Acts We Can’t Wait to See

The Spanish singer had a breakthrough year in 2024, after releasing her haunting debut album Bodhiria. After showing her ability to mix sparse R&B, Spanish and Latin American traditions, and brisk beats, Judeline is ready to take her songs to a live setting. She’ll made her Coachella debut on Saturday, and likely enchant a new round of fans. —J.L.

Joe Keery made one of 2024’s biggest hits with “End of Beginning,” breaking 1.5 billion streams online (and counting.) Now, the singer-songwriter and Stranger Things star has followed up his viral success with his stellar LP, The Crux, ahead of his Coachella debut, filled with Seventies-inspired ballads and festival-ready singalongs tailor-made for an afternoon slot on-stage in the desert.

Headlining the Sonora Stage Saturday night is one of the most promising acts out of Mexico. Don’t expect corridos, look for the people perreando. El Malilla is leading a new generation of reggaeton Mexa artists soundtracking night clubs across the country. At Coachella, he’ll play some raunchy faves like “Vaquero” and “Dime.” —T.M.

Fresh off the release of debut album Hope Handwritten, the buzzy neo-soul singer is one of the artist-to-watch at this year’s festival. She’s already got at least one very famous fan on her team: President Barack Obama added her song “All My Girls Like to Fight” to his annual favorite songs list back in 2020.

Following her massively viral hit “Messy,” the South London star — and one of our Future 25 artists — Lola Young might hit the Coachella stage earlier on the first day of the festival, but there’s a good chance it will be one of the most-packed crowds of the afternoon. “I think that’s the whole purpose of why I make music, is to make people feel like they belong somewhere,” she previously told Rolling Stone about her art. “That’s what I want people to feel. I understand them, and millions of other people do, too.” —J.L.

Música mexicana is back at the main stage for the fourth year in a row. Junior H is joining a cohort of Mexican stars, including Grupo Firme, Becky G, and Peso Pluma, who have played the Coachella stage in the past. Junior is set to bring his Sad Boyz agenda to the desert for what’s sure to be a charcheta-backed, energy-filled performance of Mexican star’s biggest hits. And maybe a special guest? —T.M.

Fountain Babychella?? Amaarae is representing Ghana at Coachella, bringing her breakthrough album with her. After becoming Childish Gambino’s go-to collaborator on Bando Stone, the African star will bring a dance-filled set to the Gobi tent. Look out for “Angels in Tibet” and her remix of “Sad Girlz Luv Money,” featuring Kali Uchis. —T.M.

Hear ye, hear ye: Marina will be teaching a masterclass in being a heartbreaker at Coachella. The cult-favorite pop star returns after originally being listed for the canceled 2020 edition of the festival. This time, she’s in the midst of rolling out an album that has fans reminiscing on the Electra Heart and Family Jewels days. Expect the high-octane classics and her new single “Cuntissimo” sprinkled in. —T.M.

Though Travis Scott’s whole thing is being young, wild, at lit, with 15 years since his first mixtape, he’s also a veteran performer. Though his name exists in a odd spot on the iconic Coachella line up poster (in headline-size font with a smaller line noting he’ll “design the desert”), the plan is for Scott to perform on the festival’s Saturdays after Green Day, giving him a prime time slot to rage. The Palm Springs Desert Sun reports that “Travis Scott Designs the Desert” is a different offering — an immersive experience for fans to pass through. —M.C.

It’s been six years since Clairo first took the stage at Coachella. Now, Clairo will return with two new albums worth of material, and millions of more fans who will sing along to her twinkling melodies and vibe out to those moody “Juna” riffs. But will Clairo give those fans a “special surprise” similar to the one from Laneway festival where she brought out Charli XCX to sing the dreamy “Sofia?” We can only hope so. —M.G.

Coachella is adding a touch of Nashville a few weeks before Stagecoach. Shaboozey will rep country music at the cross-genre festival, playing an early mainstage set on Sunday that’s sure to leave you tipsy. The Nigerian American star follows in the footsteps of Carin León who played both Stagecoach and Coachella last year. Post Malone, who played Stagecoach last year, will be headlining this year’s Coachella. —T.M.

Green Day are gearing up for one hell of a festival debut — somehow, in their decades plus career, the California rockers have never performed on the iconic stage as a band (though frontman Billie Joe Armstrong did join the Replacements back in 2014.) Now, Green Day will unleash their riotous, punk rock fervor as Coachella headliners. Back in November, the band told Rolling Stone that festivalgoers should “bring your rage, your hope, and your loudest voice” as they promised to “have the time of our lives” even amidst the calamitous world. —M.G.

Expect a high energy honky-tonk set from Sunday evening headliner Post Malone, who is coming off a high-profile appearance at last month’s Houston Rodeo. His Coachella dates effectively serve as a kick-off to his summer of stadium touring with Jelly Roll and Sierra Ferrell, so expect a continuation of the country-leaning and cover-friendly sets he’s been playing for the past year or two, with a likely extra surprise or two for good measure. —J.L.

There. Will. Be. Flips. Benson Boone will bring his signature energy and his massive hits to the Coachella stage on Friday night — a prime slot ahead of Missy Elliott and Lady Gaga. ““I’m ready for this year,” the “Beautiful Things” hitmaker told Rolling Stone in a recent cover story. “I’m so rested, and my mind is so clear. It’s unbelievable.”—J.L.

T-Pain has stayed active this year, playing tons of shows and even finding time to release “Yippee-Ki-Yay,” a collaboration with Kesha. Now, the artist is heading to Coachella so that fans can relive some of the magic from his 2000s reign while also hearing what he’s up to now. He’ll play the main stage on Saturday, setting the tone for Charli XCX and Green Day. —J.L.

The Venezuelan electronic artist and producer has had a prolific couple of years, releasing back-to-back projects from her Kick series. Each edition proved just how deep her imagination goes, and fans at Coachella will get to see how she’s envisioning her music moving forward. The polymath takes the stage on Sunday, helping to close out the festival with what we can only expect to be tons of energy and originality. —J.L.

As her Coachella billboard teased: “Got Water?” With Tyla, expect a sweaty, sexy dance party as she takes over the Outdoor Theatre on Friday evening. The singer has given her debut album, Tyla, a second life thanks to her “Push 2 Start” remix featuring Sean Paul. Her Coachella performance will be her first set in the Americas since she played at Rock in Rio in Brazil last September. —T.M.

After dominating the music industry in 2024 as part of pop’s summer renaissance, Charli’s set is shaping up to be one of the most highly anticipated performances of the weekend. After all, who doesn’t want to hear club classics “Von Dutch” and “360” or do the “Apple” dance in a sweat-filled crowd of thousands? Between lime green lights and (hopefully) surprise guests, we can’t wait to see what the 365 party girl will bring to the stage this year. Either way, it will be undeniably Brat. —M.G.

The future-forward rap legend went on her first headlining tour last year. Now she’s ready to bring her Out of This World tour to Indio, CA. “A few aliens bout to show up,” she promised on Instagram. With a catalog of some of hip-hop’s most iconic and fun songs, her set is sure to be the talk of the desert all month. —B.S.

Lady Gaga’s last headlining stint at Coachella was a massive one: She was fresh off releasing Joanne and filming scenes from A Star Is Born on the festival grounds in between the two weekends. While there’s no movie in the works (that we know of) that will be filmed there, we do have the live debut of Mayhem to look forward to along with plenty of her classics across her whole discography. She’s said —B.S.