Beyoncé is headlining Coachella — for real this time, it seems. After pulling out of last year’s festival because she was pregnant with twins, she will return to anchor the Indio, Calif., event along with Eminem and the Weeknd.
Coachella will take place over two weekends, April 13-15 and April 20-22, with the lineup hinting at a genre shift for a festival once dominated by rock bands like Guns N’ Roses, AC/DC and Radiohead. This year, the guitars are much more scarce, with St. Vincent, the War on Drugs and Haim representing a younger generation taking rock in disparate directions. Instead, there’s plenty of hip-hop, with Eminem headlining on the heels of a new album, “Revival,” and sets lined up from Cardi B, Migos, Vince Staples, Post Malone and Tyler, the Creator. Other performers include SZA, King Krule, Odesza and David Byrne.
The main draw, of course, will be Beyoncé, whose booking last year was seen as a huge victory for the typically pop-averse Coachella. But with the writing on the wall — an Instagram announcement and a Grammy performance in which she cradled her stomach — she canceled her set “following the advice of her doctors.” Lady Gaga performed in her place, and Beyoncé’s twins, Sir Carter and Rumi, were born in June.
Beyoncé had a sizable impact on 2017 despite not releasing an album or playing any major concerts besides the Grammys. “Perfect,” a duet with Ed Sheeran, topped the Billboard singles chart; she sang on a warmly received remix of J Balvin and Willy William’s “Mi Gente,” and released duets with Eminem and her husband, Jay-Z. And she was cast as Nala in the upcoming live-action remake of “The Lion King.”
Governors Ball also announced its lineup: It will take place June 1-3 at Randalls Island in New York City with Eminem, Jack White and Travis Scott. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, recently back to performing after an extended hiatus, will also appear.
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