Coachella来了：沙漠里最大的音乐节

Speaking of one of the most famous music festivals in the world, that's Coachella.

Coachella is held every April in California's desert.

Specifically in a small city called Indio.

About a two-hour drive east of Los Angeles.

This place is very hot.

Daytime temperatures can reach forty degrees.

But hundreds of thousands of people still go every year.

Because Coachella is not just a music festival.

It's a cultural phenomenon.

The first weekend of this year's Coachella just ended.

Let's talk about what happened.

This year there are three headliners.

Friday night was Sabrina Carpenter.

Saturday night was Justin Bieber.

Sunday night was Karol G.

First, Sabrina Carpenter.

She is one of this year's hottest pop singers.

Her Coachella performance was absolutely spectacular.

She turned the entire stage into a small theater.

Divided into five acts.

Each act had a different theme.

Different outfits.

Different scenes.

She also invited two very famous people to make guest appearances.

One was comedy actor Will Ferrell.

He played a handyman character.

It was extremely funny.

Everyone laughed very happily.

The other was movie actress Susan Sarandon.

She also appeared on stage.

Sabrina's performance wasn't just singing.

It was a show.

Like watching a little movie.

Then let's talk about Justin Bieber.

Bieber was the highest-paid performer at this Coachella.

Reportedly his fee was ten million dollars.

Ten million.

He's already in his thirties.

But his most famous songs are from when he was twelve.

For example Baby.

For example Never Say Never.

At Coachella he did something very special.

He put a computer on stage.

Opened YouTube.

Played videos of himself when he was young.

Those videos are what made him famous.

Over a decade ago his YouTube singing videos were discovered by a music company.

Then he became one of the most famous singers in the world.

So at Coachella he replayed those videos.

And sang along with them.

Tens of thousands of people singing Baby together.

This scene moved many people.

Some people thought the performance was messy.

Not very focused.

But more people thought that's just Bieber.

Authentic.

Spontaneous.

Not pretending to be perfect.

Finally, Karol G.

Karol G is from Colombia.

She sings Spanish-language pop music and reggaeton.

She is the first Latina to headline in Coachella history.

This is a big breakthrough.

Because Coachella used to be dominated by English-language music.

What was the most touching moment of Karol G's performance?

She invited an all-female Mariachi band from Los Angeles.

Mariachi are traditional Mexican musicians.

Wearing very beautiful costumes.

Playing violins.

Playing trumpets.

These female Mariachi musicians stood on Coachella's big stage.

Playing together with Karol G.

That scene went viral online.

Because it represented a kind of cultural pride.

Besides the three headliners.

There were many other wonderful performances.

BINI is an eight-member girl group from the Philippines.

They are the first Filipino performers in Coachella history.

They sang for forty-five minutes.

Singing in English and Filipino.

Many Asians felt proud of them.

Jack White brought a purely rock performance.

The last song Seven Nation Army turned the whole tent into an ocean of rock.

Nine Inch Nails and Boys Noize collaborated on an industrial electronic music performance.

There were dancers on stage wearing grey bodysuits.

Writhing like zombies.

Very visually striking.

Coachella isn't just about music.

It's also about fashion.

About socializing.

About being seen.

Every year during Coachella.

Instagram and TikTok fill up with photos and videos from the desert.

What to wear to Coachella is a big topic.

Flower crowns, jeans, sunglasses, fringe.

These are all Coachella staples.

Tickets aren't cheap either.

Regular tickets are about five to six hundred dollars.

VIP is more expensive.

Plus accommodation, transportation, food.

Going to Coachella once might cost two to three thousand dollars.

But for many young people.

It's worth it.

Because it's an experience.

A lifetime memory.

Next week there's the second weekend.

Same performers.

Same desert.

Same heat.

But different audiences.

Different stories.

This is Coachella.

Every April.

California's desert.

Music, sunshine, and a group of people who love music.