Wonderland breaks down the five best acts of Coachella 2025 and five tips on how to make your experience in the desert more worthwhile.
Every year, 125,000 music enthusiasts around the world descend to the desert to take on dust, heat waves and overpriced lemonade to see the biggest music artists in the world. While Coachella’s conditions can put the average person into survival mode, there’s something magical about pushing your body to the limit in order to watch your favorites at their finest.
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival serves as a platform where artists from all walks of life come together, showcase the journey that they’ve been on to get to this highly-coveted stage and demonstrate all that they’ve learned in the process. This year’s highly anticipated headliners, from Lady Gaga to Post Malone, and up-and-coming debutants, the likes of d4vd and Lola Young, show the festival’s ability to provide variety that’s both crowd-pleasing and artistically vibrant.
Below, check out Wonderland’s top five acts from this year’s Coachella…
Megan Thee Stallion demonstrated what it takes how to truly put on a show
Hot Girl Summer could only be rightfully initiated at Coachella with a Megan Thee Stallion performance. While others might’ve relied on heavy pyrotechnics or gimmicks to make their set more captivating, for a performer like Megan Thee Stallion, stage presence alone is enough to set the blistering desert ablaze. In between star-making performances of beloved tracks like “Cognac Queen” and “Bigger In Texas,” she made sure to have fun with her audience, dropping to her knees and headbanging during fiery rock anthem “TYG.”
In between the well-oiled machine of her electric performance, Thee Hot Girl Coach’s infectious bubbliness peeked through — from letting out a small scream while a precarious contraption onstage was lifting her into the air, to bringing her audience and a camera “backstage” as she made a sensual costume change, stripping down to her underwear with a wink to the camera. This performance underscored Megan Thee Stallion at her most formidable, while still allowing moments of vulnerability to peek through.
It didn’t hurt that her guest star appearances were star-studded, with Queen Latifah, Ciara and Victoria Monét at the ready to rock steady with her. Even so, Megan Thee Stallion nearly outpowered each of them with her dazzling stage presence. This perfected ability to own any stage she performs on was made even more apparent when, despite her sound being cut off by Coachella staff for allegedly going over her set time (the Hotties were not amused), she still pushed forward with her commanding choreography and ended the night with a show-stopping smile. That’s real Hot Girl Shit.
Lady Gaga’s magnificent headlining set underscores why the festival is worth it
Filled to the brim, the Coachella crowd knew that Mother Monster was sure to put on one of the best headlining sets the festival has seen. Throughout the weekend, you could hear hundreds of folks lament that they were planning on camping out the entire day in one of the hottest weekends of Coachella history in order to be close to the stage solely to see Lady Gaga. They were blessed with that foresight because weaving through the crowd, even from the back, proved near impossible even half an hour before the show was set to begin.
Theatrical to the max, she set the stage ablaze with every sharp and jerky dance move for “Abracadabra.” Her seamless transition to “Judas,” with her dancers proved how punchy her set was planned to be. Every minutiae, from elaborate costuming to separating her set into multiple acts, was planned to entertain. Most strikingly, she was unafraid to mix her classic hits with songs from her new album, Mayhem. In between tried and tested “Paparazzi,” and earworm “Die With a Smile,” she shined a light on new track “Killah,” with a campy performance that truly embodied the silly in between her theatrics. Even when she’s reaching out to the audience in between her performances, she humbly reminds them “Babe, I love you!” before diving into “Born This Way.”
The Gaganaissance was absolutely necessary. As the world continues to be tumultuous, she is truly an artist that could shake us out of this funk, and allow us to escape even for at least her 110-minute set. Aptly put at the start of the ending track “Bad Romance,” she underscores, “I am a monster. Yes, you are a monster. We are monsters. And monsters never die.” Lady Gaga’s influence is infinitely growing, and was the exact intensity we all needed to feel the first night of the festival.
