Fans are still hyped following the star-studded lineup of artists during the first weekend of Coachella 2026.
Many performers took the stage, including this year's headliners Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Karol G.
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Pinoy pride was also present at the global music festival, with BINI and Sophia Laforteza of KATSEYE representing the Philippines on the international stage.
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Among the performers, however, Justin generated the biggest buzz online after revisiting many of his fan-favorite hits.
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Justin's performance at Coachella
Justin opened his set with tracks from his recent studio albums SWAG and SWAG II, performing "All I Can Take;" "Speed Demon;" "First Place;" "Go Baby;" "Butterflies;" "Walking Away;" "Stay feat. The Kid LAROI;" "Things You Do," among others.
He later shifted the mood with a heartfelt performance of “Everything Hallelujah,” taking a moment to give a shoutout to his wife, Hailey Bieber, and their son, Jack Blue.
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However, what truly caught viewers off guard was his decision to play some of his older songs through YouTube.
Justin revisited several of his classic hits—including “Baby,” “Favorite Girl,” “That Should Be Me,” “Beauty and a Beat,” and “Never Say Never”—by playing them on a laptop onstage and singing along karaoke-style, as if duetting with his younger self.
The moment quickly sparked debate online, with some critics describing the segment as underwhelming.
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Several users even called it the “worst” and “lazy” performance in Coachella history, especially when compared to other artists’ more elaborate productions, despite reports that he secured a multi-million-dollar deal to headline the music festival.
According to Forbes, Justin reportedly earned close to USD10 million (PHP600 million) for the appearance, placing the set among the highest-paid in Coachella history.
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Why did Justin Play YouTube at Coachella?
Amid the criticism, many Beliebers—Justin’s loyal fanbase—came to the pop star’s defense.
Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP.ph) breaks down several theories behind Justin’s unconventional performance and the possible reasons he did not fully perform some of his older hits live.
Some fans interpreted the moment as reflective and deeply personal, pointing out that Justin first rose to fame on YouTube in 2007 after gaining attention through viral cover videos.
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Meanwhile, a report by Daily Mail suggested another possible explanation.
According to the outlet, Justin may have been unable to fully perform certain songs after reportedly selling his music catalog to Hipgnosis Songs Capital for more than USD200 million (approximately PHP11.87 billion) in December 2022.
Because of this, using YouTube clips may have served as a creative workaround, as the singer no longer owns a share of his masters.
Under such arrangements, the new owners of Justin’s catalog would earn royalties whenever the songs are publicly performed and could also benefit from streaming spikes generated by the performance.
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In line with this, a report from TMZ in May 2025 claimed that Justin was allegedly on the verge of financial collapse in 2022, prompting him to sell the rights to his music.
At this writing, Justin has yet to clarify the exact reason why he performed some of his older songs using YouTube during his Coachella set, as he is set to perform again on the second weekend of Coachella on April 18.