Every year in April, fans from around the globe travel to Coachella Valley, CA, to attend the annual music festival Coachellal. This year, headliner artists like Lady Gaga, Charli XCX, and Jennie were big hits for the event, bringing sensational performances and lively action. However, with hot weather and massive crowds, festival culture has become a major burnout for many celebrities, influencers and fans. For many, this event is almost too much to handle, and three days of long hours and the extreme costs of barely seeing your favorite artist aren’t worth the trouble.
Instead of watching live, concert-goers might prefer to see the show from afar. Coachella is one of the most-streamed music events in the United States. “It’s not worth it when it’s already recorded and you can get cheaper tickets for a longer concert,” sophomore Alvaro Gonzales-Ysern said.
While Coachella promises unforgettable performances, the reality for many festival-goers is a mental and physical marathon. The desert heat, often going past 90 degrees, makes every moment under the sun draining. Food and water are notoriously expensive, with basic meals and bottled water costing up to $15 each. Many fans either pay steep hotel prices or camp out in the heat. On top of that, sprinting between stages to catch different artists means you’re on your feet for more than 12 hours a day. “I would say it’s worth it if your favorite artists are in the lineup and you have been wanting to see them. Also, even camping is so expensive since you have to bring so much stuff,” junior Ewina Chen said.
Going to Coachella has become a big event for influencers on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. In some ways, it has become a status symbol as well — Coachella represents an opportunity for them to make content or promotion posts from the event, to be sent by a brand and attend with a VIP pass. “Sometimes it’s more about the pictures and what you wear, rather than the actual music,” Chen said. Coachella has become just as much about fashion and social media presence as about the music itself. Days before the festival even starts, Instagram fills up with carefully curated “Coachella fits” from boho chic looks up to high-fashion desert styles. For many, the festival is less about enjoying performances and more about staying visible online, gaining likes, and setting the next big trend.
This year, Lady Gaga’s headline performance was a reminder of her incredible evolution as an artist. Fans were thrilled when she performed classics like “Bad Romance” and “Poker Face,” instantly transporting the crowd back to her early days of fame. “As a dancer, I personally loved watching the choreography, and Gaga’s performance was so insane,” sophomore Penny Smith said. Yet, Gaga didn’t just rely on nostalgia. She reinvented her older songs with updated choreography, new stage visuals and even reworked beats that made them feel fresh for 2025. Her show became a blend of her pop-icon beginnings and the more experimental, bold artist she is today, making the audience feel like they were witnessing both history and the future.
Moments like these help artists know how fans are reacting to new stage production and the arrangement of tour set lists. With positive feedback, you will see the artist incorporate these elements more in their upcoming tour. In return, fans can get excited to want to see more and buy tickets for their upcoming tours, making Coachella a major marketing strategy for artists.
Despite it all, Coachella still holds a magic that keeps people coming back year after year. At its core, Coachella remains one of the biggest and most influential music festivals in the world. It sets trends not just in music, but in fashion, social media and pop culture each year. For some fans, the chance to see dozens of major artists in one weekend is worth the effort. Whether you’re there for the performances, the outfits or the atmosphere, Coachella continues to be a major event that captures global attention. “I would want to go…when I’m a little older and in college,” Chen said.
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