Charli xcx declared brat summer is forever
Guest stars galore, Charli xcx delivered one of the most talked about sets of the entire weekend. Having seen her Coachella performance back in 2023, it was evident then (at least to most girls and gays) that her charisma was deserving of a more prominent position at the festival. At the time, most festival-goers were focused on camping out for headliners during her set, with some annoying blimps distractingly flying around and displaying ads for other artists during her set. This year, all eyes are on her.
Charli certainly took full advantage of this enormous growth in her career and she included Lorde making a rare appearance, Troye Sivan pumping up the crowd during “Talk talk” and Billie Eilish seemingly living in the desert for these guest stints.
Mercifully, on Weekend 1 she shared a crumb of her autotuned vocals with other guest performers, but was less generous when she stole the stage from them with her impeccable presence. Her favorite line during Weekend 1? “Sing it!” while thrusting her microphone in the air. Obviously, the audience complied and proved why she has become such a cultural phenomenon in the last few years. The endlessly flashing lights mixed with an audience that faithfully knew brat forwards and backwards was an intoxicating crowd to be in.
“I Love It” served as a symbolic outro to her set, along with a sequence where she silently whips her hair around on stage as honest confessions about fearing the longevity of her cultural command projected on the screen behind her. For some, a brat summer might feel ephemeral in the long run — more representative of a cultural fad meant to fade. Yet, for folks who have rode the wave Charli xcx has been masterfully conjuring, brat was never just a phase. It was a full realisation of a star still forming.
Beabadoobee stunned onstage with a surprisingly simple, yet powerful performance
Surrounded by decorative cherry blossom trees, Beabadoobee’s simple arrangements served to underscore the power of her vocals. She took her time to have fun with this set, albeit nervous at first, showcasing aspects of her artistry that were important to her, such as the deft guitar work of the ebullient “Beaches.”
Occasionally, the 24-year-old singer-songwriter would let loose, and twirl and skip around the stage. Although her stage was during the warmest parts of the day, Bea wasn’t deterred by the heat — even while her audience was attempting to dodge the sun and hide behind whatever shade they could find. “We don’t get weather like this in London!” she breathlessly confessed with a smile, before delving into a cheery rendition of “Real Man.” Beabadoobee was truly a refreshing way to start the last day of the weekend and it made for a brilliant Coachella return where she seems far more polished than her debut back in 2022.
Clairo coined Berniechella by using her set to empower
As fans arrived fully prepared to embody their white-girl whimsy for Clairo, many could be heard asking out loud: “Who is that old man introducing Clairo?” That was, until Senator Bernie Sander’s inimitable Brooklyn accent quickly revealed his identity. “Bernie…as in the senator?” many could be heard incredulously trying to process this moment.
It was a moment filled with many gasps and those fully resigned to disbelief throughout the entirety of the 83-year-old’s five-minute-long speech. While many arrived at the festival to escape the reality of what is going on in the United States to the country’s most vulnerable, Senator Sanders took this opportunity to make a political statement. Fresh off of his Los Angeles rally earlier that day, with many more stops planned around the country, the Senator not only praised Clairo’s activism but also implored the youth to continue fighting a future filled with economic, social and racial justice. The inclusion of Senator Sanders goes to show Clairo wanted to make this set more than just a triumphant return to the Empire Polo Club. The crowd was rightfully pumped up after the speech.
This performance found Clairo at her most angelic, especially during “Echo,” where the wind blew through her hair and she elegantly twirled around her accompanying band. Picking away at her own guitar for a powerful performance of “Bags,” and reuniting with her former band, Shelly, to perform “Steeeam,” it was evident Clairo’s set was full of contagious joy as she commanded the stage with her own, unique confidence.
We give our five top tips how to make the most of your weekend in the desert.
Check out events outside of Coachella
Some of the best experiences when going to Coachella include making time to get away from the festival grounds and heading to some of the brand activations that are all around the desert. From Palm Springs to even five minutes away from the festival grounds, many brands like Pandora were throwing on free events with artists performing as well.
