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For Sale Apr 12, 2026 at 3:53 PM

Justin Bieber’s Coachella set was really weird

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Silent_Version9710 Apr 12, 2026 +1470
“Bieber had other ideas. Saturday’s 90-minute performance was stubbornly underproduced, so lo-fi that it felt like an overcorrection from his polished career as a teenage star. The singer appeared on stage alone, with a pink hoodie pulled over his head and sunglasses across his eyes. He selected his backing tracks manually from a Mac on the side of the stage. Occasionally, he scrolled through comments on the Coachella livestream to pick his next songs. Things got weird a third of the way through the set when Bieber started playing through his old material. Or rather, his computer did. The singer sat perched in front of his Mac, searching for his old music videos on YouTube. He shared his computer’s screen so that the crowd could see.  When he clicked on the video for “Baby,” the audience’s reaction was immediate. What had been a quiet crowd jumped to attention. Phones flew up, and fans sang along. Bieber did too, quietly, his new voice an octave lower. And then, after a minute, he pulled the plug. He searched for another song, “Favorite Girl,” and did the same routine: one minute, then on to the next. And so on for “Confident,” “All That Matters” and “Sorry,” among others.”
1470
ButterMyPancakesPlz Apr 12, 2026 +1293
This sounds like an overpriced PowerPoint
1293
nikolai813 Apr 12, 2026 +371
He’s transformed into a corporate consultant.
371
StrobeLightRomance Apr 12, 2026 +207
"If I were Justin Bieber, here's what I would play to get the fans going." "Sir.. you *ARE* Justin Bieber." "Yeah, but like, if he weren't me but I was him, this is what I would play."
207
BaggyLarjjj Apr 12, 2026 +61
Major “What being a teenage pop superstar taught me about b2b sales” energy.
61
excoriator Apr 12, 2026 +17
He just wants to move the needle.
17
PoopyInThePeePeeHole Apr 12, 2026 +90
"This concert could have been an email" vibes
90
Complete-Appeal8572 Apr 12, 2026 +9
Welcome to my TED talk
9
Electrical-Site6802 Apr 12, 2026 +405
I would enjoy something like this at an intimate venue. Maybe a surprise show or something for an artist I really like. But at Coachella with a huge venue and massive budget it’s just lazy. It’s not what people are there for.
405
anonymousbopper767 Apr 12, 2026 +222
Wasn’t this what Coachella was supposed to be before it got all influencer douchebag?
222
blissfully_happy Apr 12, 2026 +151
This is absolutely what it was in the late-90s/early-00s.
151
cbunny21 Apr 12, 2026 +87
And in those days, they weren’t spending $10mil to book one of the biggest pop stars on the planet. Cmon now
87
Mushroomer Apr 12, 2026 +42
Sure, but if this is what the artist wants to do with the stage - who's to say if you want to stop him? The performance was weird & intimate, and that kinda seems to be the vibe he's cultivating right now. His Grammys performance was just him with a guitar & drum machine, and it was quite effective.
42
cbunny21 Apr 12, 2026 +26
I don’t care what he does, but I’m going to judge it because I stayed up to watch it lol. He played the Deez nuts and double rainbow videos live on a big screen during his Coachella set. How is that intimate?
26
Chris_Tumas_8008 Apr 13, 2026 +17
> He played the Deez nuts and double rainbow videos live on a big screen during his Coachella set. That actually sounds intimate and wholesome! Like something people would do back in the day with their friends and family showing those kinds of videos.
17
Minxionnaire Apr 13, 2026 +5
Not those clips in particular but I found it very intimate in the sense that he was sharing embarrassing videos of himself and was able to laugh them off. Going back to old covers and songs from 10 or more years ago now, reflecting on how he went from this kid doing covers on YouTube to doing Coachella Tbh it made me a bit worried, with how nostalgic people get about the good times in their life when they’re doing badly. But I generally saw it as wholesome nostalgia
5
NoSleepTilBookRead Apr 13, 2026 +9
lol as someone who went first in 2002, this isn’t true. It was produced, it was just all rock bands.
9
imafnheadbanga Apr 12, 2026 +11
you mean before daft punk bjork prince RATM before they had money
11
IdownvoteTexas Apr 13, 2026 +3
The fact that Bieber’s return / Coachella headlining caused it to sell out the fastest it has in years means that the fans going there have sucked for a long time.
3
dysfunkti0n Apr 13, 2026 +1
Honestly, dead to rights, I kinda f*** with it. I have never purposefully listened to his music but I kinda like what he was doing tbh
1
ExtraGloves Apr 12, 2026 +99
Nah I think it’s perfect for Coachella. It’s mostly just rich kids that don’t care about the music and want content for their insta. I thought it was pretty funny.
99
NoSleepTilBookRead Apr 13, 2026 +14
I hate what Coachella has become and mourn 2002-2012
14
Financial-Grass-6114 Apr 12, 2026 +89
I agree with you except on the fact most people attending coachella dont give a shit. As long as hes there he could tell them all to lick his nuts and they would not care
89
Frequilibrium Apr 12, 2026 +27
They just want drugs lol
27
OralHershizer Apr 12, 2026 +6
Nut Drugs.
