FRISCO, TX — In times when the world is often divided, one thing society can agree on is that music brings people together. Annually, people from all over the country come together to celebrate music at Coachella, one of the largest music festivals in the United States.
Coachella, formally known as the “Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival,” is hosted over two consecutive 3-day weekends in Indio, California. Founded by Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen, it was first held in 1999, a few months after the Woodstock disaster resulting in the failure of the first Coachella. However, the festival returned one year later, completely reworked, and was much more successful. Since then, Coachella has returned every April and has continued to grow in popularity.
In the world of music, Coachella can serve as a critical part of an artist’s career: a make-it or break-it moment. For rising artists, it’s a stepping stone to reaching a wider audience. For example, the British girl group “FLO” performed at last year’s Coachella for one of their biggest American audiences yet. For others, it can be the push they need to achieve superstardom; Sabrina Carpenter is a prime example of this, debuting her career-changing single “Espresso” at Coachella 2024. For larger artists, it’s a chance to display personal artistry and put together an incredible performance. In 2018, Beyoncé put together a historic Coachella performance. As the first black woman to headline Coachella, her performances celebrated black culture and is widely considered to be one of the best Coachella shows ever.
Senior Connor Malloy shared, “Benson Boone performed Bohemian Rhapsody, and I was super interested cause it’s kinda controversial to be performing that song since Freddie Mercury is kind of like a G.O.A.T. you know and his voice is super iconic, so that was probably my favorite to watch especially since they brought out the actual guitar player from Queen, Brian May.”
Fashion is another huge part of Coachella culture, with many going all out regardless of the hot California desert weather. Many attendees plan their outfits months in advance for each day of the event. Coachella fashion is always evolving and adjusting to the trends of the year. While Coachella fashion was originally more modest, over the years, the style has become more outgoing.
At the event, it’s common to see statement bags, crochet clothes, fringe-layered clothing, bright makeup looks, and more, all in one space. Celebrities such as Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Vanessa Hudgens, and Paris Hilton are considered icons in terms of Coachella fashion. Social media influencers such as Charli D’Amelio, James Charles, and Alix Earle are taking the fashion reins as we enter a TikTok-heavy age. However, while the influx of influencer invites hasn’t only changed Coachella’s style, it’s also led to a shift in the overall experience.
During weekend one, it became apparent through social media that problems were popping up at the event. Most attendees experienced incredibly long wait times and terrible traffic to enter the festival, especially those who were staying on-site. For campers, the bathroom and shower lines were egregious, and any food or drink items were at least $15. Holistically, attendees are paying anywhere from $600 – $1500 for tickets, and this doesn’t even factor in travel and food, leading many to question whether or not the experience is worth it.
There’s long-standing discourse about whether weekend one or weekend two is more ideal, with many believing that weekend one is for those there for the photos and aesthetic, while weekend two is for the true music lovers. It’s not uncommon to see artists struggling to engage with crowds during weekend one due to a lack of interest and presence at the show. The genre of music highlighted has also changed from being more electronic to having more big pop names headlining, which has impacted the crowd drawn to the event.
Although it’s an annual celebration of music and festival culture, Coachella is not immune to the consequences of poor planning and oversaturation. Coachella fans can only hope for changes to be made in the months leading up to the event to make the festival an incredible experience again for all.
