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Justin Bieber Headlines Coachella with Interactive, Solo-Focused Performance; Karol G Makes History

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Justin Bieber Headlines Coachella 2024 with Interactive, Minimalist Set

Justin Bieber performed as a headliner at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on Saturday, April 13, 2024. His set featured a minimalist stage design and incorporated an interactive element where audience members voted on the setlist in real time via YouTube comments, with corresponding music videos displayed on a large screen. The performance was Bieber's first billed appearance at the festival. Over the same weekend, Sabrina Carpenter headlined on Friday, and Karol G was scheduled to headline on Sunday, which would make her the first Latina artist to headline Coachella.

The Headlining Performance

Justin Bieber's headlining set on the Coachella Stage took place on Saturday night. According to multiple reports, Bieber negotiated his own performance deal for the festival.

A central element involved Bieber using a laptop to display YouTube's homepage and play music videos of his songs. The setlist for this segment was determined in real time by votes from YouTube commenters.

Performance Format and Content:

  • The stage production was minimal, featuring Bieber alone on a large stage for much of the performance.
  • The performance included songs from his recent albums, such as "First Place" and "All the Way," as well as older material.
  • During the video segment, Bieber sang along to archival footage of early career hits, including "Baby," "Favorite Girl," "That Should Be Me," "Beauty and a Beat," "Never Say Never," and his 2008 cover of "With You."
  • The set also included a segment with Bieber performing acoustic tracks accompanied by guitarists.
  • The performance concluded with several guest appearances. Artists joining Bieber on stage included:
    • The Kid Laroi for "Stay"
    • Dijon for "Devotion"
    • Tems for "I Think You're Special"
    • Wizkid for "Essence"
    • Mk.gee for "Daisies"
  • The set ended with a fireworks display.

Reported Compensation and Context:

  • Multiple sources reported Bieber was paid $10 million for the performance, which some reports stated would make him the highest-paid performer in the festival's history. This figure was not officially confirmed.
  • The performance was Bieber's first billed festival set in several years, following a period away from touring due to health issues. His last U.S. tour was in 2022.

Audience and Critical Reaction

Reaction to Bieber's performance was mixed, as reported by various media outlets and reflected in social media commentary.

  • Some critics and social media users described the performance with terms such as "lazy," a "snoozefest," and "the worst in festival history." Some contrasted its minimalist production with the elaborate staging of other festival acts.
  • Other commentators and fans defended the performance, characterizing it as an intimate, personal, or nostalgic moment for an artist returning to the stage. Some described it as "healing" or "made for the real OG beliebers."
  • Attendee Katy Perry commented during the set, "Thank god he has YouTube Premium, I don't wanna see no ads."
  • Swedish pop star Zara Larsson posted a video of herself watching the livestream with text stating, "It's giving let's smoke and watch YouTube." She later commented that she was not criticizing the performance and was "vibing."

Clarification on Catalog Sale Speculation

Following the performance, speculation arose in some media reports that Bieber's setlist—particularly the use of video snippets for older songs—might be related to his 2023 sale of his music catalog.

Background on the Sale:

  • In 2023, Justin Bieber sold 100% of his publishing rights and artist royalties from master recordings and neighboring rights for approximately 290 songs released before December 31, 2021. The catalog was sold to Hipgnosis Songs Capital, now called Recognition Music Rights.

"There are no restrictions on what he can or can't do in live performance." — A source familiar with the terms of Bieber's catalog deal to Billboard.

Statements Disputing the Speculation:

  • A source familiar with the terms told Billboard the speculation was "nonsense," noting Bieber performed around a dozen songs from the sold catalog at Coachella.
  • Legal experts also disputed the claim. Intellectual property attorney Daniel J. Schacht stated, "The Daily Mail is wrong about that. The sale of his music catalog did not prevent Bieber from performing his songs."

Other Notable Performances That Weekend

Friday, April 12:

  • Sabrina Carpenter headlined, performing a set of 20 songs. The performance included cameo appearances from actors Susan Sarandon, Will Ferrell, and Samuel L. Jackson.
  • The publication Variety described Sarandon's segment as "bizarre," while some fans on social media called it "iconic."

Sunday, April 14:

  • Karol G was scheduled to headline the festival. This performance would make her the first Latina artist to headline Coachella.

Second Weekend Performance

Bieber returned to headline the Coachella Stage for the festival's second weekend on Saturday, April 20. The set followed a similar structure, opening with newer material before a segment featuring older songs.

Guest Appearances (Weekend Two):

  • Bieber was joined by several guest artists, including:
    • SZA for a performance of "Snooze"
    • Sexyy Red for "Sweet Spot"
    • Big Sean for "As Long As You Love Me" and "No Pressure"
    • Billie Eilish for "One Less Lonely Girl"
  • Dijon again performed "Devotion."
  • Additional older songs performed included "U Smile" and "One Time." The set again closed with "Daisies."