6
Upset_Letter_4119 Apr 12, 2026 +25
Well said. It's almost more of a protest than a performance.
25
_Mr-Prince_ Apr 12, 2026 +7
Good. Hopefully it’ll lower the value to allow people interested in the artists to go rather than influencers going for clout.
7
B-Glasses Apr 12, 2026 +25
People go to Coachella these days for shitty fashion and drugs and influencers
25
StillBummedNouns Apr 12, 2026 +175
I went back on the livestream to watch his performance after reading this. Just wanted to watch him crash and burn… but I encourage you guys to go watch it, especially if you know his old music, because it’s actually really wholesome. And the crowd is into it. Did the person who wrote this expect him to go up there and perform a song he wrote when he was 10 years old in a serious manner? It’s really unique.
175
Vulture7 Apr 12, 2026 +73
yea im not a bieber fan by any means, but i thought it was a really grounded and different experience. it didnt come across as “c****”
73
Least_Treat3832 Apr 12, 2026 +18
That depends on a persons definition of c****. I don’t think anything about it was C****. It’s people’s minds and psychology that is c****. For example Katy Perry making fun of it being “slow” after she literally ruined her career by not being herself, trying to do too much, and becoming a cringey disaster on stage. I watched Justin’s entire set and only 8 mins was YouTube section where he was still singing. He was singing the entire time and it seemed almost slow/effortless from him sometimes because of how easily vocals come to him. Justin has an amazing voice to the point that he can JUST sing. Addison Rae (even though I like her) and a lot of other performers have to go all out because they can’t sing…. They don’t have the natural talent of what a singer should… but sometimes a musician isn’t just about their voice it’s about stage presence, the message, dancing, their physical looks, etc. & that’s okay, but when did “great singing” from a singer become a bad thing? I think it’s the psychology and the culture of today that’s ruined a lot and continues to ruin everything. Everyone has TikTok brain and can’t focus on anything that isn’t flashing, changing, moving every 2 seconds. People do not care about authenticity or if something is actually good anymore, just want it right away. The average length of songs has been decreased significantly bc ppls attention span is that bad. People can’t even watch a TikTok video that’s 1 min long unless the person is moving around, applying makeup, doing a jump scare intro. People don’t actually like or appreciate anything anymore…. They just want to be entertained for a second and then get bored…. Doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad. It doesn’t surprise me that a person singing on stage that sounds amazing isn’t good enough for most people these days… nope. They would much rather see someone lip sync to a terrible song like “pinky up” as long as they’re half naked and it’s fast catch phrase song meant for TikTok trends. I seriously am sickened by the culture we have created. We’re all literal sheep that follow our favorite influencer and our favorite influencer mimics their favorite influencer, therefore we’re all the same. We cannot think, talk, act, dress, or even decorate without someone telling us how. Sad.
18
ala_moana Apr 12, 2026 +37
yes. go watch it. it’s a brilliantly produced set. it’s focused. It’s intimate. It’s intentionally sparse. The singing is spectacular. that article quoted above is woefully under considered. They’re missing a lot of meaning. this is an intentional reframe of what we’ve come to expect from Coachella performances. instead of spectacle, instead of trying to just go bigger and bigger and bigger to the point of nauseating… he did something completely different. he sang directly to his fans and showed his artistry. No matter how you feel about the guy you have to admit he is a singular talent and an artist. pay attention. The whole set was kind of a very slow striptease. That section in the middle where he opens the laptop was delightful. But it was just a part of the show and not the whole thing. The acknowledgement of the fans watching online and reflection of the place where he came from (YouTube) was touching, humanizing and in the long-term, going to be very successful. that trip down memory lane, where he watched old videos and sang to them was really sweet. and it achieve the goal of giving longtime fans the hits they always wanna . The show is clearly autobiographical so he’s reflecting on his life and he’s lived it in front of an audience. Anybody over reducing this performance is totally missing the point. It was not overly energetic, that is one fair critique. I don’t know how I would have felt if I had been standing for three hours without a bathroom break in a sea of dust and humanity, but for Couch-ella, it was wonderful. giving the audience a firework show at the end was also really sweet.
37
Most_Temporary2110 Apr 12, 2026 +15
You told ai to not capitalize the beginning of every sentence, told it your ideas, and it did the rest.
15
DenseBeautiful731 Apr 13, 2026 +4
Nah. Your problem that you genuinely can’t tell an articulate person from AI. User switches to sentence case in various points of the text, so that part you didn’t even get right.
4
Lost-Competition8482 Apr 13, 2026 +1
It's not AI but I would describe someone who neglected to use paragraphs as "articulate". It's basically just a wall of word vomit.
1
Mooredock Apr 13, 2026 +5
There's way too many typos and mistakes and grammatical oddities for that to be ai, it seems more like its someone maybe using a translator to clean up their English.
5
ala_moana Apr 13, 2026 +3
it’s just dictation and laziness to edit, my friend.
