Kamal Ghorui
Justin Bieber’s Coachella set should’ve been a big, triumphant return, but as soon as he took the stage, the internet blew up with mixed reactions. Diplo, who’s worked with Bieber before, didn’t waste any time jumping in to back him up, and the way he sees it, people totally missed the point.For those who missed it, Bieber’s set wasn’t the usual Coachella spectacle. Instead, it felt like he invited everyone into a private hangout. Some called it lazy, but Diplo called it “legendary.” For him, it was like being at a party with Bieber, not just watching another headliner run through their hits.
What Diplo said about ‘Bieberchella’
Per People, Diplo explained that Bieber chose to strip it all back on purpose. No big production or pyrotechnics. No army of dancers. Sometimes, it was just Bieber, a mic, and a laptop. He mixed old tracks with new, and at one point, he even started playing old YouTube clips, including some embarrassing and hilarious throwbacks. He scrolled through his own memes, showed viral videos: he basically put his career up on screen, unplugged, and real.What really stood out for Diplo was that the set was so true to who Bieber is. He wasn’t trying to impress with spectacle. He just let people in. At Maison Martell’s Toast to Afrobeats brunch during the festival, Diplo summed it up: “Nobody else could go to Coachella, sit at their laptop, and just play stuff off YouTube. That’s legendary. He’s got so many hits, it’s like, here, you get this one, and this one.”Per Diplo, the way Bieber structured his set was very true to who he is. “It was like being at a party with him,” the DJ quipped. According to the DJ, the annual music festival’s lineup is “very diverse,” which is part of why he loves attending every year. “They have everybody from Davido to hardcore techno. Nine Inch Noize was awesome last night,” he said, adding, “It’s a little bit of everything for anyone, and you can learn a lot about music.“
Inside ‘Bieberchella’: All about Justin Bieber’s Coachella set
For his Coachella return this year, Bieber didn’t do it solo the whole time, though. The show had its surprises: Wizkid, Tems, The Kid LAROI, Dijon, and Mk.gee all showed up, adding jolts of energy. But the heart of the set was nostalgia. Bieber even sang duets with video clips of his younger self. That probably was the most nostalgic portion for the millennial fans who grew up witnessing Bieber’s rise with songs like ‘Baby’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’, and more. Instead of performing hits in full, he sang along casually, turning the set into a karaoke-style throwback. At one point, there was a pause for buffering, which was a perfectly awkward, human moment that somehow made the whole night feel even more off-the-cuff.
Internet’s reaction to Justin Bieber’s Coachella set
Naturally, not everyone got it or liked it. Per Page Six, some called the set “bare minimum” for a Coachella headliner. People griped about a lack of production, and the whole half-performance, half-YouTube karaoke vibe left many wondering what exactly they were watching.Other artists chimed in, poking fun at the format. Zara Larsson posted a TikTok, saying, “It’s giving let’s smoke and watch YouTube.” Katy Perry joked about Bieber scrolling YouTube onstage and was just happy there were no ads, thanks to YouTube Premium.However, just as many loved the honesty. Labrinth wrote, “I see what you’re doing and I love it. Be true! F— what anyone else thinks.” Lizzo praised the set too, saying she saw Bieber “finally nourish himself,” and that being there felt special, like getting to witness someone drop their guard and just be present.
