Few music festivals around the world have the level of notoriety and prominence as Coachella. Every year, the countdown to the festival’s two amazing weekends is on like clockwork – anticipating who in the lineup will erupt the desert with an iconic performance. This time around, Coachella 2025 didn’t just rise to the occasion – it electrified the legendary California music festival completely. Now that the dust has finally settled, here are the moments that we still can’t stop talking about.
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Lady Gaga Gags The Crowd With Her ‘Mayhem’
Mother Monster never gives less than 1000%, and her headlining set at Coachella 2025 was nothing short of a spellbinding spectacle. Leaning heavily into the themes of her latest album, ‘Mayhem,’ each act explored a different ‘face’ of chaos to create an operatic fever dream of strobes, statement silhouettes, and searing vocals. With twisted chessboard choreography during ‘Poker Face’, haunting ballads emerging from swirling fog, and costume reveals every five minutes, Lady Gaga didn’t just perform; she created her own Gaga world.
Jennie’s ‘Ruby’ Era Sparkles Under The Desert Sky
What’s fiercely red, rare, and radiates main pop-girl energy? Jennie. With a set highlighting her ‘Ruby’ era, her performance was polished, provocative, and effortlessly cool. The crowd lived for her sultry, seductive, and velvety duet with Kali Uchis on ‘Damn Right’ – showcasing her evolution from early Blackpink idol to global solo superstar. But the touchstone moment? When she asked the weekend two crowd to put their phones down for ‘Like JENNIE’, before diving into a commanding performance that had all of Coachella singing along just like Jennie.
Lisa Introduces Her Alter Egos
Lisa’s Alter Ego performance didn’t just take over the stage – it dissolved the physical world around it. Between the hyper-stylised visuals, immersive digital landscapes, and sculptural fashion, her set blurred the line between a Coachella set and a sci-fi cinematic universe. The staging was sharp, fashion-forward, and intensely personal, with nods to Lisa’s Thai heritage, pop culture, and high fashion. And Mama Manobal, fellow Blackpink member Rosé, plus the White Lotus cast cheering her on from the crowd? Iconic.
Charli XCX & The Brat Multiverse Say Goodbye To ‘Brat Summer’
We’re not sure which fanfic or crossover episode we’ve stumbled into, but that’s whatever Charli XCX just did. Her Brat era collided with Coachella in the most chaotic, delicious way possible – turning the California desert into an NYC club. The guest list alone sent fans into meltdown: Billie Eilish, Lorde (for that ‘girl, so confusing’ catwalk), Troye Sivan, and Addison Rae (performing her iconic ‘Von Dutch’ scream) all joined her onstage. But the real treat? Charli bid farewell to the notorious ‘Brat Summer’ with a big-screen montage announcing the start of some new Celine Song/Lorde/Haim/Ari Aster/Ethel Cain Summers. Raw, ravey, and riotous – it’s Charli, baby.
Benson Boone Channels Freddie Mercury
One of the most surprising and touching tributes of the weekend came from rising star Benson Boone, who delivered a spellbinding rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody’ – with none other than renowned astrophysicist and Queen guitarist Brian May himself joining him onstage. Dressed in a glittering jumpsuit à la Freddie, Boone captured the flamboyance and emotional weight of the original without slipping into impersonation. It was heartfelt, dramatic, and a beautiful homage to one of music’s most legendary voices – complete with a few signature Benson Boone Backflips.
Green Day’s Coachella Debut Is A Rallying Cry
More than two decades into their career, Green Day finally graced the Coachella stage – and made the moment count. Their set was high-energy, tight, and pointed, punctuated by a lyric switch during ‘American Idiot’ that replaced the original with “I’m not a part of a MAGA agenda.” But it wasn’t just about politics – it was a reminder of punk’s core ethos: to question, to push back, and to speak up. In a time when dissent can feel risky, Green Day’s performance was less about provocation and more about encouragement – a call to reclaim one’s voice, however loud or quiet it may be.
Megan Thee Stallion Brings Thee Heat
There are performers – and then there’s Megan Thee Stallion. Her Coachella 2025 set was a masterclass in stage presence and charisma. Flanked by surprise guests Queen Latifah, Ciara, and Victoria Monét, Megan delivered a blistering set that radiated confidence and command – that not even a faulty mic could silence during her ‘Mamushi’ performance. Without missing a beat, she glided through the moment like a true performer. Visually slick and energetically unruly, the performance was a reminder that Megan isn’t just in the conversation – she’s thee topic.
Marina Resurrects Electra Heart With Cuntissimo
Marina is more than familiar with the art of reinvention, and she brought her popstar life full circle at Coachella 2025. With the debut of her provocatively titled single ‘Cuntissimo’, she revived her iconic Electra Heart persona, reimagined for a sharper, more subversive era. The visuals were bubblegum dystopia: powder-pink lights, corseted silhouettes, and a voice that still cuts like glass. This wasn’t a nostalgia trip- it was a reclamation. With a wink to Tumblr-core past with a high-gloss edge, Marina reminds us that pop can be soft, satirical, and just a little bit savage.
Gustavo Dudamel & The Los Angeles Philharmonic Bring The Heavy-Hitters
Coachella 2025 wasn’t just rockstars and pop idols, also making their festival debut was the incredible Los Angeles Philharmonic led by Gustavo Dudamel. For two weekends, classical music and contemporary hits came together – with more than a little help by a star-studded lineup of musical guests. Jazz-pop rising star Laufey, Venezuelan duo Cat7riel and Paco, and even LL Cool J joined the stage for weekend one, while Dave Grohl, 2000s hitmaker Natasha Bedingfield, and the wickedly-talented Cynthia Erivo surprised the crowd for weekend two. Symphonic music commanding a stage at Coachella truly captured the thrill of live performance – embodied by Erivo’s magical rendition of the Prince hit ‘Purple Rain’.
Rachel Tang
Rachel Tang is the Social Media Manager and a contributing writer at Friday Club., where she combines her expertise in PR and Marketing with a passion for storytelling. She began writing for a media platform early in her career, which sparked a love for storytelling that still drives her work today. With a deep passion for fashion, music, and all things pretty, Rachel is always on the lookout for the next best thing – and she’s quick to rave about it to those around her.