3
funknut Apr 13, 2026 +2
It doesn't read like ai. My only question is who uses … instead of ... and if it isn't ai, how do they even do that? I had to copy paste it from Wikipedia.
2
Sensitive-Team9634 Apr 13, 2026 +3
Yup it was great. And people saying it was a lazy, performance, comparing to Sabrina Carpenters performance etc. the guy has been famous and trying to impress people his whole entire life. Just let him be himself
3
mittbama Apr 13, 2026 +2
The outrage cycle for this one is really puzzling. Just watch and fork your own opinion. I also thought it was wholesome
2
NoAd2704 Apr 12, 2026 +45
Not gonna lie, to me it’s kinda brilliant and oddly intimate to do this. I think it may have been more weird to see him jump around the stage, performing those songs like the pop star he used to be. It’s clearly not his vision anymore.
45
overcloseness Apr 12, 2026 +20
To be fair, this is exactly how I imagine the kids these days consume music
20
itspsyikk Apr 12, 2026 +2
This was my thought exactly. Them mentioning Baby only to play a minute of it a pick another song... That is *exactly* how every "hangout" I ever had in my 20s went. "Wait wait wait check out this song..." (plays a minute of it) "Okay okay check this one out..." It sounds like ADD incarnate.
2
joshedt Apr 12, 2026 +85
don’t know how it actually was, but in text this sounds f****** cool lol
85
Large-Pipe-7898 Apr 12, 2026 +29
I started watching the live stream but didn’t finish. Saw clips of his hits on social media later on and I didn’t like how he would start a song and just abruptly end it.  Idk maybe I’d say move him to a different stage? No hate towards the guy but isn’t the main stage supposed to be a bit out of this world ? It doesn’t help that Sabrina set the bar hella high on the first night.  But in the end I’m not really his target audience. Didn’t really like his music then but decided to give him another chance and listen to his newer stuff. Unfortunately, to me personally, it was lackluster. But I did add two songs onto my Apple music because I did enjoy them as a studio song just didn’t like the live performance. 
29
Top-Lab7986 Apr 12, 2026 +23
>I didn’t like how he would start a song and just abruptly end it.   So a ton of my friends at parties will do this, just pick a song and then skip to a new song like 2 minutes in.  It drives me crazy but like no one else seems to mind and most of them do it.  I feel like people have such shitty attention spans now that that's their preferred way of listening to music.
23
aphextwintower Apr 12, 2026 +53
it was f****** cool. first time i've ever considered him to be a genuinely interesting artist not surprised by the hate though, total opposite of most people's expectations of a pop star headliner performance
53
Charlieisadog420 Apr 12, 2026 +10
It doesn’t seem bad at all and really interactive which is fun.
10
alwaysontheclock22 Apr 12, 2026 +14
I’ve just seen clips but I thought the moment when he sings along with himself as a kid to With You was honestly really moving, and a real reflection on how long we’ve seen this guy perform
14
[deleted] Apr 12, 2026 +180
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Perfect-Zebra-3611 Apr 12, 2026 +95
>male ones get up there and do the bare minimum Not too much on Gambino. I loved his set when he performed
95
Married_iguanas Apr 12, 2026 +28
I saw Gambino on his last tour, the last show right before he had to cancel the tour. He was hospitalized the next day and I had no idea he was unwell bc he put on a hell of a performance! He dances a lot and had a sick ass light show and visuals.
28
Mooredock Apr 12, 2026 +78
Also say what you want about Bieber, he was flying above the stage in metallic wings and heart shaped cages and doing full dance routines through hoops of fire in sequins and costumes from the time he was 15 to 25, if he wants to chill out I don't really blame him.
78
coldcleanclear Apr 12, 2026 +14
He was?
14
noisy_goose Apr 12, 2026 +30
I googled and yes circa 2010-2013 he was flying around
30
Darklord_Of_Bacon Apr 13, 2026 +6
Bro was doing every popstar move at his shows. It’s hard to understate how hard they worked him as a kid. Only thing I can think of that reminds me of it is how crazy BTS concerts can get and at least there’s 7 of them. It was just him
6
a_weak_child Apr 12, 2026 +33
lol grimes sucked though too 
33
HonestDespot Apr 12, 2026 +15
Well she’s a former partner of Elon Musk who I think has really sucked for years now.
15
HerRoyalRedness Apr 12, 2026 +28
Grimes first got press because she claimed she was going to sail down the Mississippi River on a DIY boat with chickens and potatoes. The trip was abandoned after three weeks because the engine failed almost immediately.
28
ForgiveOX Apr 12, 2026 +19
Cosplay as a poor person, too expensive!
19
noisy_goose Apr 12, 2026 +7
Three weeks is pretty good, that’s basically current era survivor season, I was expecting you to say 3 hours
7
lemme_just_say Apr 12, 2026 +87
Not just Coachella. Look at Beyoncé and Taylor Swift’s productions when they go on tour. The prep, the exercise, the choreography, the energy, outfit changes. Compared with Bieber and also recently Timberlake. I haven’t seen him in person but Bruno Mars seems kick it up a few notches.
