Coachella 2023 has been historical, both for breaking barriers in the industry and for some of the most head spinning drama the festival has ever seen. From Frank Ocean to Elyanna, here’s everything that went down in the desert.
Industry Firsts
Four artists made history at Coachella, breaking barriers at the festival and making it a multicultural, multilingual event for all to enjoy. K-pop sensation band BLACKPINK made history as the first ever Korean act to headline Coachella, while Puerto Rican idol, Bad Bunny, became the first Latin Artist to headline the event, representing Latinos, Hispanics, and the Caribbean.
Diljit Dosanjh became the first Punjabi artist to perform at Coachella, representing his culture by wearing traditional dress like the Punjabi kurta and tamba. Elyanna, a Palestinian-Chilean singer, made history as the first ever to perform a set in only Arabic.
Benito’s Drama
The victory of Bad Bunny, known colloquially by fans as ‘Benito’, being the first Latin artist to headline Coachella was quick to draw controversy, as during his set, the on-screen stage displayed a tweet posted after the Grammy awards that read, “Goodnight benito could do as it was but harry could never do el apagon.” Fans of both were quick to react, calling it a “petty clapback” to Style’s win for album of the year with Harry’s House over Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti.
Following the aftermath, a rep for the artist told Rolling Stone that Bad Bunny had, in fact, not approved the image using the tweet, with the visual content company responsible for the tweet coming forward as having misinterpreted Benito’s request for the tweet.
During that same set, fans and audiences were quick to notice Kendall Jenner dancing in the crowd. Sightings of the model and singer have started rumors amongst Bad Bunny fans of a new relationship, which was all but confirmed when the pair were seen dancing together at the festival. Some fans have taken to social media to express their “disappointment” with Benito for associating with a Kardashian-Jenner, who have long been criticized as being “culture vultures.”
Shamila 2: Electric Boogaloo
Star-couple Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello broke up in 2021, with multiple sightings since of Mendes on outings with artists such as Sabrina Carpenter and Omar Apollo leading to rumors about possible new partners.
This past Coachella weekend, videos captured the two cozying up together and even sharing a passionate kiss. An alleged paparazzi clip depicts Camila, after being asked by someone off camera, confirming they are back together. However, neither Mendes or Cabello have released official statements about the status of their relationship. So, Shamila may or may not be back on?
Boygenius + The Linda Linda’s Speak Out
Boygenius returned to the stage for their first live performance since 2018, and with their festival set, members voiced their opinions on the recent controversies surrounding anti-LGBTQ policy in both Florida and Missouri.
Member Lucy Dacus said, “I don’t know if you’ve been checking the news and seeing what’s been going on in Florida and Missouri and some of the other places, but trans lives matter, trans kids matter. We’re gonna fight it. We love you.” Phoebe Bridgers added “And abortion rocks. And fuck Ron DeSantis.”
All-girl rock band, The Linda Lindas, also had choice words when it came to the recent legislation. Member Eloise Wong (whose microphone was the only of the groups to work amongst many of Coachella’s technical difficulties) had this to say when it came to the political state of the country: “There’s so much crap going on and this stuff is not fun. It needs to be talked about and we need to do something.”
Kali Uchis feat. Everyone, Apparently
Kali Uchis, fresh off of performing at Lollapalooza Brazil and her new album Red Moon in Venus, had a stellar set for fans, full of surprise guests like Tyler, the Creator, Omar Apollo, and her longtime lover, Don Toliver.
The Frank Ocean Set
It simply wouldn’t be a Coachella 2023 article without mentioning the elephant in the room, or would it be the elephant in the valley?
Frank Ocean’s highly anticipated return to the stage after six years had fans, both in person and via livestream, eager to see what the usually creative and mysterious musician had in store. However, the excitement would quickly dissolve for everyone involved, as the livestream was canceled three hours before Ocean’s set, which began an hour late.
According to a representative for Ocean, there were plans for the set to include an ice rink, skating performers dressed in Prada, remixed versions of his music, and over twenty songs for fans to sing along to. Allegedly, however, an ankle injury forced Ocean and the Coachella team to scrap the original set, leading to the delay and finished stage that fans then saw. As if the performance wasn’t doomed enough, Ocean had to cut the set short in order to abide by Indio City curfew.
Fans immediately took to social media to voice their opinions. Some defended Ocean, understanding the emotional ties Coachella has to his late brother, while others argued that the heavy emotions and injury were grounds for Ocean to pull out of the festival before getting fans hooked on the idea of his performance.
As of the writing of this article, Frank Ocean has officially pulled out of the second weekend of Coachella but no comment has been released as to whether or not he will perform at the last weekend of the festival.