Justin Bieber’s headlining Coachella set did exactly what a festival headliner is supposed to do, at least in one sense. It got everyone talking. The pop star’s unusual Saturday night performance, which included scrolling through old videos, viral clips, and internet memes onstage, left fans sharply split. And the reaction was not just coming from the crowd. Katy Perry, Zara Larsson, and Lizzo all weighed in, each from a very different angle.
The 32-year-old singer turned his set into something far less traditional than many viewers expected. Alongside songs from ‘Swag’ and ‘Swag II,’ Bieber spent a long stretch pulling up YouTube clips on a laptop, including old videos of himself and internet staples like ‘Deez Nuts’ and ‘Double Rainbow.’ For some, it felt random and low-effort. For others, it felt personal, nostalgic, and weirdly moving.
Katy Perry And Zara Larsson Lean Into The Joke
Katy Perry was one of the first stars to react publicly. Sharing a photo dump from Coachella on Instagram, Perry included a clip of Bieber searching videos on his laptop during the set. “Thank God he has premium,” she joked. “I don’t wanna see no ads.”
Zara Larsson took a similar tone, but went even more playful. Posting a video of herself watching the livestream on TikTok, she wrote, “It’s giving let’s watch YouTube.” Her caption added, “He’s in my dream blunt rotation.”
That did not go over smoothly with everyone. Some fans agreed with her take and found the whole thing funny. Others accused her of missing the point entirely.
One commenter pushed back hard, writing, “This is very tone deaf. Him doing this showed how he’s healing himself. His fans didn’t mind it at all because it came off so genuinely and honestly saying let’s just chill and watch YouTube bc that’s where I started.”
Larsson did not stay quiet for long. On Instagram Stories, she responded with, “‘You always got something to say.’ Correct!!!! You’re new to this, I’m true to this!!” She added, “Everyone who’s been with me for a minute knows I’m a yapper first.”
Lizzo Saw Something Deeper In Bieber’s Set
While Perry and Larsson went light, Lizzo saw something much more serious in the performance. She posted a photo of Bieber watching his 2008 cover of Chris Brown’s ‘With You,’ the clip that helped launch his career, and used the moment to praise what she saw as growth.
“I watched a popstar who grew up in front of the world fully transcend into his artistry last night,” she wrote. “I watched someone who gave us his all, his whole life.. finally nourish his self.”
She continued, “Justin invited us and whoever chose to come with him was blessed with a beautiful ride.”
That divide pretty much sums up the internet’s reaction too. Some viewers thought Bieber gave Coachella the strangest headlining set in recent memory. Others thought they were watching an artist strip everything down and reconnect with where he started. Either way, people are still arguing about it, which means the set clearly hit a nerve.
