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Feeling like one less lonely girl after watching Justin Bieber at Coachella? Same. Justin Bieber headlining the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival means that Bieber Fever is officially back. Performing over two weekends, the Canadian artist partied like it’s 3012 with an electric crowd of millennials and Gen Z, creating a pop-culture moment that is forever engraved in our brains.

Coachella takes place in April in southern California, in the Colorado Desert’s Coachella Valley. It’s one of the most popular music festivals in the world, attracting millions of fans, lots of media attention and a slew of big artists.

Justin Bieber, now 32, one of the household names that punched a headline spot this year, began his singing career on YouTube at the age of 13, where he quickly shifted from viral sensation to global superstar. But growing up in the spotlight has taken a toll on him. From scandals to a very publicised love life, he decided to take a break in 2019 and again from 2021 to 2025.

Even though he has been releasing music, he hasn’t been participating in big live performances, heightening high anticipation. His Coachella performance – which I watched on YouTube – marks a comeback story.

What made his performance so special?

Bieber curated a perfect setlist, showing off his extensive catalogue of bangers. From ‘Baby’ (2010) and ‘Never Say Never’ (2011) to ‘Beauty and a Beat’ (2012), these timeless hits instantly sparked nostalgia.

The best part? Bieber’s ability to snap back to his old youthful voice while singing these fan favourites, making the performance even more memorable. Occasionally, he whipped out his computer to sing along to his viral YouTube music videos. He looked up at the big screen at his younger self, harmonising and dueting with his young voice.

He also weaved in some of his newer hits, such as ‘Daisies’ (2025) and ‘Yukon’ (2025), blending in the past and current.

With no backup singers and no fancy stage design, it was just Justin Bieber, the stage and the crowd, making the audience feel closer and closer and closahh!! His solo presence shone under the spotlight and allowed the audience to devote their entire attention.

Even though he was standing on business, his silliness came through smaller moments when he spent the time pausing between songs to connect with his audience. He made his performances relatable when he “doomscrolled” with his audience, looking through all his viral memes. From showing a clip of him walking straight into a glass door, or when he famously said “it’s not clocking to you” to a group of paparazzis, he gave the audience a good laugh down memory lane.

It would not be Coachella without surprise guest appearances, and Bieber certainly did not disappoint. On the first weekend, he brought out The Kid LAROI to perform their 2021 hit “Stay”, Tems & Wizkid to perform “Essence” and Dijon to perform “Devotion”.

 

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The second weekend featured more stars. Big Sean appeared to perform their joint 2012 hit “As Long as You Love Me”. During “One Less Lonely Girl”, he invited Grammy winner and true believer Billie Eilish on stage. Eilish was totally fangirling, just like the rest of us. 

Some people called the simplicity of his performance “lazy”. Well, they are clearly not true fans. If anything, I believe, along with many others, that his performance shows the power of authenticity. Justin Bieber is THE Justin Bieber. His aura and songs are so good that he doesn’t need to rely on production or flashy stories to captivate his audience. 

Instead, he also focused on the “Beliebers”, creating an experience with the boy they fell in love with when they were ten. In a music industry that is obsessed with big, loud and flashy, this performance reminds us that genuine human connection hits harder than any spectacle.