87
guceubcuesu Apr 12, 2026 +35
The Weeknd puts on a great show as well. Wasn’t a fan of his before but his tour changed my mind overnight.
35
SubatomicSquirrels Apr 13, 2026 +3
And for an example of a female artist that does a very minimalist show, we have Adele.
3
dgtexan14 Apr 12, 2026 +22
Pretty true and i’m going to put my opinion here on why it is and I may be wrong BUT I really think in general it is the fragile masculinity men are brought on. Like beebs who put all his emotions inward vs outward and it happens in their late to early 30s where men break and go through some transition of dealing with that mentality of men not expressing emotions. Anyways, woman are more freely to be more creative without being seen as “less of a man”
22
Infinite-Tourist2465 Apr 13, 2026 +29
I saw a post that said “he got to perform with every era of himself.”  That’s really special when you think about it.
29
jenfullmoon Apr 12, 2026 +461
Not that I care that much about the beeb, but this just sounds sad.
461
[deleted] Apr 12, 2026 +178
[deleted]
178
IntelligentDeal7799 Apr 12, 2026 +40
It’s just a marketing gag for Skylark & Rhode. He’s riding the early nostalgia wave for his fans
40
zh_13 Apr 12, 2026 +19
I mean I wish he’d ride the nostalgia wave lol, he barely performed his old songs and it’s clear no one gaf about his new music cause they’re just giving youth pastor lol
19
[deleted] Apr 12, 2026 +12
[deleted]
12
Marble___ Apr 12, 2026 +103
why? his fans seemed to enjoy it and he looked fine, probably best to watch the set rather than read a shitty article.
103
daisymoth9 Apr 12, 2026 +33
right. he’s definitely had more concerning performances (the one with sza comes to mind). he sounded really good and wasn’t nodding off or anything
33
afailedexorcism Apr 12, 2026 +49
Yeah the think pieces from people who allegedly “don’t care” are wild lol What I watched last night was wildly different than what people are exacerbating here
49
Mooredock Apr 12, 2026 +36
Yeah, like it was maybe more low-key than people were expecting, but it wasn't terrible by any stretch. He *sounded* great, and I don't think dragging someone who has openly struggled with mental illness for not being bombastic enough is quite the take people think it is. The performance itself was perfectly fine, and he didn't seem weird or off, he's just nervy and eccentric these days and I don't think that means he should stop performing or making music if he wants to, especially when plenty of people still want to see him.
36
Chriskills Apr 12, 2026 +11
I think what people fail to understand as well is that his mental illness is very likely tied to the time in his life he was doing bombastic performances. I do think this show is lazy, and not particularly for me, but it is where he is as a musician. He’s not phoning in his performance, he’s performing the way he wants to.
11
scuffedmyguccii Apr 12, 2026 +15
Exactly, it was a cool set and everyone was clearly having a great time. They’re trying to frame it as a repeat of franks disaster set
15
secretreddname Apr 12, 2026 +10
I thought it was cool and unique and I’m not a Bieber fan lol
10
Apollo802 Apr 12, 2026 +14
Yeah all the clips I’ve seen about it makes it a much cooler experience since the fans were loving it. It’s more personal and kinda of gives you a live stream but in real life with music. The only people that didn’t like it were the ones that just read about it vs watching the actual videos.
14
kwkdjfjdbvex Apr 12, 2026 +13
It was very clearly a fan service concept for the set and the fans absolutely loved it lol
13
Kaypee_88 Apr 12, 2026 +5
I watched it and enjoyed it actually. Never was much of a Bieber listener, but I think I got what he was going for last night.
5
Conscious-Fruit-6190 Apr 12, 2026 +44
He pretty obviously has some substance abuse issues. I hope someone close to him can help him get the help that he needs.
44
soolsul Apr 12, 2026 +5
It’s ok to care.
5
SaltyFlowerChild Apr 12, 2026 +523
i actually thought the laptop section was unique and quite creative. i was surprised at the online reaction being mixed. basically every crowd shot had someone so overwhelmed with emotion they were in tears or welling up. beyonce, tyler, doja had really pushed the envelope with maximalist headline performances so it was a cool change of pace. as someone on twitter delicately put it he seemed in a relatively good place for a celebrity that was likely 'turbo molested' as a child in the public eye.
523
StillBummedNouns Apr 12, 2026 +102
I rewinded the Coachella livestream to watch this performance to see if it’s bad as everyone says it is… it’s not. It’s a really unique way to highlight your old work
102
canadiandude321 Apr 12, 2026 +150
Yeah I just watched a replay of the whole set and he definitely pulled it off. Such a nostalgia trip and his voice is still incredible. The internet just likes to complain.
150
bvzxh Apr 12, 2026 +15
i actually loved it too and feel like it was part music part art performance. also, wonder if him selling his catalogue was part of the reason for the format to be able to give the bliebers what they wanted without having to pay or whatever.
