Coachella is a world-renowned festival that brings in people from all over the world. It’s known for its dynamic lineup of multiple artists performing each day across three consecutive days, repeated over two weekends. The number of artists that play usually fall between 144-166, with each small set lasting anywhere between 45-60 minutes, and each headlining set between 1.5-2 hours. In this article, we’ll analyze three headlining acts and three standout supporting performances from Coachella 2025, focusing on their song selections, the quality of their sets, and the crowd’s response.
Starting with the headliners there was Lady Gaga, Green Day, and Post Malone. Lady Gaga’s set lasted around two hours and she played an even mix of both older and newer songs. More specifically, for older popular songs she played “Poker Face,” “Judas,” and “Paparazzi,” while for newer popular songs she chose “Mayhem,” “Abracadabra,” and “Die with a Smile.” In terms of the quality of the performance, Lady Gaga has been known for having very entertaining performances in the past. However, this specifically seemed to be one of her most high energy and engaging performances recently. She incorporated a lot of choreography when on stage and frequently extended the songs to play versions only heard when live, really making the performance unique and captivating, as many people posted about post-show.
Green Day took the stage for a 90-minute performance that balanced nostalgia with new material. More specifically, for older hits they played “Basket Face,” “When I Come Around,” and “Wake Me Up When November Ends,” while for newer tracks they debuted their only recent release which is called “Smash it like BeLushi.” In terms of quality of performance, Green Day doesn’t have as many unique points as Lady Gaga. Nevertheless, they held a high energy set with their songs that was able to get people dancing. One key point about this performance, raved about on social media after the show, is that their set was particularly nostalgic as their music hit its peak back in the late 1990s.
Lastly, there was Post Malone’s set which also lasted around an hour and 30 minutes, and he also played an even mix of older and newer songs. More specifically, for older popular songs he played “Wow,” “Sunflower,” and “Better Now,” while for newer releases he played “Wrong Ones,” “Go Flex,” and “Losers.” Post Malone had a particularly emotional performance because it marked his ten year checkpoint in the music industry. Many festival-goers on social media described that although there were a few moments of nostalgia and peace in the crowd while reminiscing on his ten years of music production — especially during his earlier song — for the most part, he was able to bring energy to the stage and engage the audience.
One of the best supporting acts of Coachella 2025 is Charli XCX, without a doubt. The British singer/songwriter has been on a roll this year with the success of her latest album, brat. Her album was well received by critics and she had a booming world tour with Troye Sivan. This year, she returned to perform at Coachella for the second time. Her performance lasted a whole hour, where she performed all her iconic songs from her new album like “360,” “Von dutch,” and “Club Classics.” Her performance was also well received because of the artists she brought out for her set — Troye Sivan for “Talk talk,” Lorde for “Girl, so confusing,” and Billie Eilish for “Guess.” The crowd went crazy for all of her duets, especially for “Guess” which has been an instant hit since its release. Charli XCX had also invited “it” girls Alex Consani, Quenlin Blackwell, and Gabriette to do the “Apple” dance from TikTok during her performance. She ended her set with her 2013 breakout hit, “I Love it,” a set list choice loved by her audience because it served as a reminder of how far she’s come in her musical career.
Another great supporting performance was Benson Boone. Although having a relatively short performance, he managed to keep the crowd entertained as it was his first time playing at Coachella. He performed some of his hit songs from his breakout album “Fireworks & Rollerblades.” He also played a new song titled “Mystical Magical” from his upcoming album “American Heart,” which started trending on TikTok shortly after his performance. Benson Boone also paid tribute to Queen by playing their hit song “Bohemian Rhapsody” alongside the original guitarist of Queen, Brian May. Disappointingly, most of the crowd didn’t recognize who Brian May was, and the internet was quick to scrutinize the Coachella crowds for being lame and uncultured. Benson Boone himself addressed how it disappointed him that the crowd didn’t know who Brian May was. Nonetheless, the tribute was a great touch and people still loved the song. He ended his performance alongside Brian May with his hit track “Beautiful Things” and even incorporated some of his iconic backflips, making the performance extra special.
The final supporting act we want to discuss is Missy Eliott. Missy Eliott is known for her innovative contributions to hip-pop and R&B. The rapper/singer-songwriter arrived on stage in a futuristic transforming car and the audience went feral. She really put all her energy into this performance — her energetic delivery and smooth transitions between rapping and singing created a very vibrant atmosphere. In addition, her entrance was legendary. The crowd really appreciated all the high-tech visuals alongside the elaborate choreography and bold costume changes. Plus, she had very lively backup dancers that created an infectious dance party. Elliot performed all her iconic hits from the 2000s like “Work It,” “Lose Control” and “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly).” Undoubtedly Missy Eliott’s Coachella performance will go down in history as one of the best as it marked her re-entry into the music festival circuit after a hiatus.
Coachella really brought some of the best performers this year and delivered an unforgettable experience. From Lady Gaga’s high energy choreography to Charli XCX’s cameo filled set to Missy Elliot’s explosive comeback, each performance brought something special to the desert stages and left an everlasting impact. Coachella 2025 proved once again why it remains a global hub for music and culture. We hope you enjoyed reading about some of your favorite artists and for those who haven’t seen these performances we encourage you to do so.
