The best performances of Coachella 2019
Photo credit: Liz Haltrecht
“Overview effect,” a massive sculpture of an astronaut, looms over festival-goers as they snap pictures or head to their favorite artist’s set. This installation was created by Poetic Kinetics.
Glitter, selfies for Instagram, scorching sun, a plethora of colorful, playful outfits and, of course, music: this is Coachella.
I attended the festival during weekend one, which occurred from April 12 to April 14, and went to a variety of concerts. With over 200 unique artists playing the show on weekend one, it was hard to pick who killed it this year with their performances. However, some performances stood out more than others. Here are my top four performances of the festival (unranked).
Ella Mai
With astounding vocals and an incredible stage presence, British singer Ella Mai is a natural performer. Mai started her music career in 2014 by performing on the “X-Factor” in a trio; however, the group did not make it past the initial audition. She then published music on SoundCloud and was discovered through Instagram by Mustard. She is well-known for her songs “Boo’d up” and “Trip”.
Mai’s set at Coachella was very chill with her calm vocals echoing throughout the desert. Crowdgoers sang along and the mellow vibes were perfect for a first-day event. I found that the outdoor theater was a great spot for her performance as there was enough room to move around in the crowd and dance.
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande performs with Diddy and Mase during weekend one. According to Variety, Ariana Grande was paid around eight million dollars for her performance, though this has not been confirmed by Coachella.
Sunday’s headliner and world-famous pop star Ariana Grande ended weekend one with a bang from her stellar performance. Grande is incredibly talented and her natural vocals gave me goosebumps. Something I always forget about Grande is the incredible number of famous songs she has produced. Grande also brought out famous band NSYNC as well as Nicki Minaj, Diddy and Mase during weekend one.
Not only were her vocals incredible, Grande’s overall performance with back up dancers and iconic outfits really stood out to me.
Gryffin
Dan Griffith, known by his DJ name Gryffin, is a DJ, musician and record producer. Gryffin’s performance was memorable because of his unique and catchy remixes.
The crowd for Gryffin was loud, happy and excited, bringing forth good energy and creating a more lively experience. I find that the crowd makes or breaks a DJ’s performance. Going to this concert gave me a burst of energy, and my mouth hurt from smiling.
Gryffin performed in the Sahara tent, which I find is a really good setting for DJs as the sound really pulses through the crowd. I really liked Gryffin’s set because he changed the beat several times — it did not feel as if I was listening to the same track over and over again.
Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish performs at the outdoor theater at Coachella. This was Eilish’s first time performing at the festival.
As a longtime Billie Eilish fan, I am a bit biased; however, there is no denying that she pulled off an incredible performance, even after stumbling through a few lyrics. Eilish never fails to bring incredible energy to the stage and always connects with her audience. Her following is dedicated and everyone who attended the event was there because they were committed to her music, which really enhanced my experience. The only criticism I have is she was 30 minutes late to her performance. However, in the end, the wait was most definitely worth it.