15
mccainjames11 Apr 13, 2026 +2
Yeah the art performance angle has been something he’s been doing for a couple years now. I think it was a nice spin on things, especially with how reluctant he has been to acknowledge his old catalog at times
2
LBCuber Apr 12, 2026 +82
exactly, Listnook and twitter seem to be the only places mad at this. the people who were actually there looked like they were having the time of their lives.
82
Few_Requirement9723 Apr 12, 2026 +20
I’m not an active listener of Justin Bieber, but I’m seeing tons of negative sounding articles online. However the comments on “clickbait” articles are very positive and defensive of his performance. It seemed very moving to those there.
20
AncoraPirlo Apr 12, 2026 +11
Yeh me too. Sounds different, cool
11
zh_13 Apr 12, 2026 +10
Look I liked the laptop section but he did that for all his hits, which like I get it’s his old music but it’s what people want to hear, he should’ve pulled some of the ones from the YouTube section for full performances and ppl wouldn’t be as mad
10
maxwell329 Apr 12, 2026 +560
I think he was making a statement similar to the one he made with his Grammy’s performance: he’s not playing into your idea of what a “pop star” is anymore. No production, no choreography, just him. Take it or leave it. He still had thousands of people singing along with every word.
560
LemDoggo Apr 12, 2026 +71
I mean I think “just him” would entail him actually singing all of his own songs by himself and not half singing along to the recorded versions lol. I understand that wasn’t the whole set but that’s just a weird thing to do. He can do whatever he wants but that doesn’t mean other people have to like it. I think he’s incredibly talented but I don’t think he actually wants to be a pop star imo.
71
shinra_soldiers Apr 12, 2026 +17
It was a 90 minute set, he sang a ton. The small 20 minute YouTube section that everyone keeps complaining about was basically him singing side by side with his younger self. It was a very symbolic set
17
canadiandude321 Apr 12, 2026 +70
He did sing dude. Watch the set instead of reading about it and you can see for yourself. The YouTube part was only like 20 minutes of a 1.5 hour set
70
StillBummedNouns Apr 12, 2026 +12
This shit happened with Frank Ocean a couple years ago. Frank didn’t sing like 3 songs during a DJ set and all the articles said he didn’t sing at all
12
canadiandude321 Apr 12, 2026 +27
If you actually watch the Bieber set you’ll see that it was nothing like Frank Ocean’s set. Bieber’s set was minimal but still deliberate. He had a full 1.5 hour set list that he sang (Frank came on late and only did 40 minutes or so), brought out guitarists and multiple guest performers, had proper production, was actually visible on stage, and interacted with and had the crowd engaged the entire time. If you were expecting a full on pop concert with dancers and whatnot, that’s not what it was. But there was a vision behind this set and it was a stripped back, chilling in the bedroom and listening to good music kind of vibe. Very nostalgic to the millennial era, and YouTube is definitely part of that experience.
27
StillBummedNouns Apr 12, 2026 +9
Yeah, I actually watched it… said nothing negative about it. Read this review, it implies that Bieber just played YouTube videos and sat around. He didn’t. The same way Frank Ocean performed most of the time. But articles highlighted the small rave section where Frank didn’t sing.
9
Willing_Donut_5625 Apr 12, 2026 +15
He was actually singing. Did you watch it?
15
Bananasaur_ Apr 12, 2026 +11
I think having it just be focused on him and YouTube was an artistic performance in a way that people usually wouldn’t expect. Might not be typical for a concert set, but it does show how everyone like him starts, and likely how he started as an artist and how everyone has listened to music at some point in their lives. Just a kid in a room on YouTube, or some other music streaming app, listening and singing along to songs. It connects with the audience differently, and a big part about performance is connecting with the audience. Really would be nice to hear his take on it.
11
offbrandjose Apr 12, 2026 +9
Dude I loved how unique it felt. It felt like we were all hanging out with Justin as he took us down memory lane, revisiting songs and eras he hasn't mentioned in 10 years! The other theories about him not being the pop product he was always forced to be is also interesting. The whole thing felt really intimate and in a weird way, kinda vulnerable. In that moment, that kid who the world hated just felt loved and appreciated from said world. An apology and hug in festival form. And not to mention the camera work was stellar and really added to the performance, especially loved that shot with the fireworks in the background. It's everything JB wanted to do and honestly I respect it, can't wait to see what he does next week
9
RawrRawr83 Apr 12, 2026 +33
Coachella isn’t the place for your intimate coffee house set
33
kev1nchen Apr 12, 2026 +80
then blame coachella for booking him
80
Cirque_du_NYJ Apr 12, 2026 +26
Exactly. They try to go big with Bieber and Frank Ocean, two notoriously difficult people, and this is what they get. And they obviously don’t care, for they already got the money
26
Riderz__of_Brohan Apr 13, 2026 +3
Coachella is the place for anything the artist wants lmao what the hell are you talking about?
3
IntentionTimely6026 Apr 12, 2026 +13
Who says.
13
Freetrilly Apr 12, 2026 +12
OH YEA? Mr coachella any more rules for us!?
