SZA has refuted claims that she was offered “six figures” to serve as a backup headliner in case Justin Bieber withdrew from his Coachella 2026 performance.
“Lmao who made this up? I’ve seen this 4 times now,” SZA, 36, expressed on Instagram on Saturday, April 11.
The “Luther” singer-songwriter addressed a blind item suggesting she was paid “six figures to keep her schedule open for both weekends [of Coachella] — just in case Justin Bieber had to drop out at the last minute.” Despite Bieber, 32, reportedly sound-checking for his performance in Indio, California, the rumor persisted among fans.
“I’m in New York no one paid me a dime. Wishing everyone the best,” SZA clarified in a comment on the Instagram post.
There is considerable intrigue surrounding Bieber’s Coachella performances on Saturday, April 11, and Saturday, April 18. Before these headlining slots, he performed a more intimate show at The Roxy in West Hollywood in March.
Earlier this week, Us Weekly reported exclusively that Bieber was actively involved in planning nearly every aspect of his Coachella 2026 performance.
“He’s been involved in everything all along, from negotiating his own paycheck to working on the show’s creative direction,” a source told Us. “He even helped design the merch that’ll be sold on the grounds — T-shirts, hoodies, hats, etc.”
Bieber carefully selected his Coachella setlist to highlight his two Swag albums and showcase tracks from his 17-year career.
Justin Bieber performs onstage during the 68th GRAMMY Awards. Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
“Justin is very proud of his Swag albums [released in 2025], so he wants to spotlight them, but he’s also packing his set with old hits that he hasn’t performed in years. He knows the crowd will want to hear those too,” the insider told Us. “He’s been fine-tuning and changing some things as recently as this week. It’s all very fluid, but the bulk of the show is finalized and has been run through.”
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Coachella attendees enjoyed performances from The Strokes, Addison Rae, David Byrne, and Labrinth, among others.
British punk band Lambrini Girls were scheduled to perform on Saturday but withdrew at the last minute. Lead singer Phoebe Lunny announced on Friday, April 10, that she was recently diagnosed with an “acute brain injury” and a fractured neck.
“We have received quite a lot of messages re Coachella, we are so gutted, guys,” Lunny said. “We want to be there so badly. If it was a broken leg, I would do a Dave Grohl and play it. This isn’t something we are taking lightly and we are really sad. We hope and pray there’s some universe [where] we get to play next year instead … Because it is my neck and brain, our hands are tied for now, but I’m lucky and expect a speedy recovery.”
Justin Bieber and wife Hailey Bieber enjoyed the first weekend of Coachella 2025. Us Weekly reported that Justin, 31, and Hailey, 28, stayed at his La Quinta home, a short drive from the festival in Indio. After traveling there together on Saturday, April 12, […]
The headliner on Friday, Sabrina Carpenter, issued an apology following a comment she made during her performance, where she likened a fan’s zaghrouta chant to a “weird” yodel. (A zaghrouta chant is a traditional expression of joy in Arabic-speaking regions.)
“My apologies I didn’t see this person with my eyes and couldn’t hear clearly,” Carpenter wrote on X on Saturday. “My reaction was pure confusion, sarcasm and not ill intended. Could have handled it better! Now I know what a Zaghrouta is! I welcome all cheers and yodels from here on out.”
Coachella 2026 will proceed on Sunday, April 12, featuring headliner Karol G, along with performances by Young Thug, FKA Twigs, Iggy Pop, Wet Leg, Kaskade, and more. The same lineup will return on Sunday, April 18.
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