Coachella, one of the most well known music festivals in the world, has become a major cultural event since it first began in 1999. Now, Coachella is a space for massive performances where we’ve gotten some of the most iconic performances in the world. However, is it really an excuse to sit on stage and karaoke with your younger self?
Annually held in Indio, California, the festival is not only known for its music but fashion, celebrity appearances, and unforgettable performances. Every year fans eagerly wait for the lineup to be announced, and the 2026 lineup is no different. This year’s headliners were Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber and Karol G.
At Coachella 2026, Justin Bieber’s performance marked a major comeback. According to critics articles, this was his biggest live performance since canceling his tour in 2022 due to health issues. Bieber himself admitted that returning to a large stage was rather daunting, making this Coachella an especially important one at this point in his career. Due to this, many fans expected an emotional and nostalgic performance rather than something flashy.
Juxtaposed, Sabrina Carpenter and Karol G delivered the exact opposite of Bieber’s performance. Both their headlining sets were highly theatrical, packed with choreography, costume changes, set changes, and celebrity cameos. Both women gave sets that were beyond well-thought out and beautiful vocal performances. They single handedly blew my mind and I thoroughly enjoyed watching their performances Weekend one as well as two.
Carpenter’s creativity and effort were noted by me as I’m a huge fan and because she performed songs she had not done live before, fully embracing the spectacle expected of a Coachella headliner. Karol G gave representation for the Latin community and made history by being the first ever Latina headliner for Coachella. I anticipated that this year’s Coachella headline would hold massive performances as all three artists are high on the charts.
Carpenter has been on a roll since her album “Short and Sweet” which was released in 2024. As well as Karol G who released her hit album “Mañana Será Bonito” in 2023 and boy, as expected, dare I say they humbly delivered one of the best shows ever performed at Coachella. With the internet being the internet, Bieber, Carpenter and Karol G’s shows led to a conversation about gender double standards in the music industry online.
Many social media users argued that if a female artist like Beyonce, Lady Gaga or even Carpenter herself had delivered a performance as minimal as Bieber’s they would have faced much harsher backlash; and they are absolutely correct. Female performers are more often than not expected to sing live, dance, wear multiple costumes, give visuals and create a spectacle, all at once. Male artists on the other hand are often praised for doing less and being seen as more “raw” or even “authentic.”
Of course, not everyone has agreed that gender is the main issue. Most kids have grown up listening to Bieber and yes, his performance was nostalgia fuel for long time ‘belibers.’ He brings back his old singing voice, sings old songs and the setting is very intimate. But, is this really an ideal setting for Coachella, one of the biggest stages in the world? While I do not dismiss Bieber becoming more comfortable to perform on stage again, it doesn’t excuse the low effort performance.
Karol G and Carpenter are in two different stages in their careers compared to Bieber, but it doesn’t excuse the double standard. As previously mentioned, imagine if Beyonce had popped out, sitting down scrolling on YouTube. She would’ve been crucified for that. This debate revealed something important, that audiences often judge artists differently depending on “who they are”.
Bieber’s set was defended as emotional and authentic, Carpenter and Karol G’s massive productions are often treated as simply expected rather than exceptional. It just proves once again that women are constantly required to prove themselves through spectacle, while men can rely more heavily on reputation and presence alone. Women, especially in music, have to perform like they have something to prove, while men get away with things because “they’ve been through a lot.” While Bieber has gone through understandable troubles, it doesn’t excuse his performance efforts and you as the audience shouldn’t “feel lucky” that he even showed up.
Overall, Coachella 2026 was one for the books, the talk about performance expectations and fairness in the music industry. Bieber’s nostalgic simplicity vs Carpenter and Karol G’s polished spectacle that had artistic vision balanced by the reactions received show how different audiences can be. Whether people preferred Bieber’s intimacy, Carpenter’s ambition and Karol G’s being the first Latina to headline in history for Coachella, the debate made one thing clear: gender expectations in entertainment are still very real, and are still an issue today.
