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Coachella 2026 weekend one: Carpenter, Bieber, and Karol G as the first Latina headliner

Coachella opened its 2026 edition at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, with Sabrina Carpenter headlining on Friday, April 10, Justin Bieber on Saturday and Karol G on Sunday. CP24, carrying an AFP preview, noted that Karol G is the first Latina to headline the festival and that the event has nine stages and is streamed live on YouTube.

AFP said Carpenter had promised “the most ambitious show” of her career, that Bieber, 32, made his return at this year's Grammy Awards, and that Sunday would include BIGBANG's festival debut for their 20th anniversary, followed by an outdoor screening of the first episode of the third season of HBO's “Euphoria”.

Rolling Stone Australia, republishing a Rolling Stone US report, had earlier said both weekends, April 10–12 and 17–19, sold out less than a week after the lineup was revealed. It reported that Bieber signed a seven-figure deal and worked “directly” with promoter Goldenvoice, and placed Karol G's slot three years after Bad Bunny became the first Latino headliner in 2023.

V Magazine's weekend-one recap picked The XX and Disclosure as Friday highlights and said Bieber “reminded us he still has it.” It called the 25th edition “the benchmark for everything a music festival should be.”

How each outlet framed it

• CP24 (AFP) — a night-by-night guide, with the history-making Sunday at the centre.
• Rolling Stone Australia — the business side: a fast sellout and Bieber's reported fee.
• V Magazine — a fashion-and-music recap focused on the performers who stood out.

What we don't know yet: none of the three reports gives attendance figures for the weekend, and none describes Karol G's closing set in detail. The same headliners return for weekend two from April 17.