Lady Gaga at Coachella 2025
An absolute triumph by pop royalty of the old school.
Lady Gaga’s Friday headline set at Coachella 2025 wasn’t just a show — it was a statement. A powerful, theatrical, breath-snatching statement that reminded everyone what it once meant to be a pop star in the fullest sense of the word. Gaga came to the desert to remind us all — this is the standard.
Unlike her previous Coachella appearance in 2017 — which felt rushed, emotionally distant, and thrown together on the fly — this one was rich, focused, and emotionally charged. Gaga performed as if it were her last time on stage.
She opted for a full-blown theatrical production — layered choreography, massive set designs, and a tight dramatic arc. It felt less like a festival set and more like an avant-garde Broadway spectacle. But in the context of Coachella, that only made it more powerful. She knew the scale of the moment — and delivered something unforgettable.
We got the live debut of multiple songs from her new album Mayhem, which in itself is a bold move. Many artists treat festival headline slots like glorified greatest-hits tours. Gaga, on the other hand, used it as an opportunity to introduce people to her new era. This reflects a growing trend among major artists in recent years — and I believe it’s a smart, forward-thinking move.
There were also welcome surprises for fans: a dramatic opening with the TikTok-resurrected “Bloody Mary”, and the inclusion of deep cuts like “Scheiße”.
Of course, there were costume changes. Of course, there was choreography. But more than anything, there was presence. Gaga still embodies the vanishing archetype of the triple-threat pop icon — the kind who sings, dances, and performs like her life depends on it. In today’s landscape of unbothered cool girls and aloof Gen Z anti-icons, Gaga stood there as a blazing reminder of an older code: one built on sweat, spectacle, and sacrifice. We could even hear it unintentionally — Coachella’s tech crew forgot to cut her mic between acts, and we heard Gaga trying to catch her breath. You could tell it wasn’t easy. And that doesn’t mean the new breed of pop stars is bad — it’s just different. You’d be lying to yourself if you didn’t see the difference.
Gaga didn’t just headline Coachella. She proved why she’s still one of the best, delivering one of the best sets in the festival’s history.
10/10
