Lady Gaga at Coachella: All the songs we hope make her setlist, no matter how outrageous
Lady Gaga at Coachella: All the songs we hope make her setlist, no matter how outrageous
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Lady Gaga, Green Day and Post Malone headline Coachella 2025
Coachella has announced that Lady Gaga, Post Malone and Green Day will be the three weekend headliners for the festival in 2025.
unbranded - Entertainment
Lady Gaga vowed 'a massive night of chaos' for her Coachella headliner performance, an apt complement to her newest album christened 'Mayhem.'
Her festival shows on April 11 and April 18 will give fans the first glimpses of what grandiose staging she might be preparing for the 45-date tour to support 'Mayhem,' which kicks off July 16 in Las Vegas.
This will be Gaga's second time playing the iconic desert gathering in Indio, California (officially called Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival). In 2017 she stepped in at the 11th hour to replace a pregnant Beyoncé a few months after the release of her 'Joanne' album.
But while festival performances are often a mere appetizer to a full production, we have some thoughts about which songs – and other musical callbacks – we'd relish hearing when this current Goth-i-cized iteration of Gaga hits the stage.
With her chameleonic range and style, Gaga could easily shift her artsy approaches to reinvention from the slicked-blond hair iciness from her Chromatica Ball tour to the retro-Western air affiliated with 'Die with a Smile' to the inky-black bangs and avant garde steam-punk-meets-grunge palette hooked to 'Mayhem.'
Let's hope we see all of the facets.
As for the songs, it's inevitable that the staples that have defined her career – "Just Dance," 'Bad Romance,' 'Born This Way,' 'Poker Face' and 'The Edge of Glory' – will be represented. But here are other Lady Gaga songs we're wishing are on her Coachella setlist:
More: Lady Gaga reveals how her fiancé changed her life, music
'Abracadabra' and 'Killah'
Her thoroughly Gaga March performances on 'Saturday Night Live' were captivating in their weirdness and artistic audacity – especially commandeering most of Studio 8A to unwrap 'Killah.'
As presented in video and on (small) stage, the 'Thriller'-esque dance moves and alien eyebrows employed by Gaga and her dancers – looking like Dr. Frankenstein's chic assistants – pair well with the soaring chorus of 'Abracadabra' and disjointed funk of 'Killah.'
But given Gaga's unrepentant idolization of David Bowie and Prince – and their undeniable influence on these two tracks – it would be cool to hear a little 'Fashion' or 'Kiss' inserted into the songs, even if just a bass line. We're also hoping to still hear a reference to Queen's 'Radio Ga Ga," the origin of her stage name, woven into an instrumental during the inevitable act changes in the show.
And will the stage floor be on fire during 'Abracadabra'? Yes, please.
'Die With a Smile' and 'Shallow'
Although both ballads paired her with a male accomplice – Bruno Mars and Bradley Cooper, respectively – we know there is nothing Gaga can't accomplish with just her voice and a piano. She proved as much with her inclusion of 'Shallow' in the Chromatica Ball setlists and during her sweetly effective performance at January's FireAid benefit concert.
Her Grammy-winning 'Die' might be a more complicated endeavor solo, but if it provides a reason for her to don that Dolly Parton-styled updo, we're sold.
'Stupid Love' and 'Rain on Me'
Bold hair, metallic fashion and lyrics you can scream-shout? These 'Chromatica' songs were made for music festival glory. And as the closing songs on her Chromatica Ball tour – Gaga's first all-stadium outing – they're proven crowd pleasers. Of course we'd love it if Ariana Grande joined Gaga onstage for their best pop duo Grammy-winning 'Rain on Me,' but all we ask is for Gaga to show us a real good time.
'Steppin' Out With My Baby' and 'La Vie En Rose'
OK, we concede that throwing in some big band or classic French vocals would present a jarring tonal shift.
But consider: Gaga's dear friend and mentor, Tony Bennett, has died since her last tour and she continues to tout his influence. She also nodded to her jazz-swing period nurtured by Bennett with last fall's 'Harlequin' album, which, unfortunately, was too tied to her "Joker: Folie à Deux" film flop to receive its due.
