It’s finally time for music fans and celebrities to participate in the biggest music festival in the country: Coachella 2023. Coachella is an annual music event that highlights artists from all around the world, bringing people together through the complexity of music and art. Coachella 2023 is taking place from April 14-16 and 21-23, when guests gather in Indio, California, to see performances over two weekends. 

The line-up of performers for Coachella 2023 has been finalized, and guests are ecstatic to see their favorite artists’ extravagant performances. Since the lineup’s finalization, the public has since determined a major theme of Coachella 2023: diversity. 

“I think the whole idea of a festival with multiple artists that people can enjoy is great, especially because all the performances are consecutive,” Olympic Heights sophomore Valentina Ricart commented.

On the first Friday of the festival, Bad Bunny is set to open the stage with classic Reggaeton, followed by Metro Boomin and Becky G. After being noted as Spotify’s most listened-to artist of 2022, Bad Bunny is now the first Latin American and Spanish-speaking artist to headline Coachella. Many international fans are incredibly excited to witness this kind of cultural inclusivity, especially when non-American artists are not usually showcased in such large-scale events. 

Additionally, during the April 15 and 22 performances, BLACKPINK, a South Korean girl group, is in-line for the opening performance. This is considered a big deal for K-pop fans, as South Korean artists are now gaining publicity in other countries as well. In fact, BLACKPINK became the first all-female K-pop group to perform at the festival during their performance at Coachella 2019. BLACKPINK is expected to hit the stage with their second album, Born Pink. 

Continuing the theme of musical and cultural diversity, Rosalía, a Spanish singer-songwriter, is expected to perform shortly after BLACKPINK’s performance.

During the April 16 and  23 performances, African-American singer-songwriter Frank Ocean is set to have a comeback to his music career. There have been circulating rumors that Ocean plans to release new music during his performance at the festival this year. 

“I’m excited to see artists with new albums perform because it’s something nobody’s ever seen before,” OH sophomore Sam Hurwitz explained.  Although Ocean made his Coachella debut in 2012, the 2020 festival was canceled due to the Covid pandemic. Consequently, Ocean’s millions of worldwide fans are itching to hear him perform again. 

The idea of cultural representation is not a new concept in the world of social media and celebrity events. For example, many brands have included people of different races in their campaigns, and social media platforms have made improvements to their showcasing of influencers representing minority groups. 

Coachella, in particular, has made it clear that the main goal of the music festival is to bring people together from all over the world. In fact, the “Community” section on the official Coachella website includes an overview of Coachella’s mission statements, including the statement “Let’s come together to co-create a community that celebrates and empowers all people.” 

It is evident that Coachella is known for its celebration of diversity, and music enthusiasts from all over the world are looking forward to spending time with others and making memories at the biggest annual music and arts festival in the country. 

“I think Coachella is an amazing way to see many extraordinary artists perform their music to a large audience of people,” Hurwitz commented. “I love the aspect of community and togetherness.”