The Coachella festival has become a place where music lovers are ignored, where iconic performers are treated with contempt, and where ticket holders were occasionally left stuck for hours without access to basic facilities due to logistical turmoil.
However, the festival’s image difficulty is unavoidable, as the 2025 edition, which began on Friday, April 11, is said to have fumbled into its opening day.
Despite this year’s lineup having some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, including Lady Gaga as the last-minute headliner, Green Day, and Post Malone, it hasn’t done much to stop the criticism.
Unexpectedly, Rihanna, who was the first name announced as the headlining act, pulled out
Additionally, renowned rapper Kendrick Lamar pointed to scheduling issues as his reason for not getting the headline offer.
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Their absence seems to highlight a disappointment by both fans and artists. although some fans think Lady Gaga’s performance was her best so far.
The festival this year began with 12-hour waits, limited restrooms, the majority of which were overflowing, and crowded entrances that have drawn comparisons to the notorious Fyre Festival. Disgruntled participants have taken to social media to demand refunds.
The irony is obvious. The 2025 Coachella festival falling apart coincides with social media personalities coming under increasing fire for phony attendance, a tendency that singer Loren Gray first revealed in 2023.
She disclosed, “Many influencers don’t even attend the festival.” “They rent Airbnbs, shoot content in the desert, then leave.”
Not only will Coachella need to survive its opening weekend’s mayhem, but it will also need to sustain itself when its gates officially open in 2025.
The once highly anticipated festival may be appropriately remembered not for its music or artistry but rather for getting lost in the desert due to declining sales, performers being passed over, and influencers taking over.