And if you caught her Jazz & Piano residency in Las Vegas, you are well aware that she can shake a fringed skirt through Irving Berlin's 'Steppin' Out With My Baby' – popularized by Bennett – as effortlessly as she can slip into the velvety belting required for 'La Vie En Rose,' as she showcased in 'A Star in Born' as well as in her Vegas shows.
'Telephone featuring Beyoncé'
Look, we know the likelihood of Beyoncé showing up at Gaga's Coachella set to sing a 15-year-old song is about as high as a teenager knowing how to use a rotary phone. But we can dream, and seeing two inimitable musicians reprise their gloriously unhinged 2009 music video for 'Telephone' in any capacity is it.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lady Gaga Praises Queer Music Pioneer Carl Bean in Docu Clip: ‘Anthems Unify People'
Lady Gaga honors queer music icon Carl Bean and the legacy of his 1977 anthem, 'I Was Born This Way' in an exclusive clip from the upcoming documentary I Was Born This Way. In the film, Gaga, Questlove, and Billy Porter are among those who reflect on the song's powerful impact on the LGBTQ community. 'This song is actually the music equivalent of the Giving Tree,' says Questlove, spinning the track on vinyl. More from Rolling Stone Addison Rae's Pop Queen Dreams Are Massive, and Just Out of Reach Timex's New 'Wednesday' Watch Collab Is Worth a Double Round of Snaps How the Director and Stars of 'Pavements' Brought Many Stephen Malkmuses to Life The clip opens with the chart success the song, released on Motown, had in the United States, climbing to Number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, and how it became an 'immediate anthem for the gay community,' embraced by house DJs worldwide. Gaga — who titled her sophomore album after her own Bean-influenced LGBTQ-celebrating anthem, 'Born This Way' — reflects on Bean's legacy. 'This was so much more than just a hit song. When that song stopped charting, they didn't stop playing that song in clubs,' she says. 'And the movement didn't stop.' In the clip, Questlove adds that the track was 'beyond a hit' and one that inspired hope and'revolution.' 'It's an anthem,' he says. 'And anthems never die.' 'Anthems unify people. And they help us to celebrate,' adds Gaga. 'It's people coming together to say, 'This is what we believe in. This is what we care about. We are louder. We are stronger. And we can do it together.'' Bean would eventually leave the music industry, founding the Minority AIDS Project to help underserved populations at the height of the AIDS epidemic and eventually, the first LGBTQ+ ministry called the Unity Fellowship Church. I Was Born This Way has been six years in the making and features Questlove, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Billy Porter as exec producers. Daniel Junge and Sam Pollard direct the film which will premiere at the Tribeca Festival on June 5. 'This sequence in the film shows the enduring legacy of Bean's song, and the film demonstrates his lasting influence in so many other surprising ways,' Junge tells Rolling Stone. 'There are so many celebrity bio-docs these days, which I don't disparage — Sam and I have made them — but I think the real joy of documentary is when you are surprised by things you never realized are an important part of our world… hopefully that's what this film does.' 'Not only was his rendition of the song revelatory, but what he did over the decades with his activism for the LGBTQ+ community was both groundbreaking and heartfelt,' Pollard adds. Gaga has long credited Bean — who died in 2021 at age 77 but gave interviews for the film prior to his death — for inspiring Born This Way. Ahead of Pride Month in 2021, she wrote on Twitter: 'Born This Way, my song and album, were inspired by Carl Bean, a gay black religious activist who preached, sung and wrote about being 'Born This Way.' … Thank you for decades of relentless love, bravery, and a reason to sing. So we can all feel joy, because we deserve joy.' { pmcCnx({ settings: { plugins: { pmcAtlasMG: { iabPlcmt: 1, }, pmcCnx: { singleAutoPlay: 'auto' } } }, playerId: "d762a038-c1a2-4e6c-969e-b2f1c9ec6f8a", mediaId: "0eb6519c-7563-415b-88a9-96e46cac48a4", }).render("connatix_player_0eb6519c-7563-415b-88a9-96e46cac48a4_1"); }); Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Billie Eilish and Nat Wolff seemingly confirm romance with a kiss in Italy: A timeline of their blossoming relationship
