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From cultural missteps to shocking on-stage moments, Coachella has had its fair share of jaw-dropping controversies. Join us as we count down the desert festival's wildest, most talked-about, and sometimes most problematic moments that had everyone buzzing long after the last palm tree light flickered off!
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00:00A lot of people go to Coachella and wear outrageous outfits.
00:02They're not outrageous, they're like bohemian.
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:06And today, we're counting down our picks of the Desert Festival's wildest,
00:10most talked about, and sometimes most problematic moments
00:13that had everyone buzzing long after the last palm tree light flickered off.
00:18Even if you search cultural appropriation in Coachella,
00:20you'll find so many pieces written about it.
00:24Number 10, Justin Bieber's quote, lazy $10 million set.
00:29Whispers turned into shouts when reports surfaced
00:32about Justin Bieber's alleged $10 million payday for headlining Coachella 2026.
00:37Which would make him among the highest paid Coachella headliners of all time.
00:41This astronomical figure, split across two weekends,
00:44instantly sparked debate about whether any artist's performance
00:47could justify such an expense.
00:49Especially for a set some critics called, quote, lazy, end quote, YouTube karaoke.
00:54Some critics calling it lazy, a karaoke session,
00:57and another one writing,
00:59100,000 people paid to watch a man browse his own channel.
01:03His stripped-down approach, utilizing a laptop to play old videos and sing along,
01:07sharply contrasted with the high production spectacles expected from headliners,
01:12including fellow performer Sabrina Carpenter's elaborate show.
01:15Speaking of Carpenter, she too drew criticism for her, quote,
01:18poor reaction to a fan's Zagruta, an Arabic celebration call,
01:23which she initially mistook for yodeling.
01:25She promptly apologized for the misstep.
01:28My reaction was pure confusion, sarcasm, and not ill-intended.
01:32Could have handled it better.
01:33I welcome all cheers and yodels from here on out.
01:36Number 9, Madonna kisses Drake.
01:39This moment became an instant meme and a source of widespread awkwardness.
01:43During his 2015 headlining set, Drake was joined by pop icon Madonna,
01:48who, in a surprise move, planted a rather lengthy kiss on him.
01:52You saw what we saw, right?
01:54The crowd goes wild, but Drake's reaction seems to be a little bit less than thrilled.
02:02Drake's visible grimace was captured by cameras, leading to an internet firestorm.
02:07The uncomfortable reaction ignited fans and critics, who dissected his expression
02:12and speculated about his feelings towards the spontaneous smooch.
02:15Drake and Madonna have each weighed in, too.
02:18You asked the million-dollar question, is Drake a good kisser?
02:22I kissed a girl, and I liked it.
02:24Still, this didn't help Madonna's overall presence at Coachella,
02:28with her headlining slot already drawing mixed reactions from some audience members,
02:32who felt her style wasn't a perfect fit for the festival's typical vibe.
02:37Number 8. Frank Ocean's Disastrous 2023 Performance
02:41Anticipation was sky-high for Frank Ocean's Sunday night headlining set at Coachella 2023,
02:46his first live performance in years.
02:49The ever-elusive musician turned into a performance that has divided some fans.
02:52Now, we can't show it to you, because for some reason, it wasn't live-streamed.
02:56Sadly, what transpired was largely considered a disappointment.
03:00The set began over an hour late, wasn't live-streamed,
03:03was plagued by technical issues, and was rather lackluster.
03:07Fans who had waited hours and even years to see him were left disappointed by the perceived lack of effort.
03:13It was just, like, people walking in a circle on the stage.
03:16And for a minute there, I was like, this is it.
03:18This is all we're gonna get.
03:19You know, this is it.
03:20And when he did start singing, people couldn't really see him.
03:24Unless you were close to the stage and could peek through the equipment that was around him.
03:29Some speculated that Ocean had changed his mind over the performance at the last minute,
03:34requiring the set to be dismantled.
