Some of dem Coachella 2022 performances. I guess.

Coachella 2022 kicked off last weekend. Lots of people went to a desert. People performed. Hella people are probably going home with sand, nut and COVID in their lungs. This wasn’t how this post was supposed to start, but here we are. No turning back.

Originally this was a post about Hikaru Utada’s Coachella performance, which...*coughs*. But between when I wrote the post and when I planned to publish it, I ended up watching a bunch of other Coachella performances. And then before I knew it, it became a Coachella performances post. Only, this isn’t a post of all of the performances. Just the (non-white) ones which I saw, that I felt strongly enough to bother writing about. 

As I write this, Coachella is wrapping up its second weekend. But all of the performances below and my thoughts on them are based on the first weekend performances.

Rina Sawayama featuring the queer agenda

Rina Sawayama | Coachella (2022)

When Rina finally released her long awaited debut album, it was when the pandemic was in full swing. People were dying left, right and centre. And the UK (where Rina resides) was in-between lockdowns. She had released this fantastic body of work, but was unable to give any televised performances of songs off of it. We were only graved with two or three performances, and then a tour which got pushed back by over a year. So when Rina was finally able to kick start her tour, she gave everything. And a bitch seems to be making up for lost time, because she’s still out here giving everything.

Rina is really coming into her own as a live performer and it’s been great to witness the evolution of this. Her Coachella set wasn’t perfect. It was messy in places and a bit rough around the edges. I wasn’t a fan of the setlist. Rina still needs to master the art of trying to balance stage spectacle, choreography and live vocals in a way where one doesn’t suffer at the expense of the other. Rina’s vocals weren’t always great, because she was giving so much physically on stage. It’s why the likes of Beyoncé, Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson all relied on dipping in and out of lip syncing. Sometimes it really is the only way if you want to be able to dance your ass off without worrying about how you’ll sound when the mic is actually on. But Rina’s energy was great. She commanded the stage and the crowd. And her set really displayed the type of artist she is out there for all to see. But some Rina EP cuts woulda gone down a treat. It seemed a shame to have a live band, and lean into rock, but not perform a song like “Alterlife”. It honestly seemed a shame to not include any of the songs from the EP.

Assignment: Understood.


Hikaru Utada featuring Kingdom Hearts

Hikaru Utada | Coachella (2022)

I’m not gonna sugar coat this. Hikaru Utada’s set was not great. But I didn’t expect it to be, because I always had a feeling that it wouldn’t be. Hikaru Utada is not the most consistent live performer in the same way that other artists are known to be. It’s understandable. Live performances have never been something that Hikaru has done with the same regularity as their peers. And over time intimate performances have been seen to be more of Hikaru’s forte and where they’re able to find their feet the quickest, as opposed to large scale festivals like this.

📺 Watch the performance over @ Bilibili: Hikaru Utada’s Coachella set

The more I watch this performance, the less terrible it seems to me. But on the whole, I really didn’t think this set was as great or as special as it could and should have been. I actually wonder what made Hikaru even agree to it. Of course, it was probably Teruzane. Despite not liking this performance, I am glad that Hikaru did it. It’s a new experience for them. It’s a chance they may not get again. And it’s the performance on a large global scale that fans have been wanting for Hikaru for years. But this is what made their performance all the more disappointing to me. That it turned out like...THIS.

The performance wasn’t great. The vocals weren’t great. The staging wasn’t great. The whole thing just felt off. I was watching the whole thing through gritted teeth willing it to pick up and get better, but it just got worse. And then by the time “First Love” hit, I sank my head into my hands.

Chile. The setlist.