It looks like summer lovin' for Billie Eilish and her rumored boyfriend, Nat Wolff. The singer-songwriter appeared to confirm her romance with the actor-musician when the pair were seen kissing in Italy on June 7. Rumors that Eilish, 23, and Wolff, 30, were an item hit a fever pitch in March when they were seen leaving the iHeartRadio Music Awards together. Wolff, who is one half of the musical duo Nat & Alex Wolff, with brother Alex, starred in Eilish's self-directed 'Chihiro' music video, which was released in June 2024. Eilish previously described the video as being emblematic of her 'inescapable connection' with Wolff. From their weekend in Coachella to their night out in New York City, here's a look back at Eilish and Wolff's relationship. Wolff's brother, Alex, met Eilish at an Oscars party in 2023. Eilish and both Wolff brothers reportedly grabbed a bite to eat after the party. Eilish, according to Alex, bonded with both brothers over Tourette's syndrome. All three of them live with the disorder, which is characterized by repetitive and involuntary sudden movements. 'Even when I saw Billie on interviews, I said, 'Oh, she's one of us,'' Alex told Variety in October 2024. 'We know all the ways that we try to mute ourselves or try and chill ourselves out or soften ourselves for other people, and how nice it is to not have to do that for certain people.' Eilish attended Coachella with both brothers. The brotherly duo shared photos from their weekend in the desert, which heavily featured the 'Lunch' singer. Wolff starred in Eilish's self-directed music video for her single 'Chihiro' just two months after their Coachella outing. Eilish, in a press release, described the video's concept as showcasing the 'external expression of an internal push and pull, as our deepest feelings of fear, love, or desire inevitably catch up to us, no matter how hard we try to run away.' In the music video, the Grammy winner and the former Nickelodeon star are unable to stay away from one another — which Eilish previously said is representative of their 'inescapable connection.' The Wolff brothers were then confirmed as the opening act for Eilish's Hit Me Hard and Soft North American tour, from September to October 2024, and then again for select dates in November. The duo rejoined Eilish on tour as the opener for her Dec. 17 show in Inglewood, Calif. 'She's one of those people where almost everything she does, she does better than everyone else,' Wolff told Vogue about Eilish in October 2024. 'She's like, 'Come see me ride my horse,' and the teacher says, 'You know, if she put all her energy into it, she could go to the Olympics.' You just have to kind of submit to the fact that she's going to be better than everyone else at everything.' Eilish and Wolff found themselves embroiled in romance rumors in March 2025, when the popular Instagram account Deux Moi shared photos of them leaving the iHeartRadio Music Awards together in Los Angeles. The Hit Me Hard and Soft hitmaker was spotted with Wolff the following week in New York City. While barhopping with friends in the East Village, the pair were reportedly 'very affectionate' with one another. Deux Moi then posted photos of Eilish and Wolff kissing on a balcony in Italy in June 2025. In the carousel of photos, Eilish is seen taking photos of Wolff with a digital camera, while the pair sip flutes of champagne. 'Tbh extremely happy for her bc she deserves a nice healthy love, and Nat's a good guy,' one fan commented on Deux Moi's Instagram post. 'Look at her smiling and everything likee cmon soooo cute🥺🥺🥺🥺!!!'
