K-pop made another strong impression at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival this year, with BLACKPINK members Lisa and Jennie delivering solo stages and boy group ENHYPEN making their debut at the festival.
Coachella, one of North America’s biggest and most influential music festivals, featured major international acts over two weekends. This year’s headliners included Lady Gaga, Green Day, and Post Malone.
Lisa, who previously performed at Coachella with BLACKPINK in 2019 and 2023, returned this time as a solo artist. She opened the Sahara Tent on the festival’s first day with a bold visual concept and a futuristic stage design. Her 50-minute performance, built around her debut solo album Rockstar, was divided into five acts and began with the track “Thunder.”
Despite the limited set time, Lisa delivered a concert-like experience. She mixed K-pop with hip-hop, electronic, disco, and R&B to show her wide musical range as a solo performer.
Lisa, who recently appeared in the HBO series The White Lotus, referenced her character during the show. “Fans of The White Lotus might be surprised to see Mook on stage,” she joked. “But this is what she looks like when she’s off duty.”
Her performance was met with critical praise. The Los Angeles Times published a review titled Lisa rocked the Sahara Tent, applauding her commanding stage presence.
Jennie, another BLACKPINK member, also performed a solo set based on her recent debut album Ruby. She appeared on Sunday with a reworked version of her concert set, trimming it into a compact 40-minute show. The performance featured new arrangements and fresh visuals that differed from her earlier solo tour.
She performed tracks like “Filter,” “Mantra,” “Start a War,” and “Like Jennie” with sharp choreography and theatrical style. During her performance of “Damn Right,” American pop artist Kali Uchis joined her on stage for a surprise duet.
Although Coachella’s YouTube stream used audio mixing that lowered crowd noise to highlight vocals, the energy of the cheering fans was still noticeable. Jennie’s cowboy-inspired outfit, designed by Prada, also caught attention on social media.
Boy group ENHYPEN also made their Coachella debut. “Performing at Coachella was one of our dreams, and it’s such an honor to be here,” the group said during their set.
The festival’s second weekend, scheduled for April 18 to 20, will feature the same lineup. Lisa, Jennie, and ENHYPEN are set to return for encore performances.
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