Coachella has shared the lineup for 2023, and with it marks the return of Calvin Harris.
This lineup is always one of the most anticipated of the year. With its reputation for surprise, spectacle, and history-making performances, the Coachella roster gives a clue into what the live music community may be talking about for the ensuing 12 months.
Dance music fans will surely be talking about Calvin Harris. The seminal producer and DJ was the first artist to headline the festival with a DJ set in 2016, and now he has the honor of holding the newly formed slot “Returning To The Desert.”
In truth, it’s not clear exactly what this slot means yet. Swedish House Mafia were the first to hold the position in 2022, but when Ye dropped out at the last minute they were given the standard headlining slot on Sunday. Barring some other drama, it looks like Harris will have a chance to make history at Coachella once again.
Plus major stars like Dua Lipa, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell, and Halsey all contributed to his latest album, Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2, so there is a possibility it will be the next generation of the now legendary Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg set from 2012, which was racked with special guests like Eminem, 50 Cent, and the Tupac Hologram.
Looking beyond Harris, the headliners, Frank Ocean, Bad Bunny, and BLACKPINK, were all confirmed in advance with Bad Bunny and BLACKPINK also making history in their own right. Bad Bunny is the first artist whose music is primarily sung in Spanish to headline and BLACKPINK are the first Korean group to headline.
There is also another interesting addition to the roster this year, in what seems like a series of sub-headliners. Looking at the poster, the names directly under the headliners are in a larger font than the rest of the undercard acts.
Two examples of this, Gorillaz and Björk, have already headlined the festival in the past. It will be interesting to see how these differentiations play out in terms of set length and time slot.
Overall, the roster is replete with great electronic music. The Chemical Brothers will perform for the first time since 2011, undoubtedly stretching the limits of their visual show. Something similar can be said of Eric Prydz, who is bringing his epic HOLO performance to Coachella for the first time.
Other notable artists include Porter Robinson, Chris Lake, and Fisher who are in the coveted second line alongside historic acts like Underworld and modern stars like Charli XCX.
The Yuma tent will also be very healthy this year with Sasha & Digweed, Adam Beyer , and Keinemusik all on the roster. Though with the way house and techno are exploding in popularity, acts that seem Yuma appropriate may be given larger forums like Solomun who played the Outdoor Theater for sunset in 2022.
Coachella 2023 will take place April 14-16 and April 21-23 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Presale begins Friday, January 13 at 11AM PST. Click here to sign up.
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