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
From festivals to weddings: Why drone shows are booming
The wedding ceremony was almost over when newlywed Bobby Underwood stepped on a napkin-covered glass to break it, as is Jewish tradition, and everyone shouted "Mazel Tov!". But as he and his new wife Siobhan turned to walk back down the aisle, their wedding officiants said, "Wait." There was a surprise. "All of these drones started rising up," recalls Mrs Underwood. "It was honestly remarkable, very overwhelming – and incredibly emotional for us." She estimates that between 100 and 150 drones appeared in the night sky, displaying lights of various colours, and forming images chosen to represent the bridge and groom. These included a baseball player hitting a ball – as Mr Underwood is a big baseball fan – and a diamond ring being placed on a finger. The couple were married on New Year's Eve 2024, in New York State. Mrs Underwood's mother had arranged the surprise drone show with help from the couple's wedding planner – who had suggested it as a "wow factor" component of the day. It seemed to have the desired effect. "It was kind of just shock – 'Is this really happening right now?'," says Mrs Underwood. "I can't believe my mom did this for us." Drone shows are becoming ever more popular. Once rarities, they are now appearing at occasions ranging from birthday parties and weddings, to major sporting events. Some theme parks even have resident drone shows that take place multiple nights in a row. Glastonbury music festival had its first drone show in 2024. And record-breaking displays are pushing the technology to its limits – the biggest drone show in history took place in China last October. It featured a total of 10,200 drones and broke a record set only the previous month. So, does all this spell the end for fireworks? "They are really beautiful – they are art," says Sally French, a US-based drone industry commentator known as The Drone Girl. She says that drone shows have appeared at baseball games, corporate conferences, and even at ports, to celebrate the launch of cruises. Drone displays are becoming highly sophisticated, she explains, with some drone shows featuring thousands of flying devices, allowing them to animate figures or patterns in incredible detail. "I saw a Star Wars-themed drone show where there was a full-on lightsabre battle," adds Ms French. One barrier might be the price tag, however, with the cost per drone at around $300 (£220) in the UK, says Ms French, citing industry data from market research firm SPH Engineering: "A 500 drone show would be over $150,000." Mrs Underwood does not have an exact figure, but estimates that her wedding drone show cost tens of thousands of dollars. The sky's the limit, actually. Skymagic, one of the world's largest drone show companies, has put on major displays that cost north of $1m says Patrick O'Mahony, co-founder and creative director. Skymagic's shows have taken place in various countries – including the 2023 Coachella music festival in California. The company has also performed drone shows in the UK, including as part of the King's Coronation concert, which was broadcast by the BBC. Mr O'Mahony has experience in designing fireworks displays and other, similar events. But drones have revolutionised outdoor public displays, he says. His company has a fleet of 6,000 custom-designed drones. Each one can reach speeds of up to 10 meters per second. The drones sport LED lights and have batteries that allow for 25 minutes of flight time. To make them easier to transport, the drones are stored in flight cases and unpacked at venues in a giant marquee before they are laid out in the take-off area, half a metre apart, in a grid pattern. "Once the drones have received their 'go' command [they] fly the entire show," adds Mr O'Mahony, explaining that a single human pilot on the ground controls thousands of the devices at once. The drones are geo-fenced, based on Global Positioning System (GPS) data, which prevents them from straying beyond the allotted flight area. In windy conditions, though, they can get blown off course. In such cases, they automatically return to a landing spot on the ground, says Mr O'Mahony. Fireworks have a "boom" factor that drones generally don't, notes Ms French. However, Bill Ray, an analyst at market research firm Gartner, says that some drones can now launch pyrotechnics, for a firework-like effect. For instance, a stream of sparks raining down from the lower portion of an image created by a group of drones. Plus, Mr Ray says it is much easier to accurately synchronise drone movements with music during a show, which could be another reason behind their appeal. But the cost of shows remains prohibitive to some, and in part comes down to the fact that laying out the devices and gathering them all up again after the performance is still a relatively slow, manual process, adds Mr Ray. Pedro Rosário is chief executive of Drone Show Animations, a company that designs drone show performances for other companies that supply the drones themselves. Mr Rosário says that one challenging aspect of his work is in coming up with displays that adhere to various regulations applying to drone flights, since these rules differ from country to country. England has stricter regulations than countries in the Middle East, for example, he says. Mr Rosário adds that drone shows, which might be paired with pyrotechnics, traditional fireworks or even lasers, allow for a huge degree of creative freedom: "You can really build something that has emotional value, it can tell a story." In Mrs Underwood's case, that seems to have worked. Her guests enjoyed the spectacle too, she adds: "We've heard compliments about our wedding in general – but, consistently, the drone show is something people bring up as something they never expected to see." The people refusing to use AI Who will win the race to develop a humanoid robot? Do we need cocoa-free chocolate and is it nice?
