At this year’s Coachella, Filipino talent took center stage in a historic showcase of alternative music’s biggest stages. From K-pop’s ENHYPEN polished spectacle to Wisp’s shoegaze raw intimacy, Asian artists dominated the festival, with Filipino musicians such as Beabadoobee, underscores and Eyedress in particular carving out space for their unique cultural hybridity.
Filipino-British Beabadoobee returned for her second Coachella appearance, claiming a golden-hour slot with a set that balanced wistful vulnerability and riotous energy. Tracks like “Cologne” and “The Perfect Pair” floated on dream-pop guitars, while “Take a Bite“ and “She Plays Bass” erupted with ‘90s-inspired grunge fervor; a testament to how seamlessly she bridges her British upbringing and Filipino roots through music.
Meanwhile, Filipino-American Eyedress delivered lo-fi surrealism. His post-punk set featuring “Let’s Skip to the Wedding,” “Jealous,” and “I Don’t Want To Be Your Friend” transformed the desert into a hazy, reverb-drenched dreamscape, proving that their own brand of post-punk translates effectively to big stages.
The breakout moment, however, belonged to underscores, the electropop innovator whose hyperpop-to-indietronica evolution reached new heights. Performing cuts from Wallsocket and Fishmonger like the glitchy “Cops and Robbers” and sardonic “Spoiled Little Brat,” they became the first Filipino artist to represent hyperpop’s avant-garde at Coachella, a milestone for a genre often dismissed as “internet music.”
This year’s performances build on a growing legacy: no rome, who became the first Filipino Coachella act in 2019, paved the way, but 2024 marks a tipping point where multiple Filipino artists, across multiple genres, prove their sound belongs on music’s biggest platform. As Coachella’s second weekend approaches, one thing is clear: the world is finally catching up to what Filipino artists have always known.It’s the future.
Coachella will return for a second weekend from April 18 to 20, live streaming will be available on the official Coachella YouTube page.
