Justin Bieber played his biggest concert in years when he headlined Coachella on Saturday night, delivering an intimate concert that relied heavily on his passion. booty era and Bieber dug through old YouTube clips on his laptop to take fans back to the early days.
Bieber’s show was cancelled, especially compared to Sabrina Carpenter’s lavish show the day before. The pop star was essentially alone for most of the set as he wandered and walked around a half-pipe structure that took up the bulk of the stage. There were no backup dancers, no complicated stage props, and no changes to stage design or costume. The only times anyone else took the stage was when a couple of guitarists came out for a few tracks, and a few special guests joined in (Tems, Wizkid, Dijon and The Kid Laroi). It seems like Bieber wanted the focus squarely on him and his voice.
“Awesome, awesome, being up close and personal with you guys, that’s special,” Bieber told the Coachella crowd on Saturday. “This is a night I’ve dreamed of for a long time, so to be here is amazing.”
Bieber’s return comes after a period of massive change for one of the world’s biggest pop acts over the past few years. He canceled tour dates due to health issues, sold his publishing catalog, became a father and separated from longtime manager Scooter Braun. He returned with his first album in four years last year with booty And Deluxe swag ii, Receiving a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.
At around 11:30 p.m., Bieber spent much of the first part of his set focusing on his character. booty era, opening with “All I Can Take” before moving into “Speed Demon”, “First Place”, and “Go Baby”. He stuck booty Songs even brought out his first surprise guest of the evening, with The Kid Laroi coming out to perform his 2021 hit song “Stay.”
By the middle of his set, the show was more like a karaoke party, with Bieber pulling up YouTube links to his childhood songs, taking his own trip down memory lane and testing the audience to see how far back they could go.
“Tonight is a special night, but I feel like we should take you guys on a little trip,” Pepper said as he fiddled with his laptop connected to the large screens behind him. He started a YouTube search that briefly sent the audience into a frenzy when they realized he was typing the word “Baby.”
“Do you guys remember this song?” he asked.
From there, he began singing quick snippets alongside recordings of his earliest classics, which also included “Beauty and a Beat,” “Never Say Never” and “Confident.” Seeing a baby-faced Bieber on screen at Coachella was a stark reminder of just how famous he is, and while YouTube karaoke felt low-effort compared to more involved productions, it was fun to see a fully grown Bieber singing these songs while his childhood played in the rear view.
However, as it went on, it became more confusing than in its depth, as tracks like “Sorry” might have been better performed in a more formal capacity rather than through an impromptu music video.
“Wi-Fi, come on, man,” Bieber said, while the audience laughed when the “Sorry” video stopped playing as he pulled it up.
Eventually, the segment turned to millennial-era memes, with Bieber dragging “Deez Nuts” and “Double Rainbow” videos on YouTube, with Bieber saying he was “pulled into the deep dark web, and we have to get on with the show.” Then he ditched the laptop and started singing “Yukon.”
Dijon, who played the festival yesterday, joined in for “Devotion” next, and Timz came out alongside a duet with Bieber on “I Think You’re Special.” Wizkid then joined in to perform a cover of his song “Essense.”
Bieber ended the set with “Daisies”, with guitarist Mk.gee, who co-produced the song, exiting at the end. Fireworks went off behind Bieber as he told the audience he loved them and then quickly exited the stage. He has another address scheduled for next Saturday.
