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Justin Bieber's much-anticipated Coachella performance on Saturday is already stirring up controversy, with some fans booing the pop star and calling his show “the worst show ever.”
After years off, the 32-year-old “Daisies” singer — who was reportedly paid $10 million for her comeback — took the stage in Indio, Calif.
In the first part of the set, Bieber focused on his latest tracks from “Swag” and “Swag ll” before delving into the YouTube heavy playlist.
“Tonight is a special night,” Bieber told the crowd as he sat in a chair behind a table holding his laptop. “I feel like we should take it slow. Do you remember this song?”
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Justin Bieber sparked outrage with his headlining performance at Coachella 2026. (Getty Images)
Bieber played hits like “Baby,” “Never Say Never,” and “Beauty and the Beat” on YouTube, while singing along to music videos playing in the background.
Once, Katy Perry made a joke during a YouTube search.
“Thank God I have Premium,” the Grammy nominee, 41, said in a video posted to her Instagram. “I don't want to see ads.”
“I'm crying this might be the worst performance I've ever seen. He's just playing music videos from youtube… no effort, just laziness,” another user wrote on X.
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“Justin Bieber is Coachella's highest paid artist and he gave a performance that was literally useless, with no budget and some people are praising him,” wrote another person on X. “The right to male mediocrity is real.”
“What's going on bro, justin bieber is telling me that he was getting paid a lot to do these bulls—?” another added.
Justin Bieber performs on stage at Coachella during the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Calif., on April 11, 2026. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Coachella)
Although some fans were criticized, they praised the singer for escaping.
“These 8 minutes of Justin Bieber singing his old songs, I will treasure in my heart for the rest of my life,” wrote one fan. “THANK YOU JUSTIN, THANK YOU.”
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“Justin Bieber completely destroyed Sabrina Carpenter. You don't need a High Production set or 10 changes to put on a good show. All you need is pure talent. LEGEND.”
Bieber's Coachella set marked his first major performance since the 2022 Justice World Tour. According to Rolling Stone, the pop star got a seven-person contract and made headlines.
Justin Bieber performs on stage during the 68th GRAMMY Awards at the Crypto.com Arena on February 01, 2026 in Los Angeles. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
“It's a big step for a headliner, and it's something he's built on his own,” a source close to Bieber told the media. “Between headlining Coachella and the success of Swag, it's clear that this is the start of an exciting new era for Justin – where he sits as the driver.”
Throughout his career, Bieber has expressed his vulnerability and emotional struggles through numerous posts on social media.
In April 2025, Bieber wrote, “I'm just a flawed man. I've done things that hurt others. I continue to do and say things that hurt others unintentionally. But I woke up this morning with another chance to grow and not be so selfish today.”
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He continued to write, “LOVE BRINGES US CLOSER. LOVE DOESN'T FORSAKE. LOVE BELIEVES GOOD. LOVE HOPEFULLY HOPEFULLY AND PATIENTS ALL THINGS. IT DOES NOT KEEP EVIL. LOVE HELPS FORGIVE AND LOVES EVEN THOUGH.”
The pop star has been open about her mental struggles over the years. (Cassy Athena/Getty Images)
Bieber did something else after that, telling his fans that “Sometimes I think I'll be exposed if I tell people how selfish I am. Like if I admit it, maybe people won't like me or trust me.”
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I “Baby” singer he explained that he felt that if he was honest about feeling selfish, then he would be “taken out of the dreams I had of being put in,” but he said that the more honest he was about things, the more freedom he had.
In another post, Bieber wrote that he “can't control” how he feels when he wakes up every morning, and that in the past “I've found myself carelessly blaming god for the bad feeling I woke up with instead of talking to him and asking him to help me change my perspective.”
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Towards the end of his Coachella set, Bieber thanked the crowd for an unforgettable night.
“Tonight was great,” Bieber said before closing his set with “Daisies.”
