MACKENZIE SMITH / CONTRIBUTOR

Coachella Valley Music and Arts  Festival  is  one of the world’s most influential music festivals. Held in Indio, California, and spanning two weekends each April, the festival features a diverse lineup of artists — including rock, pop, hip hop, indie and electronic genres. This year, the festival featured many popular artists including Sabrina Carpenter, The Strokes, Laufey and the much anticipated headliner, Justin Bieber. 

Coachella marked a significant moment in Bieber’s career, signaling a return to the stage after several years away from major live shows. Prior to his Coachella debut, Bieber had only performed at a private show in Los Angeles on March 29, 2026, making this his first major concert since canceling the Justice World Tour in 2022. 

Bieber delivered a unique set during weekend one. Rather than the extravagant, theatrical performances he is typically known for, his set was notably more laid back. While it lacked flashy  production,  Bieber  guided the audience through different eras of his career. He opened with a long stretch of music from his latest album before bringing out The Kid LAROI to perform their hit “STAY.” 

The entire set shifted when he sat down and pulled up YouTube. He played his old music videos and sang along with his younger self — karaoke style. This portion of the show featured many of his most popular hits including “Baby,” “Never Say Never” and “Beauty and a Beat.” He went on to pull up his old YouTube covers of “With You” by Chris Brown and “So Sick” by NeYo. The videos reflected their age, equipped with poor lighting and grainy quality.

After a pre-programmed Wi-Fi dropout, the focus switched to pop-culture references: old videos including Bieber walking into a glass door, falling through a stage floor and a more recent rant about paparazzi. Finally, he returned to his newer music, bringing out Dijon for “DEVOTION” and Tems and WizKid for “Essence.” He ended his set with “Daisies” bringing out Mk.gee to play guitar. 

USD junior Devin Washington attended Coachella and shared her opinions on his performance.

“As a   fan   of   Justin  Bieber since I was young, it was great seeing him smile and actually perform for himself, not just the audience,” Washington commented. “I feel like he radiated genuine authenticity and emotion.”

During weekend two, Bieber continued with his more casual performance while also adding new elements. He brought out a variety of guests including Billie Eilish for “One Less Lonely Girl,” SZA for “Snooze,” Sexyy Red for “Sweet Spot” and Big Sean for “As Long As You Love Me.”

USD senior Hasan Iqbal commented on Bieber’s performance   and   his special guests.

“I tuned in to the livestream and saw one of my favorite artists, [Mk.gee], close the show with him,” Iqbal said. “I was sad I couldn’t be there but I was happy to see it.”

Following the performance, clips quickly circled online, prompting widespread discussion between fans and critics. Many of the attendees and those online had mixed reactions, with some saying the performance felt unconventional for a headlining set, while others appreciated the creativity and personal tone. 

Bieber’s performance has frequently been compared to Sabrina Carpenter’s show who included more theatrical elements, including elaborate stage designs and shifting set pieces, even bringing out Will Ferrell and Madonna. However, despite her elaborate performances, it seems as though some Toreros were still more excited to see Bieber.

USD student Kaia Farres watched both Carpenter’s and Bieber’s performances during weekend one. 

“I was underwhelmed by Sabrina’s performance, but I’m a little biased being a Justin fan,” Farres said. “I felt that  [Carpenter’s performance]  was very overproduced  with not   much reason for that and  I liked Justin’s rawness  in  his   set  and the   references to starting from YouTube.”

USD first-year Emily Dohrman disagreed with this statement. 

“I thought the lineup this year has such a wide variety of music, and there was something there for everyone,” Dohrman said. “Even though I know a lot of people were excited for Justin, I think there were also so many other artists’ sets that deserve the same amount of attention.” 

In two weekends full of standout performances, it seems as though Bieber’s performance stood out among the Toreros for its simplicity and nostalgia, contrasting the large over the top performances that Coachella is  typically known for.

Justin Bieber performing at 2026 Coachella. Photo courtesy @lilbieber/Instagram