From Bieber’s ‘Baby’ Throwback to Carpenter’s Spectacle: Coachella 2026’s Biggest Moments

Coachella 2026, the festival's 25th edition, lived up to its landmark billing.

Headlined by Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Karol G, the California desert became the setting for some of the most talked-about pop moments of the year.

From comedic celebrity cameos to nostalgia-fuelled singalongs and explosive rock sets, Coachella 2026 reaffirmed its status as the cultural centrepiece of the global festival calendar.

Here are the five best moments from the weekend.

Sabrina Carpenter Turned Her Headline Set Into a Five-Act Spectacle

Sabrina Carpenter's first-ever Coachella headline performance was an elaborate, theatrical production on April 10.

The pop star delivered a five-act immersive set featuring theatrical costume changes, a short film narrated by Sam Elliott, and surprise guest appearances by Will Ferrell and Susan Sarandon.

Reportedly, Ferrell arrived on stage as a handyman dispatched to fix a short circuit, drawing one of the biggest laughs of the night.

Justin Bieber's "Baby" Moment Stopped the Entire Festival

Headlining the second day, Justin Bieber reportedly delivered his first-ever Coachella headline performance after being paid a record fee of $10 million for the appearance.

He led the crowd through nostalgic singalongs to early hits including "Baby," "Never Say Never," and "That Should Be Me," generating one of the most viral moments of the festival weekend.

He revisited the home videos that first drew the industry’s attention to him at the age of 12, screening them on the big screen while appearing to engage with live comments from the YouTube stream of his set.

Jack White's Best-Of Rock Set Reminded Everyone Who the Legends Are

Jack White delivered an explosive, guitar-driven set that felt like a comprehensive career retrospective.

Highlights included "Fell in Love With a Girl," "Steady as She Goes," and a mosh-pit-generating closer in "Seven Nation Army," with Billboard describing it as among the most captivating performances of the weekend.

KATSEYE's Coachella Debut Turned Into a Full K-Pop Takeover

The K-pop group's Coachella debut on April 10 became a landmark moment when members of Huntr/X from K-Pop Demon Hunters made a surprise appearance to perform their Oscar-winning song "Golden" alongside the group.

The combined eight-member performance on the Sahara Stage was a genuine showstopper.

Royel Otis Packed the Mojave Tent for a Sold-Out Sunset Set

Australian indie-pop duo Royel Otis drew massive crowds to the Mojave tent for their first-ever Coachella performance.

According to Teen Vogue, their set included a crowd-favourite cover of "Murder on the Dancefloor," making them one of the breakthrough acts of the entire festival weekend.

Coachella 2026 has set a formidable benchmark. With Weekend 2 still ahead, expectations are already running high.

(With inputs from yMedia)