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OK, it’s been over 24 hours since Coachella announced their lineup and we’re up thinking about it. We want to open up the floor for you to share your thoughts (safe space). Are you going to pull out of savings come Friday’s pre-sale? Who are you pissed isn’t included? Who are you delightfully surprised to see make the cut? We’ll kick it off, here are our thoughts on—
Who we're excited to see
The first and second tier of performers is spot on and undeniably timely. In terms of headliners, Bad Bunny is having a huge moment. Un Verano Sin Ti was one of the best albums of 2022, so it makes sense that he continues to tour and perform it. This is also a big look for reggaeton and Latin trap music. Plus, Blackpink and Rosalía have a track record of delivering vibrant and memorable performances, so we expect their takes on the Coachella stage will be nothing short of legendary.
Then there’s the return of Frank Ocean—the third weekend’s headliner and phenomena of the past decade; having only two studio albums to his name at 4 years apart, with the last being released in 2016 and a select batch of singles released since then. Of course, quality effortlessly overshadows quantity in this case and Frank has remained a cult favorite. Plus, his long-awaited comeback means the potential for new music to come out ahead of April, too, and I can hear squeals across America as I type those words out. A coworker who shall not be named joked that attending this Coachella for Frank just means opting to cry in the desert whilst surrounded by 75,000 other people. And… well, you know what? Sign us up.
Outside of the headliners, artists like Metro Boomin, Latto, GloRilla, Saba and Noname (who promised to unleash a new project soon), are a few of the other names we’re excited about. Furthermore, lesser known acts like Colombian polymath ¿Téo?, evocative French duo The Blaze, the ever-vulnerable IDK, young feminist powerhouse group The Linda Lindas and prom queen of our souls Sudan Archives, are some others, just to name a few.
What we're most surprised about
This doesn’t seem to be a big year for rap. When comparing the number of rappers on this year’s roster (16) to last year’s (19), the numbers aren’t too far off. With that being said, the rappers on the 2023 lineup are smaller acts in regards to popularity or seniority. Pusha-T, A Boogie, and $uicideboy$ are the only rap acts that are featured in the top rows. Although there seems to be a decrease in rap acts, the number of female rap acts seems to be up. Latto, Doechii, Flo Milli, Noname, and GloRilla were all booked for the festival. This is a particularly pleasant surprise because a lot of rap-centric festivals have been criticized for not booking enough women in the past.
What the lineup says about this moment in music
Coachella, as is the case with every other festival, doesn’t always get it right. But one thing they do hit the nail on the head with nearly every time on is being a reflection of the times. In this case, this lineup does a great job of capturing the essence of music listening tendencies on a wide scale. It’s a global, nostalgic and chaotic lineup—an amalgamation that knows no borders between continents nor genres. A Puerto Rican superstar, K-pop group phenomenon and timeless, beloved hometown great creates quite a lovely thread of headliners and is a reflection of our expanded palette heading into a new year.
Notable returns & come-ups
Frank swims atop this ocean of names with ease as the most conversation-starting return. We then have the likes of Pusha T, Kaytranada, Gorillaz, 070 Shake, Willow, Kali Uchis, and more returning to the Coachella stage as well, all hinting at potential releases over the next few weeks. And, as far as come-ups, this seems to be the year of the prima donna. It’s up for discussion, debate and examination on whether the genre was slighted as a whole. But, when it comes to what fans want, it seems like one of the most famous music festivals in the world is in accord – it’s the year of the rising woman rapper. That means seeing the likes of Latto, Flo Millo and GloRilla take the stage. And does that balance out the beam? Well, you tell us.