12
Infamous-Zebra-359 Apr 12, 2026 +14
I agree with you
14
Fickle-Ad2042 Apr 12, 2026 +97
Honestly just like an intimate hangout with JB sounds fun and refreshing. Call it lazy but I think giant productions are largely overblown and have a sameness to them. This was a lil hangout and chance for the audience to see JB just enjoying himself and reminiscing about the old days. This is how fans interacted with him back then and to see him searching the same videos millions grew up searching themselves has a meta quality to it and feels special.
97
KungFoolMaster Apr 12, 2026 +10
I’m not a big fan of him and only know his music because my kids use to listen to him. This seems pretty cool and unpretentious. Sort of an intimate experience. Good for him.
10
pcspain Apr 12, 2026 +226
It was a brilliant artistic choice of having that whole set of older songs be ones he pulled up on YouTube …the app that got him wild superstardom and the app everyone across the globe was watching him on. It wasn’t weird at all…it was the perfect throwback to the fandom.
226
Bird_skull667 Apr 12, 2026 +43
Agreed. This is where I started enjoying it. Not because I'm a fan but because it was smart and felt like performance art. People want the current version of JB singing 'Baby'? I don't think so. That would've felt so weird and inauthentic. He kept the new, intimate, I'm a human being thing going while also bringing the fans in. They wanted that old stuff. They want old him, but that guy doesn't exist. I think it was smart to sit in front of it, engage with it, sing along, but make it very clear this is nostalgia. And the meta thing. There is something real in the layers of that alone.  Witnessing a grown man singing along to his 13 yo self should make it clear why he didn't perform those songs. There is also a clear conceptual throughline from the Grammy's to here. Thats why I watched it. Wanted to see if we'd get a train wreck or a bigger version of the same concept. Like it or not, I think there is difference between lazy and intimate. He's doing something specific in the space he grew up. The stage is a certain kind of home to him and asking it to be more real now. I dont think hes necessarily a good dude, or love the music, but taken in the context of his and our shared cultural history I thought it was quietly brilliant, if not perfectly executed with the pacing. Good art doesn’t need to be a spectacle it needs to say something.
43
radioKlept Apr 12, 2026 +6
Yeah, you get it.
6
welltherewasthisbear Apr 12, 2026 +20
Yeah, as a non fan I thought this was really smart and made sense for him as an artist. He has seemed really unhappy about his stardom and if this is what makes him happy about performing then I’m all for it. Most of the people complaining about this would never watch him perform regardless
20
Sufficient-Thing-727 Apr 12, 2026 +17
Yeah as someone who grew up during the Bieber era, had posters of him plastered all over my bedroom, I would’ve loved to be at this set and would definitely have cried lol
17
Interesting-City118 Apr 12, 2026 +19
I’m not a JB fan by any means but I don’t really get the backlash to this or his Grammy’s performance. Seems like he’s just done trying to be the flashy popstar everyone wants him to be and instead is doing these stripped back raw performances. I can respect that
19
facepoppies Apr 12, 2026 +84
I dunno I thought it was kind of cool and I have never respected him as a musician
84
Mooredock Apr 12, 2026 +13
I think people dont know how to react to him now because he's no longer the popstar people used to drag. He's an eccentric musician making kind of experimental rnb and it seems like that was maybe what he always wanted to be and was forced to be a merch machine for a bunch of people who exploited him. If you watch him actually talk about music, even when he was young, it seems like he's more of a Tyler the Creator type of oddball who wanted to splice electric guitar into a hip hop beat and make memes, and they forced him to be a pop product instead. I'm having a hard time holding it against him when he finally switches up and seems to be making the kind of music he wanted to.
13
TheBlackBradPitt Apr 12, 2026 +22
His set reminded me of back in high school when I had to go to my friend's house to but weed but I had to hang out for an hour so his parents didnt get suspicious, and so I'm just stuck watching videos until I can leave. That said, I thought it was awesome. Doing whatever with a captive audience. I bet he felt more connected doing that than having to worry about remembering choreography, costume changes, all the moving parts of a huge production. You could go to nearly any set and see that. Most of the hate I see for it online are from people that weren't there, who genuinely cares what they think?
22
canadiandude321 Apr 12, 2026 +5
I agree with everything you’ve said. It was a super chill nostalgic vibe. He killed it. The critics don’t know what they’re talking about.
5
Corona2789 Apr 12, 2026 +142
Most people outside of his cult fanbase have a pretty negative opinion of this performance. I’m watching some of the stream and ya it’s pretty wack lol.
142
pcspain Apr 12, 2026 +136
I’m in no way part of his cult fan base. I’m pushing mid 50s. I thought he looked and sounded happy and healthy, and he gave the fandom exactly what they wanted.
136
North_Connection_845 Apr 12, 2026 +13
I’m at the point where I don’t understand how people have the bandwidth to get so upset over relatively benign shit like this
13
pcspain Apr 12, 2026 +5
Thank you. People need to take their false outrage to something that matters.
5
Corona2789 Apr 12, 2026 +61
He gave something to his fandom, not the average fans. Versus someone like lady Gaga where even the average fans acknowledge was a great performance. He can do whatever he wants but it was hardly anything spectacular to most people.
