Here is live coverage of the opening day of the 2023 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Check back for Day 1 updates on this event.
The festival's opening act on Friday is the Puerto Rican sensation Bad Bunny. He is also one of three non-white headliners this year, joining Kendrick Lamar, Kendrick Lamar, and Kendrick Lamar. K-pop girl group Blackpink will play on the festival's main stage on Saturday night, while international mystery man Frank Ocean will finish it out on Sunday with his first concert in 2019 and his first appearance in the country since 2017.
Coachella and live music in general have had a turbulent few years leading up to the hugely well-attended (and lucrative) festival in 2023. Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, Travis Scott and Kanye West canceled their headline concerts in 2022, and the festivals in 2020 and 2021 were also postponed. The Times' Mikael Wood, August Brown, Suzy Exposito, and Kenan Draughorne will be roaming the grounds of Indio's Empire Polo Club, reporting on all the action as it unfolds. Friday will feature highly anticipated sets from Gorillaz, Metro Boomin, Burna Boy, the Chemical Brothers, a reunited Blink-182, Wet Leg, Becky G, Yves Tumor, Kaytranada, Blondie, and Doechii.
Bad Bunny Makes Instagram Return for Coachella 2023
"I have so much to tell you, but I better tell you tomorrow at Coachella..." wrote the 29-year-old musician alongside a set of nine mirror selfies as he made a return to Instagram on Thursday.
In the photographs, Bad Bunny (actual name Benito Antonio Martnez Ocasio) is seen posing in front of a full-length mirror in a black-striped bedroom with a multicolored rug and a large blue painting. Numerous images emphasize the rapper's fashion sense, with some displaying his brown Gucci canvas-print suitcase and others revealing his bright pink phone case.
Blackpink thinks This is SURREAL
BLACKPINK made music festival history with their 2019 Coachella performance as the first female K-pop group to perform at the prestigious festival. Four years later, the quartet completely raised the bar with a headlining performance at the Indio, California festival. BLACKPINK, along with Bad Bunny and Frank Ocean, is one of the three primary headliners for Coachella 2023 and the main musical attraction for the second day of both festival weekends on April 15 and 22.
While BLACKPINK made their Coachella debut in 2019 with two EPs, Jennie's "Solo" debut, and a scattering of singles, they now have two full-length albums, solo music from each member, and numerous world tours to draw from. Before this weekend's significant event, each BLACKPINK member spoke with Billboard about their first performance of 2019, their emotions about performing in the desert this time, and other topics.
While Jennie stunned Coachella audiences in 2019 with her group and "Solo" performances, the singer-rapper says her anticipation of returning to the festival stage is greater than any butterflies. Rosé states that she is still adjusting to the opportunity to return as headliners, but recalls how their first performance fueled the quartet's ambitions.
Lisa, the youngest member of BLACKPINK, says she will adhere to the group's mantra when approaching any performance, including anything distinctive for this weekend, despite the large number of Coachella attendees.
Jisoo closes by saying, "Hope you enjoy 2023 Coachella with BLACKPINK," before Jennie signs off with, "See you in the desert!"
