seen among performers at Coachella, with artists like Harry Styles, Måneskin and Phoebe Bridgers sporting the brand. Styles embodied the 70s in a David Bowie-esque jumpsuit, while Måneskin were decked out in all leather, like the classic rock band they are. Coachella attendees were largely dressed in their best festival fits, featuring looks from Revolve, especially for the Revolve Festival, happening at the same time as Coachella.

With all the visitors to the Coachella Valley, COVID-19 cases increased by 77% after the first weekend. The Desert Sun reported the increase, along with the latest report from the Palm Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant highlighting an 87.3% detection rate of the Omicron subvariant, BA.2, in samples from a couple days prior to the festival start on Thursday, April 14.

Despite all the glitz and glamor surrounding the world class music festival, attendees agree it is largely overrated for the ticket price, which ranged from $429 to $999 for more exclusive access. Insider recently published a review of Coachella by one of their music reporters, who left the first weekend feeling a sense of lackluster. Their most notable critique of the festival was the cost and “apathetic and talkative crowds” disrupting the concert experience. Arguably, the overwhelming talent featured at the festival is worth the steep price attendees pay to experience the over 167 musicians playing at the festival.