Hikaru’s setlist being “Simple & Clean”, “Face My Fears”, “First Love” and “Automatic” sure was something. I completely understand why these songs were chosen. Hikaru went for the songs that they are known for, that they felt people would best know them for. The only thing is, that this wasn’t the crowd to pick such songs. At a Japanese festival, this setlist (minus “Face My Fears”) would have made sense and been perfect. But for Coachella, Hikaru should have picked songs that best matched the vibe of a festival and how they wanted to be seen in that moment, and I don’t think the setlist was reflective of either of these things. It was also strange to me that Hikaru didn’t perform any songs from Bad Mode. Sure, “Face My Fears” is part of Bad Mode, but it’s a 3 year old song which is the equivalent of a bonus track. “Bad Mode”, “Find Love” and “Somewhere Near Marseille” were RIGHT there. Great songs to get a crowd moving, which also push the album and are good representations of Hikaru generally. On one hand I kinda commend Hikaru for saying ‘Fuck it’ and performing “First Love”. Because who the fuck performs a song like that at a music festival like Coachella!? But it was such a bizarre choice for that point in the whole of the 88rising set, because of it sucked all of the energy out of everything. A song like that would have gone down better later at night, when everybody is faded, and there was a song before it which set the tone for it. But here, it just didn’t work. But I’ve seen lots of fan reactions which have been positive and even had some of y’all crying. So I’m glad there are fans out there that really loved this set, but I’m not one of them.

Now, I know that Hikaru’s Kingdom Hearts songs are a point of contention for many fans. They find them overplayed. And they get overly (and weirdly) offended when casual fans cite any of them as their favourite Hikaru Utada songs. But it made sense that Hikaru would perform one of them; especially in light of the announcement that there would be a Kingdom Hearts IV, and everybody talking up that we’re going to get another Hikaru Utada song for it. What I did not expect however, was for Hikaru to perform two Kingdom Hearts songs, and the two which are liked the least. And to open the set with the original version of “Simple & Clean”, and not the PLANiTb remix that everybody could turn up to was a choice.

#JusticeForPassion.  

I just think it’s a shame that Hikaru’s first appearance at Coachella wasn’t the best showcase of Hikaru’s talent, artistry or their music. Even as a fan, I was watching like ‘What the fuck is this?’. Trying to look at the performance objectively from the perspective of somebody who isn’t a fan and has no idea who Hikaru Utada is, there was nothing about the performance which would cause intrigue into who they are, or checking out their music. The fans seem to love it, as most of them would, and as they should. Hikaru Utada performing at Coachella is a big milestone in what has already been a great year for Hikaru and many of us fans. I just wish their performance was better than this. Because even if you loved this performance, you know Hikaru could do and has done SO much better than this.

Assignment: Failed.

Stromae featuring Boston Dynamics

Stromae | Coachella (2022)

One thing about Stromae, is that you know you are going to get a great show. Stromae is a showman and his Coachella set spoke to this in spades. He gave a set that was headliner level.

Stromae is currently on his Multiude tour, which is partly why his set was so tight on every front despite him not being a headliner. None of the visuals and technical elements had to be created from scratch or cobbled together for this lil’ desert festival. So you truly got A SHOW. And it would not surprise me in the slightest if ticket sales for his tour jumped up following his first weekend performance, because I went straight to his website to try and get a ticket for his London gig in May.

Stromae making this set so Multiude heavy may not please fans who prefer Racine carrée, and wanted the likes of “Ta fête” and “Humain à l'eau”. But it was still a great set, and it did its job, which is to push the album. I hadn’t actually listened to Multitude prior to this performance. But the following day, I put it on, and played it from front to back twice. Stromae’s set really showcased every facet of his being. As an artist. As a guy who’s into fashion. As a creative. As a performer. As somebody who values human connection. His set was incredible, and easily my fave of Coachella 2022.

Assignment: Obliterated.


CL featuring 2NE1

CL | Coachella (2022)

We all knew that CL was gonna come out and just tear shit up. And let’s be real. We also knew that 2NE1 was gonna pull up to this bitch. Why? Because CL always understands the assignment. She knew she was on a world stage. She know what the people wanted to see. She knew what would get Soompi those clicks. She know what would have Twitter talking. She knew what would have YG so pressed that he’d get a stomach cramp, and drop a message in the Blackpink group chat telling those girls to go hit a rehearsal. Because CL is a business woman who is in the business of handling business.

