Like most people on the planet, my plummeting bank account and my aversion to sleeping in a tent, means that the closest I’ll ever get to the infamous Coachella Music Festival is through Emma Chamberlain’s vlogs. This festival originated in 1999 and takes place annually, with the exception of 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. This event attracts artists and music fans worldwide to California’s sunny Coachella Valley for three days of non-stop partying and performances. In recent years, it’s also become a social media influencer fashion show with people snapping photos and vlogging every moment. The much anticipated event is scheduled to resume in April of 2022, so let’s discuss the lineup of artists that had me wondering just how out of touch these organizers are.
Here’s the lineup for this year as released from the official website:
https://festivalhunt.com/coachella
Looking at this list, a few things stand out to me. The names in the largest font are the headliners – or the artists meant to be the big attraction for the day. While I think that Travis Scott and Frank Ocean are amazing artists, it doesn’t make sense that they would be the headliners compared to the other artists performing that day. On day three, doesn’t Lil Nas X, recently smashing records with his new album MONTERO deserve the headlining spot? Why is Doja Cat’s name in the fifth row, considering her album Planet Her along with her eccentric stage presence have made her a global sensation? Why is Calvin Harris’ name given prominence over Megan Thee Stallion? On day two, Girl in Red is listed towards the very bottom as if she’s an underground artist that won’t attract crowds. This list layout makes no sense.
Another thing that surprised me was the absence of Olivia Rodrigo’s name. The rising pop artist is sure to pull awards this year after the success of her album SOUR, but it appears a debut performance at Coachella won’t be one of them. Without any official statement from Rodrigo or the festival, all I have are my theories. Perhaps the contacts were made before Olivia’s album took the pop world by storm. Maybe a festival famous for scant clothing and drug use didn’t match her teenage artist image? Or maybe the organizers feared her presence would draw a much younger crowd to the valley, which would bring increased safety concerns.
Despite my confusion with this lineup and disappointment with the organizers, I will still refresh YouTube religiously when the festival happens. My personal favorites from this lineup are Lana Del Rey, Megan Thee Stallion, and of course, Doja Cat. Who are you excited to see take the stage?