61
Necessary_Fill3048 Apr 13, 2026 +8
I think people need to move past thinking that the only good performances are those where there are pyrotechnics and loads of dancers and big sets and costume changes. Good art conveys a message and there is more than one way of doing that and it doesn't all have to be wrapped up in extravagant spectacle. Like Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber are not remotely the same type of artist or have the same type of relationship to their fame, so their perspectives are going to be totally different. 
8
thrillliquid Apr 12, 2026 +27
This. Got to take a friend to Gaga who was a casual fan. We left and he’s like “I’m officially a little monster!”
27
AtmosphereDue1694 Apr 12, 2026 +4
I don’t think it was intended to be though. It’s like people who aren’t the audience are expecting to be tailored to
4
pumpkinspicecum Apr 12, 2026 +16
the fandom wanted him to sit at his computer and sing along to youtube videos?
16
thebrandnew Apr 12, 2026 +16
He did this for just a portion of his set and still sang along to those songs. The outrage/criticism for this is solely based off clickbait headlines.
16
Educational-Help-126 Apr 12, 2026 +10
They keep saying “this is so iconic. He’s healing his inner child.” Like what are we talking about? He needs to do that in therapy. Him harmonizing with old YouTube videos for 2 hrs is crazy work.
10
maestroxjay Apr 12, 2026 +14
He did this for like 20 mins lol
14
EverybodyStayCool Apr 13, 2026 +5
*"This could have been an email."* ...anyways Nine Inch Noise knocked it outta the park! Easley top 10 sets in festival history!
5
Infamous-Zebra-359 Apr 12, 2026 +12
Personally I like Biebers low key approach he had a miserable young adulthood and is trying to be ok as a grown musician I'm just glad he is on this side of the earth
12
Rakebleed Apr 12, 2026 +37
Are they not allowed to just say it was really bad?
37
thebrandnew Apr 12, 2026 +22
I mean the entire set wasn’t bad. He sang well and the crowd ate up everything without him needing dancers or a flashy set.
22
blackweebow Apr 12, 2026 +32
Honestly Justin has grown up to be an extremely talented a******. Undoubtedly he belongs in music, was born for it and seems to love it.  He's kind of a religious extremist, and I don't really f*** with that. He also says some weird shit and has some weird views. But the attention to every movement he's made since he was in damn middle school no doubt has contributed to his mindset today. It makes me feel bad for him since he's my age. I wish people would leave him alone. I know far too much about him against my will. At the same time I wish he wouldn't be so publicly weird 😭 like bro if you want to get out of the spotlight please don't carry around a damn flashlight. Idk why I wrote so much about this lol
32
Dry_Accident_2196 Apr 12, 2026 +3
Leave him alone? He’s the one that singed on to Coachella. He’s the one that insists in remaining in SoCal instead of moving to a place far removed from anything Hollywood or better yet, back to Canada. He doesn’t want to be alone or he’d leave the spotlight.
3
Embarrassed_Bus4821 Apr 12, 2026 +2
I don’t even think he loves it. If he did he’d be far more prolific
2
raisedbypoubelle Apr 12, 2026 +21
Don’t know who benefits from these diss posts but his set was awesome
21
MarkyMarkATFB Apr 12, 2026 +24
Actually might be the coolest thing he’s ever done.
24
sameolemeek Apr 13, 2026 +3
I really liked it thought it was unique
3
Few_Position7650 Apr 12, 2026 +10
I don’t know what they watched but i thought it was awesome, intimate and just him doing his thing.
10
tinibopper99 Apr 12, 2026 +26
Yeah the double standard for women/men in the entertainment industry is insane. The absolute show that a Bey or Gaga had to put together vs this……
26
Dry_Accident_2196 Apr 12, 2026 +8
And the fact that he still got a bigger check
8
North_Connection_845 Apr 12, 2026 +3
Okay but every pop culture sub is dragging him through the mud for this so what do you think should happen to him instead?
3
veryterribleopinions Apr 12, 2026 +3
Most of the set was his new stuff. Literally just watched the stream. People are just looking for reasons to hate.
3
The_Poop_Shooter Apr 12, 2026 +3
coachella sounds like it sucks. Even the old version. People who attend this shit are weird.
3
CrankySparkles Apr 12, 2026 +3
I get that everyone expected bells and whistles, but… that’s never been his style, has it? Why would he change that and not give a true performance, in his style? I’m not a massive fan, and I was defs caught off guard by his show, but after watching a few clips, I get it. He’s not known for feathers and pyro (nothing wrong with that!), this wasn’t the time to start just because of what others have done.
3
TommyOliver91 Apr 12, 2026 +3
Honestly I’m all for it. It sounds like an intimate experience rather than a typical over production one. Weird performances always become more memorable and later praised with time
3
NoLongerLurking13 Apr 12, 2026 +3
I actually like how rebellious this is.
3
The_Crownless_King Apr 12, 2026 +3
Everyone I know that watched it loved it tho...
