Topics: Justin Bieber, Coachella, Hailey Bieber, Celebrity, Music, Entertainment, Social Media, Instagram
Justin Bieber has been flooded with support after breaking his silence on his first Coachella headline set, which divided opinions online.
After a four-year break from touring, the Canadian singer, 32, took to the stage in California on Saturday night to deliver what fans have excitedly dubbed 'Bieberchella'. (11 April)
Alongside Sabrina Carpenter and Karol G, the 'DAISIES' singer is headlining the star-studded music festival for both weekends, reportedly for a hefty sum of $10 million, with his next performance coming on 18 April.
For his 90-minute set, Bieber began by showcasing the best of his recent two-part album, SWAG, before taking fans on a nostalgic journey through his career.
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He leaned into more of a stripped-back, chilled vibe, using his laptop to play his old music videos and covers and singing along.
However, some people weren't too impressed with the singer showing everyone his favourite memes, as well as going for minimal production, no back-up dancers, and no costume changes, with critics brutally calling his set the 'worst ever' Coachella performance.
Bieber is clearly ignoring the haters, though, and has taken to Instagram to share a slideshow of pictures from the performance.
He posted an array of professional photos of himself on stage, wearing a slouchy red hoodie from his brand Skylrk, black 'Speed Racer' shades also from Skylrk, paired with oversized shorts and boots.
One fan wrote in the comments: "BEST NIGHT EVER!!!!" while a second agreed: "Nothing will ever compete with this!!!!"
A third and fourth chimed in with: "Ayyy, you did that" and "Still high from this weekend".
Meanwhile, a fifth gushed: "You were the event, seeing you happy made me even more happy, the show was epic!!!"
And a sixth agreed: "Best live performance for people sitting at home."
While a sixth fan sweetly wrote: "You did amazing, and it made me so happy to see how happy you looked. I hope you announce a tour soon. Your Beliebers will love you forever. No matter what, never forget it."
It comes after the star's wife, Hailey Bieber, also shared a carousel of pictures from the 'special' weekend, along with some praise for her husband.
The Rhode founder, 29, shared an adorable family photo with Bieber and their son, Jack Blues, who is a year old and was born in August 2024.
She also posted videos of herself dancing with the little one as they watched the singer rehearse ahead of the big night, as well as a picture of a temporary 'Bieberchella' tattoo on baby Jack's hand.
Hailey gushed in the caption: "Such a special weekend. Nobody will ever know even an ounce of what it’s taken to get here. So grateful for this beautiful life. SO proud. let’s do it all again!!!!"
According to former Universal Music Group (UMG) exec Nick Crompton, there was actually a very smart reason why Bieber decided to sing along to old music videos instead of performing his back catalogue with a live band.
He says it's linked to when Bieber sold the rights to his music to Hipgnosis Songs Capital for a reported $200 million back in 2023.
“Every minute he spends performing the old catalogue is a minute he's putting in work for other people's royalty checks,” Crompton wrote on X.
“Playing the YouTube videos costs him nothing. No band, no backup singers, little production. Fans still get records like ‘Baby’, ‘Sorry’, ‘Beauty and a Beat’, and ‘Never Say Never’.
"All the nostalgia, none of the overhead. He saved his actual performance for Swag, which is the era he owns.”
But while it sounds like Bieber is playing 4D chess, a source familiar with the terms of Bieber's back catalogue deal told Billboard this interpretation is 'nonsense'.
They added: "There are no restrictions on what he can or can’t do in live performance."
Concert venues themselves often buy licenses that cover the performance of almost all popular songs. It's why when you see an artist live, they can throw in a couple of covers without worrying about hefty royalty checks.
