The Coachella Music Festival 2026 ticks all the boxes of becoming one of the most unforgettable festivals of the year, with the first week ironing out its hiccups, antics, and other miscellaneous incidents. Week 2, so far, is a clear step up in quality and song selections from all the headlining artists.
During the first week’s opening, several milestones set the tone, from Sabrina Carpenter’s lavish set design to Justin Bieber’s minimalistic solo performance. The stages were also varied in mood and achievements, with moments like BINI’s monumental opening performance and the group’s unabashed showcase of Filipino pride at the Mojave stage, to Geese’s revered opening set that shocked the Coachella crowd with their brazen brand of indie rock. The list goes on for the first week, so what more now that the second week has established its dominance? These are the highs and lows of Coachella Weekend 2 so far.
Billie Eilish’s Dream Come True: high
While Bieber already had his moment of taking fans into a “journey” through a YouTube wormhole in the first week, he did it again in the second week with a slightly different setlist. He brought out rapper Big Sean for “As Long As You Love Me” and “No Pressure,” but the bigger surprise came when pop singer Billie Eilish climbed what felt like Mount Bieber, the concrete incline leading to the “One Less Lonely Girl” segment. Bieber embraced her from behind and serenaded her throughout the song, fulfilling every Belieber’s longtime dream.
Madonna Shouldn’t Be a Guest Only: low
Sabrina Carpenter’s Coachella set was one for the books, from its grand design to its dance numbers and guest appearances. But Week 2 delivered a bigger surprise when she brought out Madonna to the main stage. It also serves as a reminder that Madonna shouldn’t be an afterthought in a moment this big. She deserves another headlining slot of her own down the line.
The duo struck a pose with “Vogue” and introduced a new track tied to Confessions II. Madonna reflected on stage, “I have a few things I wanna get off my chest. Twenty years ago today, I performed at Coachella. I was in the dance tent, and it was the first time I performed Confessions on the Dance Floor Part One in America.”
Like no, Queen. You deserve to headline once again.
The Strokes’ Powerful Ender: high
Instead of doubling down on their usual onstage antics and rambling rants, The Strokes took aim at the U.S. government during Coachella weekend two, ending their set with a politically charged video montage. The band closed their main stage performance on Saturday night with their 2016 song “Oblivius,” as imagery played behind them referencing alleged CIA-backed regime changes, the death of Martin Luther King Jr., and bombings in Gaza and Iran. The video depicted a sequence of world leaders it suggested were overthrown by the CIA. The set ended with Julian Casablancas dropping the mic as the band walked off to cheers from the crowd.
Sombr Still Lacking in Star Power: low
While Sombr worked the stage alongside Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, who had never stepped foot on the Coachella stage with his band in the ‘90s, there’s still a lot of room for growth in terms of star power. His prediction, “See you back here when I fucking headline,” feels far-fetched for now. The “back to friends” hitmaker shows flashes of potential, especially in a cover of Radiohead’s “Fake Plastic Trees” backed by a roaring band, but the overall set struggles to match that level. There’s still a gap between where he is and the presence of the artists he looks up to.
