Every year, the Coachella music festival rocks as a cultural temperature check. This year, though, the temperature was fierce and gloriously chaotic.
From many unforgettable musical performances to showing solidarity with Gaza, this year’s Coachella had everything; glitches, sparkles, and a whole lot of goosebumps. Here are a few jaw-dropping “whoa” moments that have made Coachella 2025 an event that will go down in musical history with flying colors.
Gaza Took Center Stage
Artists used the global spotlight to show solidarity with Palestinians. Renowned singers used the event by weaving political statements into their performances, wearing attires and masks showing support for the people of Gaza.
Twitch streamer Hasan Piker broadcasted the message that criticized the Israeli government’s policies and the US support for them.
Similarly, the Irish rap group Kneecap, along with the audience, chanted the slogan “Free Palestine.” The video was later posted by the singer online with the caption “Young people of America don’t support genocide.”
Green Day during the performance altered the lyrics in “Jesus of Suburbia” to refer to the deaths of millions of children in Gaza, while Blonde Redhead concluded their performance by waving the Palestinian flag and playing the recording of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student, who had recently been detained by the US government on charges of staging pro-Palestinian protests.
Singer, Amy Taylor, of Amyl and the Sniffers also showed solidarity with not just the people of Gaza but also immigrants, Ukrainians, and queer and trans community.
Likewise, Thee Sacred Souls’ main lead, Josh Lane, spoke about the values of shared humanity, saying, “If I deserve freedom, so do you… so do the Palestinians, so do the Congolese, so do the Sudanese.”
Bernie Sanders Dropped By
During the festival, Senator Bernie Sanders made a surprise appearance, raising the temperature of the crowd with his intense speech.
He urged the American people to stand up and fight for the future of their country. “We need you to stand up and fight for justice: economic justice, racial justice, and social justice,” he said.
The US Senator also introduced singer Clario and praised her activism meanwhile condemning the war in Gaza. His appearance was a rare event in the Coachella history, combining glitter with grit.
Haider Mustehsan’s Iconic Performance
A young Pakistani singer Haider Mustehsan, aka HYDR, made waves on the international musical scene, proudly representing Pakistan for the first time at the Coachella festival. His jaw-dropping and electrifying performance highlighted the dynamic mixture of South Asian tunes and modern music.
Haider Mustehsan, brother of Pakistani singer Momina Mustehsan, grabbed global attention, representing Pakistan’s rich culture and music.
The young artist teamed up with Indo Warehouse, a New York-based DJ, and Armaan Gupta to deliver a vibrant performance blending Punjabi Bhangra, Gujarati Garba, and electronic beats.
Lady Gaga’s Unforgettable Mic Malfunction
Lady Gaga, yet again, garnered the attention of her fans during her second-weekend performance, when she experienced mic malfunction during her “Abracadabra” performance.
Gaga, being a true diva she is, grabbed the handheld mic while balancing a cane in her other hand, and kept the show rolling.
When the crowd erupted in roaring applause, she joked and said, “At least you know I sing live… I guess all we can do is our best, and I’m certainly giving you my best tonight.”
Rae’s Questionable Album Release Date
What’s a Coachella without little theatrics and “Did it actually happen” moments?
Addison Rae, during the performance, surprised the audience when she dropped her new album release date, though not so subtly.
LA Philharmonic’s Memorable Debut
Another memorable moment that would not go down unnoticed in the history of Coachella performances was the historic debut performance of LA Philharmonic’s.
For the first time, maestro Gustavo Dudamel brought his powerful orchestral performance to the desert stage, along with a surprise appearance of Dave Grohl.
Grohl played the famous Foo Fighters’ The Sky Is a Neighborhood, and Everlong with a classical grandeur, which would be remembered by people for a long time.
Coachella had always been about music, but this year’s Coachella felt different. Between remarkable performances and real-world messages, Coachella 2025 proved that music and activism can go hand-in-hand, even under the blazing sun, with sand filling the boots.
Javaria Khalid is a Web Contributor at The Diplomatic Insight Magazine. She specializes in covering geopolitical developments, international relations, diplomatic, and socio-economic developments in Europe and Pakistan.
