Coachella Weekend 2 Day 1 Recap: Bieber Returns, Kacey Musgraves Surprise, and What Actually Happened April 18 2026

# Coachella Weekend 2 Day 1 Recap: Bieber Returns, Kacey Musgraves Surprise, and What Actually Happened April 18 2026

> **Quick answer:** Coachella 2026 Weekend 2 Day 1 (Saturday, April 18) saw Justin Bieber headline the Coachella Stage at 11:25 p.m. PT in a repeat of his controversial but streaming-record-breaking Weekend 1 performance. Kacey Musgraves was added as a last-minute surprise, performing at the Mojave tent at 3 p.m. The evening unfolded under far calmer conditions than the dust storms that devastated Weekend 1 on April 10.

Weekend 2 of Coachella 2026 opened Saturday, April 18 in Indio, California, and the desert had something to prove. After a chaotic first weekend defined by violent winds, a cancelled headliner, and one of the most divisive festival performances in recent memory, all eyes were back on the Empire Polo Club — and the vibe was immediately different.

## What Happened at Coachella Weekend 2 Day 1

The April 18 programme kicked off in the afternoon and ran into the early hours of Sunday. The most talked-about addition was **Kacey Musgraves**, confirmed just days before the festival opened as a last-minute slot at the Mojave tent, performing at 3 p.m. The surprise appearance — tied to her upcoming album *Middle of Nowhere* — gave the early hours a charged, intimate atmosphere that contrasted sharply with the mainstage spectacles to come.

**Addison Rae** took the Coachella Stage from 5:25 to 6:20 p.m., continuing the trajectory from Weekend 1 where her pop debut generated significant social media traffic and gave Fizzty readers a genuine "she's arrived" moment to debate. Elsewhere on the schedule, **The Strokes** held the rock flank of the evening and **Interpol** delivered for the indie faithful.