03:36Others have cited an ankle injury as a potential reason for the last-minute stage changes and his seated performance.
03:42In the beginning, it felt like we were in the pit,
03:45and then all of a sudden there was tons of room because people were just like,
03:49what the heck is happening?
03:51Number 7. Pandemic Pandemonium.
03:54The COVID-19 pandemic brought the entire world to a halt.
03:57They have not yet been forced to cancel by Riverside County, but that's a possibility.
04:07The festival, originally scheduled for April 2020, was postponed to October, then ultimately canceled.
04:14You might recall some devotees took this harder than others.
04:17It's a virus. I get it. Like, I respect it.
04:21But at the same time, like, even if everybody gets it, like...
04:26Unfortunately for Vanessa Hudgens and no doubt countless like her, the same fate befell the 2021 event.
04:33This unprecedented halt also hit the local economy, which typically reaps hundreds of millions of dollars from the event.
04:39When Coachella finally returned in 2022, it sparked further debate by lifting most safety restrictions,
04:45including vaccination, testing, and mask mandates, despite ongoing health warnings.
04:50This decision led to a mixed public response, with some relief and others expressing concerns.
04:56Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals will not require proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 tests for attendees,
05:03nor will they require masks for their April event.
05:06Number 6. Celebrity Sponsorships.
05:09For some celebrities, Coachella is less about losing themselves in the music,
05:13and more about cashing in on the ultimate influencer payday.
05:17A-list celebrities started to come to Coachella as well, and that started to become its own kind of culture
05:22within of itself,
05:23because they would have these huge parties and invite only the big, mega-influencers.
05:28Back in 2014, reports surfaced that brands were shelling out serious cash just to have A-listers grace the festival
05:35grounds on their behalf.
05:36Rumor has it that Lea Michele pocketed $20,000 from Lacoste to serve as their personal-style billboard,
05:42while Vanessa Hudgens allegedly scored a $15,000 mixed sponsorship just for showing up.
05:47Which is why I love Coachella, because it gives you an excuse to wear things that you wouldn't normally wear.
05:51And you blend in versus at bonds.
05:55Understandably, regular festival-goers, who fork over hundreds for the experience, felt a little salty.
06:01For many, these high-profile deals are proof that Coachella's indie, music-first spirit has been traded in for a
06:07glossy, brand-driven spectacle.
06:09At the Lacoste pool party, celebs from pop star Katy Perry and music legend Steven Tyler to actresses Emma Roberts
06:17and Lea Michele made a big splash.
06:19Number 5. Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg resurrect Tupac.
06:23In 2012, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg delivered one of Coachella's most talked-about and technologically groundbreaking performances,
06:30the resurrection of Tupac Shakur as a hologram.
06:33Come with me, help me, run quick, see, what do we have to hear?
06:39When they took to the stage, no one could have predicted what happened next.
06:43Suddenly, the unmistakable figure of Tupac materialized in stunning 3D, launching it to Hail Mary and two of America's Most
06:50Wanted.
06:57It sent shockwaves through the crowd, and the internet blazed with clips and debate.
07:02Some praised the Marvel, others questioned whether a line had been crossed.
07:06Apparently, Tupac's mother gave her blessing.
07:08Watched the spectacle unfold via live stream, and was, quote,
07:13positively thrilled to see her son's spirit light up the stage once more.
07:23Number 4.
07:25Kneecap's political protest set.
07:27Irish rap group Kneecap made waves at Coachella, not just with their music, but with their explicit political statements.
07:33They used their set time to call out the U.S.'s involvement in the Middle East while speaking out for
07:38the Palestinian cause,
07:40and rallied the crowd to chant along.
07:42Free! Free! Free! Free!
07:46Palestine! Free! Free!
07:47Palestine!
07:48Free! Free!
07:49The drama didn't end on stage, either.
07:52Fans noticed those charged moments seemed to vanish from the official live stream.
07:56We have to use whatever wave platform, we have to talk about this stuff.
08:00The following year, the Strokes picked up a similar baton in their set, too.