📺 Watch the performance over @ BiliBili: CL’s Coachella set

After being locked into all kinds of foolery with YG Entertainment and Scooter Braun, CL’s career stalled in such a fashion that I never thought any of us would see this day. We all knew that she was deserving of having a shot to play to large US crowds at a festival like Coachella, but never for a second thought it would take quite this long. But things aligned perfectly. CL has built her brand and her own label imprint, and now K-pop is truly global. And she killed it. CL is a star. And that spark she had back when 2NE1 first debuted, she’s not lost it.

And I think we can all agree that 2NE1’s time in K-pop got cut unfairly short. So any time to see them reform is a joy. And the fact that Bom, Minzy and Dara have all started walking their own paths, yet always answer CL’s call to come together as 2NE1 just goes to show the love they have for each other, their fans and what they managed to build together. 2NE1 isn’t a YG thing. It’s a THEM thing. And I’m glad that they’ve reclaimed 2NE1 as something which is theirs and they are proud of, because it would be easy and understandable for them to feel jaded about 2NE1, given some of the shit they went through and the way in which it all ended.

I have no notes for CL. She looked great. Unless any of them pieces was Alexander Wang, in which case, she looked trash. The setlist was tight. The energy was great. My only side note is that I wish she had performed “Paradise”, because it’s such a turn up song that would’ve had the crowd go bananas.

Assignment: Aced.


Kyary Pamyu Pamyu featuring that white guy

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu | Coachella (2022)

Let’s just get into it. Pussy Pamyu did a stand-up job. Her set was tight from start to finish. There were no lulls at all. The mic was even on occasionally. And whilst there were a couple of surprise choice songs that I didn’t expect (such as “Gum Gum Girl”), her setlist was exactly what it should have been. Kyary opened with “De. Ba. Ya. Shi. 2021”, just as she should have. Because how the fuck can you play at a damn festival and NOT open with a song like that? She had the crowd living their Para Para rave with “Candy Racer”, which had one white guy living his best life. She had everybody bouncing to “Dodonpa”. We got all the hits. And we got a “Fashion Monster” encore. 

📺 Watch the performance over @ Bilibili: Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s Coachella set

Kyary isn’t the most consistent performer. Sometimes Kyary will give great energy. Sometimes she just seems completely over it; but not in the Namie Amuro type of way, where she simultaneously gives everything and nothing. Kyary will deadass just not give a single thing. But her energy here was a joy to watch. You could tell how happy she was to be there and that it meant something to her. She played herself with that outfit choice though. It looked so damn bulky, that I was certain there would be a reveal or an outfit change. But nope. One thing Pussy Pam gon’ do is wear some big ass outfit that a bitch can barely move in to maintain the brand aesthetic.

Kyary did a great job and fully had me running back Nanda Collection and Candy Racer over the weekend.

Assignment: Understood.

Coachella is A LOT. In every sense. The logistics of the whole thing blows my mind. I don’t know how something like it even manages to get put on and pulled off. But the whole setting can throw a lot of artists off, especially those who aren’t used to playing festivals or being in settings where they and their team don’t have the level of control that they would have for their own tours. Beyoncé wasn’t able to pull of Beychella just because she’s some magical being that could. But because Beyoncé is used to performing elaborate shows at scale. Stromae’s shit at Coachella was tight, because he’s used to playing to crowds outside of France. Perfume were able to do the damn thing at Coachella, because they’ve been performing every and anywhere consistently since their were kids, and have played a bunch of festivals in Japan. And the nature of the show itself (and because, life) just means that there’s always margin for something to go wrong, and it always usually does. The 88rising set during the first weekend had sound issues. During Stromae’s set, it was windy as fuck, and he also experienced technical issues prior to “L’enfer”. 

So whilst I don’t think every artist who played at Coachella did amazing, I commend that artists powered through regardless. Let us just acknowledge the balls it takes to perform non English material at a festival to a crowd who may not even know who you are. Kudos to everybody involved. Even if I didn’t think you did great, you still did great.