Empire Polo field, Indio CA.
Best Coachella Sets 2019
By Shahana Abbasi April 26, 2019
Kid Cudi performing on stage underneath Sahara tent.
This years Coachella line up did not disappoint. With every new year of Coachella Music and Arts Festival comes new artists, great vendors, and of course - amazing performances. What started as a small concert, has now turned into an endless three day, desert- enthusiast music and cultural experience. This festival continues to attract people from all over the world. Coachella is a place of curative music and filled with expressive attendees dressed head to toe in desert inspired fashion. This last weekend was complete with surprise sets from up and coming artists, astonishing, dramatic stage acts, and plenty of guest appearances. Check out my favorite artist performances from Weekend One in Indio.
Kid Cudi
Yep - he’s still got it. Kid cudi (AKA Scott Mescudi) is an artist that saturates his music with all types of beautiful, passionate emotions. Since seeing him perform a fifteen minute set at Coachella back in 2014, my appreciation for him as an artist and as a live performer has skyrocketed. This man knows how to fully capture a crowd from the second he steps on stage to the moment he dramatically ends the show.
Coachella Ferris wheel: an attendee favorite and annual festival landmark.
Someone of his raw talent and effortlessly unique style can easily pull off the subtle “‘I know I am an amazingly talented” vibe that many artists use to a fault. Yet, he proves himself worthy of respect and admiration by consistently executing passionate performances and giving the people what they want.
You may be familiar with artists who come out 30-40 minutes late (Schoolboy Q circa Hard Summer 2015) or perform intoxicated (Lana del Rey circa Coachella 2017 - seriously what was that? We the people, are still uncertain what was responsible for her cringe performance). Let’s not forget those who simply mutter some nonsense and subsequently proceed to drop the mic with no explanation whatsoever (eh-hem, Kanye circa 2017 on the Yeezus tour). Love the guy, but Kid Cudi surpasses all and takes the lead of A-list artists for performing from his heart and doing it right.
Bazzi
I hate that I have to admit that before seeing Bazzi live, I was only familiar with his two most popular songs at the time.
There is a beauty I cherish in artists that play songs they are passionate about, songs that are personal and meaningful to them. I recognized this is the structure of his entire performance. Not only was his voice refreshingly beautiful, but I felt so connected with him as he was singing. A lot of people get bored when artists slow down - leave sets early and move on to the next. Bazzi’s set was the perfect combination of simplistic instrumentals and outstanding vocals that rang in beautifully with the setting sun. I may have shed a tear, and let me tell you, I am glad I stayed to hear all of his music. Of course, I love discovering new songs - as I am sure everyone does. We all get the same overwhelming feeling of unfamiliarity when hearing a new song that provokes intrigue, excitement and a desire to hear it again and discover more.
What I found even more profound is witnessing a musician portraying artistry that is fully, completely, 100% true to their soul. This is what I immediately recognized with Bazzi. His passion really got through to me and it is an understatement to say that I am unconditionally in love with this man and his authentic musical expertise. Keep an eye out for this one.
What I found even more profound is witnessing a musician portraying artistry that is fully, completely, 100% true to their soul. This is what I immediately recognized with Bazzi. His passion really got through to me and it is an understatement to say that I am unconditionally in love with this man and his authentic musical expertise. Keep an eye out for this one.
Billie Eilish
Ah yes - you knew this was coming on the list. Billie f***ing Eilish. This girl is seventeen years old. Seventeen. And no, she is nothing like Hannah Montana that I grew up with. The first Billie Eilish song that I fell in love with - also her first debut song that landed her record deal with Interscope - was of course, Ocean Eyes. I am not lying when I say I used to fall asleep and wake up to this song. Little did I know that years later I would be enlightened by her incredible set at Coachella performing as one of the youngest main acts there. Can she not be seventeen though? Like, when I was seventeen I was running track 45 hours a week and having mental breakdowns over boys. Needless to say, I definitely am not the only one that has admiration for her music and her unique energy. Billie’s talent is effortless and her genuine gratitude and humble spirit is so refreshing to experience. Her presence as a performer was simplistic yet sexy with a dark, romantic twist. The set design captured her album art perfectly and to top it off - she killed it. I have officially hopped on the Billie bandwagon and I am loving it.
