The 10 Most Exciting Acts Worth The Trip To Coachella
It’s lit.
Live music enthusiasts, rejoice. Music festival season is on the horizon, and Coachella teased the exciting April dates with their 2023 lineup. On Jan. 10, the acclaimed three-day, two-weekend festival released their roster of performers on Instagram and Twitter, which includes headliners Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK, and Frank Ocean. Those three names are hard hitters alone; however, Coachella 2023 — set for the weekends of April 14 and April 21 — has even more in store.
Second-liners of the festival include artists like Rosalía, Charli XCX, Björk, and Rae Sremmurd to name a few. (For more acts, see the full lineup here.) Calvin Harris will also occupy the “returning to the desert” spot. For context, this means Harris will be closing out Coachella this year, similar to how Swedish House Mafia ended last year’s festival alongside The Weeknd. However, it’s not yet known if he will be performing at the same time as Sunday night’s headliner.
This year’s lineup is global, jam-packed, and impressively historic, so it might be a bit overwhelming to figure out what artist to see. Sure, general admission weekend passes start at $499; however, these 10 acts are worth shelving out the big bucks for.
01Bad Bunny
Performance Day: Day 1
Despite Bad Bunny saying he’s taking a break this year, the Latin artist is heading back to the stage. He’s set to headline Day 1 of Coachella, which arms some other incredible acts. Bad Bunny is arguably the biggest Latin pop artist out right now, and his consistently sold-out 2022 tour (El Ultimo Tour Del Mundo) is proof of that. If he can pack stadiums worldwide, imagine what the Empire Polo Grounds will look like.
02BLACKPINK
Performance Day: Day 2
BLACKPINK is back in Coachella’s area to make history. You know, just their usual forte. The Born Pink stars will headline Day 2 of the festival, marking them as the first K-pop girl group to headline the main stage. They initially became the first-ever K-pop band to perform at Coachella in 2019; however, they’ve now broken their own historic record with this new headliner title. Alexa, play “Pink Venom” on an endless loop.
03Charli XCX
Performance Day: Day 2
In her usual iconic behavior, Charli XCX is crashing Coachella this year. The star will grace the stage on Day 2, so be prepared to hear some gritty pop synths. Or better yet, learn the steamy choreography from her “Hot In It” music video, just in case she needs an extra dancer to join her on stage.
04Latto
Performance Day: Day 3
The self-proclaimed Queen of the South is heading to Coachella. Latto will perform on Day 3 of the festival, which takes place on Apr. 16 and 22. Sonically, the rapper has had quite a year with her infectious BDE jingle, “Big Energy,” so it wouldn’t be surprising if she brought that aura to the valley.
05Flo Milli
Performance Day: Day 2
Though Flo Milli released her debut album, You Still Here, Ho?, in July 2022, it’s still her season. The rapper, whose visually been in her early-aughts, It girl bag lately, will perform on Day 2 of the festival.
06Frank Ocean
Performance Day: Day 3
Frank Ocean is a rare, enigmatic gem. The singer seldom performs live, which only adds to the haunting mystery surrounding his artistry. Now, Frank’s finally ending his live show drought by headlining Day 3 of Coachella. Fans lit up with excitement from the news, especially since this moment has been approaching for some time. The Blonde singer was scheduled to headline the festival in 2020, but it was postponed due to the pandemic, according to Pitchfork.
07KAYTRANADA
Performance Day: Day 1
With Coachella boasting an eclectic roster of artists, attendees are sure to hear some fire music. Enter KAYTRANADA, a sonic maestro whose discography sizzles with dance music bops. Honestly, the thought of him mixing his 2019 Bubba album (especially “Worst In Me” featuring Tinashe) in the desert sounds like a dream.
08Remi Wolf
Performance Day: Day 2
Remi Wolf was meant for a blaring festival. The singer, who released her debut album Juno in October 2022, has a knack for cooing succinct lyrics over funk, pop, and rock arrangements. Not to mention, delivering some bad-ass dance moves while performing live. That sonic recipe thrives in an environment like Coachella, so be sure to keep an eye out for her set.
09Rosalía
Performance Day: Day 2
It’s time to channel your inner Motomami in the desert. As Rosalía told Billboard in March 2022, anyone can be a Motomami because it’s about “energy” and “the way you feel.” Honestly, that sounds like the perfect muse for a festival weekend. Rosalía is a second-liner for Coachella’s Day 2 set. Though some would argue the “Saoko” singer has enough musical prowess to be a headliner, just the idea of her still gracing the Coachella stage is a moment.
10SG Lewis
Performance Day: Day 1
English musician and producer SG Lewis will perform on Day 1 of the festival. Serving as one of the U.K.’s most flavorful and in-demand pop producers, Lewis has worked with acts like Elton John and Dua Lipa. Does Dua’s Future Nostalgia track, “Hallucinate,” ring a bell?
This article was originally published on