08:04These headline-grabbing moments just refueled the debate over where to draw the line between art and activism.
08:10Should festivals like Coachella embrace political activism, and risk alienating audiences they seek to unite?
08:16No. 3. Anti-LGBTQIA-plus funding
08:28For years, Coachella's parent company's owner, Philip Anschitz, has had an alleged anti-LGBTQIA-plus stance,
08:36fueled by reports of his hefty donations to conservative groups with a track record of opposing LGBTQIA-plus rights.
08:42And your third obligation was to give back to society, reinvest whatever you had been fortunate enough to have gained
08:52in this life for future generations.
08:55The backlash was immediate and fierce.
08:57Fans, artists, and activists, many of whom see Coachella as a beacon of inclusivity and self-expression,
09:04were left questioning how a festival that celebrates diversity on stage and in the crowd
09:09could be bankrolled by someone reportedly supporting causes that threaten human rights.
09:13His foundation donates to a lot of different organizations, but again, they tend to be aligned with conservative and Christian
09:21values,
09:22which again, very commonly are anti-LGBTQ, are against abortion rights, etc.
09:30Anschitz, for his part, has pushed back against these claims, insisting he supports equal rights for all,
09:35and has stopped funding any groups once he learned of their anti-LGBTQIA-plus activities.
09:41With that being said, it can be very tricky, obviously, with these giant conglomerates.
09:46The baby company can seem okay, but the parent company may be evil, evil, or be funding something that you
09:52don't agree with.
09:53Number two, cultural appropriation.
09:56Coachella has long been a hotspot for cultural appropriation, particularly in fashion.
10:00After all the conversation, you still see people taking these sacred symbols and wearing them to the festival
10:06and really making light of people's culture, and it's just wrong.
10:09Year after year, attendees, including celebrities, are criticized for adopting elements from marginalized cultures
10:15without understanding or respecting their significance.
10:19Common examples include wearing Native American headdresses, bindis, and traditional African or South Asian attire
10:25as mere fashion accessories.
10:27But her looks seem, well, kinda Indian.
10:29Long before the Scandinavian scarf debacle, we had the likes of Hudgeons and Selena Gomez
10:33sporting bindis at Coachella.
10:35This trend trivializes sacred symbols and practices, reducing them to, quote,
10:40boho aesthetics, in itself an appropriation of Romani culture for a festival backdrop.
10:45Despite years of think pieces, viral call-outs, and heartfelt pleas from activists and cultural groups,
10:51the issue persists, leading to ongoing frustration and ever-growing calls for more mindful, respectful cultural engagement at the festival.
11:00Bringing this perspective to the conversation and saying that this is worth hearing out,
11:05and maybe, you know, think twice before you wear this to Coachella if it's offensive to a whole group of
11:10people.
11:10Number 1. Has Coachella become a sellout?
11:14Remember when Coachella felt like a sun-soaked pilgrimage for indie kids and music obsessives?
11:19A place where you could stumble across your next favorite band in the desert.
11:22These days, it's hard not to feel like the festival traded its rebellious roots for a glossy, influencer-approved veneer.
11:29Ticket prices have soared, and VIP sections are increasingly popping up around the grounds.
11:34And Coachella knew they were the festival of all festivals, so what do they do?
11:38Jack up the ticket prices to almost $500.
11:41I'm sorry, but I'm not paying $4.29 for GA tickets.
11:46The festival now feels more like a luxury getaway than a grassroots music celebration,
11:51leaving longtime fans behind as it becomes a playground for the ultra-wealthy and social media royalty.
11:57The backlash is real.
11:58Once a symbol of independent spirit, Coachella now stands as a cautionary tale of counterculture's corporate makeover.
12:05The risk is that festivals feel more... samey.
12:09And perhaps that's one of the reasons why overall festival attendance has declined since 2016.
12:14Did we miss any other unforgettable controversies that left a sour taste?
12:18Let us know in the comments.
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