Coachella Recap: Latino Acts Dominate as Swift Makes Surprise Appearance
Weekend Takeaways
Coachella’s first weekend showcased buzzy guest appearances, a diverse slate of Latino acts, and an indie rock revival, along with the premier desert festival’s signature fashion — a heavy dose of Americana.
Latin Pride
This year’s edition of Coachella was distinctly dominated by Latin American acts from a mix of countries and a diverse range of genres. The festival’s Latin representation has significantly grown in recent years and the strong showing in 2024 underscored the continued dominance of Latin music on global charts.
Notably, last year’s Coachella made history with Bad Bunny becoming the first-ever Spanish-language headliner. In 2024, surprises were aplenty as Argentina’s star producer Bizarrap brought out collaborator Shakira, while Mexico’s very own Peso Pluma showcased his unique blend of regional Mexican ballads, Latin rap, and reggaeton on the main stage.
Further Latin representation came from Puerto Rico’s Young Miko, Cuba’s Cimafunk, Ecuador’s Hermanos Gutierrez, as well as Mexican artists like Son Rompe Pera, Carin Leon, and Girl Ultra, making the festival a true celebration of Latin music.
To top off the Latin flair, J Balvin surprised the crowd by bringing out Hollywood superstar Will Smith, who performed the iconic “Men In Black” theme donning dark glasses and a suit.
Swift Spotted
Ahead of Coachella, rumors swirled about a potential appearance by Taylor Swift, particularly because of her recent collaborations with Lana Del Rey, Jack Antonoff, and Ice Spice. While Swift didn’t perform, she showed up at the festival to enjoy the performances of rock band Bleachers, fronted by her longtime producer Jack Antonoff, and Bronx rapper Ice Spice from the VIP section. Swift was spotted twirling, swaying, and sharing kisses with her beau Travis Kelce, NFL tight end and Super Bowl champion.
Swift, who remains a subject of immense public interest, wasn’t the only notable celebrity spotted at Coachella. Billie Eilish turned heads with her own surprise performance and made an appearance during Tyler, The Creator’s headlining set. Other notable cameos included Ke$ha and Katy Perry.
88rising Showcase
The second-time special showcase by music and media company 88rising, known for its promotion of Asian American artists, was a resounding success. Performances included J-pop groups Yoasobi, ATARASHII GAKKO!, and Number_i, Japanese hip-hop artist Awich, Korean-American rapper Tiger JK, Chinese pop star Xin Lu, Korean rapper Yoonmirae, and the virtual appearance of Japan’s famed singer Hatsune Miku, who attracted a crowd of screaming fans.
Yoasobi and ATARASHII GAKKO! also performed their own sets, ensuring an unforgettable night for fans of Asian music.
Indie Rock Returns
Coachella’s Saturday lineup took festival-goers on a nostalgic ride to the 1990s. No Doubt, fronted by Gwen Stefani, performed together after 15 years and delivered a lengthy show featuring hits from the 1990s such as “Just a Girl” and “Don’t Speak.” Blur also graced the stage, along with a performance by Sublime, now fronted by Jakob Nowell, son of the late Brad Nowell, the band’s original frontman. Vampire Weekend, famous for hits like “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa,” surprised the crowd with a 15-minute honky tonk mash-up, featuring an appearance by Paris Hilton.
Assless Chaps, Rimless Glasses
Coachella 2024 witnessed the emergence of cowboycore as a fashion trend, with western hats, boots, fringe, studs, and vests capturing the spotlight. The Americana theme complemented the country-inspired music, popularized by artists like Beyonce with her countrified album.
Paying homage to 1990s punk and skater fashion, festival-goers embraced leather, plaid, and goth-lite lace, in line with the alt-rock nostalgia celebrated on stage.
True to Coachella’s fashion legacy, plenty of daring outfits were seen gracing the desert grounds. Sheer sheaths over bikinis, mesh over nipple covers, and string thongs peeking out from low-rise jeans paid homage to the early 2000s.
Another facet of the fashion throwback embraced eyewear trends of the yesteryears, with Coachella attendees donning rose-colored glasses in the wrap-around, rectangular, and rimless varieties.
