Canadian pop star Justin Bieber delivered a standout performance at the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, headlining Saturday night with surprise appearances from Nigerian Afrobeats stars Wizkid and Tems.
Taking to the stage at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, Bieber marked his return to large-scale performances with a set that combined new material and nostalgic hits, in what has been widely described as a defining moment of the festival.
The 32-year-old opened with songs from his 2025 album SWAG II before pausing to reflect on his journey.
“I feel like we gotta take you guys on a journey,” he told the crowd, as he revisited his early career by playing old YouTube clips of himself as a teenager.
He performed snippets of fan favourites including Baby, Never Say Never and Beauty and a Beat, drawing loud reactions from the audience.
Calling the moment a long-held ambition, Bieber said it had “been a dream” to headline Coachella, adding, “This is a night I dreamed about for a long time.”
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Midway through the performance, Tems joined him on stage for a rendition of I Think You’re Special, before Wizkid followed for a live performance of the Essence remix, the Grammy-nominated global hit that features all three artistes.
Their appearance proved to be one of the most talked-about highlights of the night, drawing massive cheers from the crowd.
The set also featured lighter moments, with Bieber interacting casually with fans, sharing viral clips of himself and taking time to chat, creating an intimate atmosphere despite the festival’s scale.
He also gave a shout-out to his wife, Hailey Bieber, and their son, prompting further applause.
Bieber’s Coachella appearance signals a major comeback following his 2022 diagnosis with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which caused partial facial paralysis and forced him to cancel his 2023 world tour.
At the time, he told fans his body was urging him to “slow down”.
Since then, the singer has gradually returned to the stage, releasing SWAG and SWAG II and performing at smaller venues ahead of Coachella.
His headline set is now seen as the official return to full-scale touring.
