Justin Bieber headlines Coachella with nostalgia-fuelled set
Justin Bieber headlines Coachella with nostalgia-fuelled set
At Coachella, Justin Bieber delivered a performance that blended past and present, drawing on his early career to captivate the audience. The 32-year-old took the stage on a simplified setup, using a laptop to project music videos of his older hits like “Baby” and “Never Say Never,” seemingly paying homage to the platform that launched his career.
Bieber also shared home videos from his teenage years, highlighting moments that marked his rise in the industry. These clips were displayed on the main screen, and the artist appeared to engage with live comments on the YouTube stream of his set. This approach underscored a thematic nod to his origins, creating a unique atmosphere for the concert.
“It’s not clocking to you, I’m standing on business.” – Justin Bieber
Following the cancellation of his Justice world tour in 2023 due to health complications, Bieber’s Coachella show represented his most significant live appearance in four years. The performance opened with solo tracks from his 2025 albums *Swag* and *Swag II*, before transitioning into a reflective journey through his earlier work. He repeatedly prompted the crowd with the question: “How far back do you go?”
The event featured collaborations with artists such as The Kid Laroi, Wizkid, Tems, and Dijon. Hailey Bieber, his wife, was seen in the audience, joining other celebrities like Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner. Bieber had previously revealed his diagnosis with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a condition linked to shingles, which led to facial paralysis and the suspension of his tour.
Coachella, held over two weekends in the California desert, continues to attract over 100,000 attendees daily. The festival has been hosted at the Empire Polo Club in Indio since 2002. Bieber’s set contrasted with the preceding night’s performance by Sabrina Carpenter, which featured Hollywood-inspired staging, costumes, and choreography. Karol G will take the stage on Sunday, concluding the event’s lineup.