Revolve Festival is one of the places to be during Coachella weekend, and is pretty much a whole other festival on top of Coachella. During the event, which was about a 10 minute Uber ride away from the actual Coachella festival grounds, you were treated to free photo opps, samples from brands like Ole Henriksen and Mixsoon, a chance to win designer bags with handbag rental marketplace Vivrelle and a calmer version of Coachella. At the fashion retailer’s 8th annual festival, stars like Cardi B and Lil Wayne were near perfect headliners with hits after hits that didn’t require an elaborate set to allow their star power to shine. Thoughtfully organized, this festival on top of the main festival is one that music-lovers cannot miss.
After parties are a must
Missing bigger DJs at the main festival is no problem if you’re up for attending after parties right after the festival. Production company Framework worked with DJs like Chris Lake, Mau P and Alesso to throw their after party at the Atlantic Aviation —which is literally in an airplane hangar (it will inevitably cause much confusion for any rideshare you call). No matter how tired you feel or how sore your feet are, a Framework after party will immediately jolt you awake. Transforming the hangar into an enormous night club bathed in nothing but flashing lights timed to each DJ’s set, these parties are a must to secure tickets to (albeit most times selling out quickly), especially if you missed any of the artists’ sets during the actual festival. Everyone there was determined to have a great time, and it’s an easy way to meet new friends there to dance the wee hours of the morning away. Catching a Rideshare is relatively easy right after the festival to the after party, and since it is so close by, you’re guaranteed to have a good time (and it even goes on until 5 a.m., if you’re brave enough!)
Immerse yourself in lesser-known stages
For EDM enthusiasts, the Yuma Tent — tucked away to the side of the main Coachella stage —is an experience you cannot miss. We were able to head backstage and experience first hand the electric energy from DJs like Mind Against, Massano and Chris Stussy. Also organized by production company Framework, the frenetic lighting and appropriately placed disco balls and sequin-encrusted shark floating above audience members almost immediately primed your body to block out anything else but the music. The Yuma Tent will be one of your best side quests for Coachella weekend and make you feel like you’ve disappeared into a nightclub in the middle of the desert. It’s a great way to momentarily escape from the heat, and add new artists to your rotation.
Mentally prepare for the blistering heat
Most festival-goers tend to arrive around the evening after 6 p.m. — which is after most of the heat had already settled. However, many up-and-coming artists like this year’s Lola Young, and last year’s Chappell Roan were scheduled for earlier in the day, which requires any Coachella-goer to start their day and brave the grounds a little bit earlier. If you’re strong enough to camp, this doesn’t pose too much of a problem since you’ll be close to the festival grounds. On the other hand, if you’re staying outside the grounds and are making your way in, be prepared for an extenuating walk full of dust and the heat. Weekend 1 was one of the warmest weekends the festival has seen, and coming prepared with not only basics like sunscreen and a fan, but also things like parasols and anything to block off the heat is imperative. You shouldn’t have to miss some of the best sets just because of the weather, so don’t be afraid to splurge on essentials at the Coachella general store and buy stuff you might’ve forgotten that can make your experience a tad bit more comfortable.
Also, if you’re planning on walking into the festival instead of driving or taking a ride share — please don’t. Many folks (including myself) made the mistake of walking in since our accommodations were relatively close. The walk from most accommodations along with the multiple checkpoints to pass security is a nightmare and can take close to an hour. Shuttle lines are close to two hours long both ways. A well-kept secret is the best parking lot at Coachella is Lot 1B. Not only is it free for all pass holders, but the walk from the lot, past security and to the front of the festival is a mere 10 minutes. As a plus, there is little to no traffic getting out of the lot after headliners are over.
Plan all the sets you want to see accordingly
It’s easy to get trapped in a crowd at Coachella, especially for larger acts. Coming in with a game plan and taking some time on your first day at the festival grounds to navigate the distance of the stages is extremely important, especially since organisers this year seemed to time some of the most popular acts on top of one another. Once an act starts, there’s little to no room to manoeuvre out of. Lady Gaga and Mustard were unfortunately timed in a conflicting manner, but after taking the time to see both and running in between sets, I’m convinced the magic of this festival is trying to see it all.
Words – Kelly Nguyen