3
frannypanty69 Apr 12, 2026 +3
Ok am I crazy I thought his school project eras tour was kinda cool and made a giant venue somehow intimate? I’m not really a fan and just watched it on YouTube but I thought it would be gratifying as a fan. I’ve seen artists that don’t give nearly as much time to the songs people love that got them there. And he was discovered on YouTube!! Idk it was cool imo ETA: maybe it’s not clocking to you
3
mitterbubbie Apr 13, 2026 +3
Weird because it was specifically without voice correction AI lol all the real music heads will recognize him actually singing.
3
aloof_nacho Apr 13, 2026 +3
I see nothing wrong with this let the man live he’s just having a good time
3
cheesyandcrispy Apr 13, 2026 +3
Internet being mad at the sky once again…
3
beuceydubs Apr 13, 2026 +3
Seems like everyone who was there loved it
3
pinkybrain41 Apr 12, 2026 +8
What we witnessed Saturday night has a name in the corporate world: quiet quitting. Technically you are present but you are minimally functional and produce as little as possible while collecting the check. This performance was nothing but a display of his contempt for his fans and the industry. He thinks fame took everything from him - his childhood, his privacy and his mental health. This wasn't a comeback, it was a payback for everything he perceives his fame, fans and the industry have taken from him. So he delivers the absolute bare minimum performance in the history of his career and collected the $10M, and is basically darying anyone to complain. Because he knows his stupid vapid fans will defend it, call it "art" and buy weekend 2 tickets. Because he knows he will sell tickets regardless what he delivers so he delivers absolutely nothing and gets paid.
8
Vintage_Visionary Apr 12, 2026 +3
I wondered about that. Looking at the clips I thought, "he got paid 10 million dollars for this." But, I guess they were ok with it? Someone had to approve his set and mics and setup.
3
Willing_Donut_5625 Apr 12, 2026 +4
I loved the rawness of it
4
Turbulent-Tip-1162 Apr 12, 2026 +4
Ngl as someone who doesn’t give af about Justin Bieber, I thought it was a very touching and great performance from him…I loved it
4
Bland_Boring_Jessica Apr 12, 2026 +7
I honestly want to defend Justin Bieber’s Coachella performance. The man hasn’t toured in years and has dealt with serious health issues that have set him back. Despite that, he was engaged with the audience, his vocals sounded amazing, and he clearly gave a performance. People complained that he didn’t sing every song in full—but he had a limited set time, so of course he couldn’t perform the entirety of every track. Plus, he no longer owns his old music so if he plays snippets of his old stuff, the people that own his music catalogue won’t make money from it. Now since he owns Swag, he earns revenue from singing those songs that’s why he sang a lot of songs from his new album. He makes money off it. But if he sings his old stuff, someone else is profiting. Then people started criticizing his outfit, which is ridiculous considering people complain no matter what he wears. At the Grammys, they mocked him for being in boxers; now they’re mad about this. At this point, people simply enjoy complaining for the sake of it. And after everything he has allegedly endured in this industry, I’m honestly surprised he is even still standing. If the allegations and rumors surrounding his past are true, then he may be someone who has experienced serious trauma. Growing up in this industry clearly robbed him of a normal childhood and innocence in ways most people cannot comprehend. Do people genuinely think they would function perfectly if they had lived his life? Seeing old clips of himself as a child may very well bring up painful memories or trauma for him. He’s doing the best he can, and people need to have some compassion. Not every performance has to be a massive, overproduced spectacle like the Eras Tour. Expecting that from every artist is absurd. The fact that people are nitpicking and tearing him apart over this is asinine to me
7
StuckInNY Apr 12, 2026 +14
Who really thought he was a serious musician or performer? He was one of the first YouTube stars and he is doing what someone who shot to fame that way would be doing. He doesn’t have the drive to do anything else.
14
iliketinafey Apr 12, 2026 +4
A lot of famous musicians now came up from Youtube, Myspace, or TikTok. Finding your footing via social media is very common actually.
4
FreeTicket6143 Apr 12, 2026 +15
Oh damn, dude who’s been a train wreak mess for years had a shitty set? You don’t say? I think they purposely book one shitty headliner just for the viral attention.
15
canadiandude321 Apr 12, 2026 +4
Watch the set yourself and you’ll see it was nothing like that. Dude was genuinely having a good time on stage, crushed his vocals and had the crowd on his side the whole time. People who don’t know shit just love to yap
4
Primus2761 Apr 12, 2026 +6
Cant believe The Strokes played second fiddle to Bieber of all people
6
chrisdolemeth Apr 12, 2026 +4
Honestly, I’m not in his fan base but I love R&B, and the music Justin has been putting out lately. I’m digging these performances. Coachella & the Grammys. It’s all so raw & real. I think I’m just fatigued with the over production of everything. I feel the same way about movies & tv shows. I just want art to feel grounded again, even if it looks like the artist doesn’t care much.
4
amonovalentradical Apr 12, 2026 +4
I thought it was awesome. Hadn’t seen him before but really enjoyed it. In the middle when he went on YouTube it was fun to hear the crowd go nuts as he pulled up each video, and to see him watch himself on the medium that made him famous and is the reason he’s headlining Coachella was pretty dope. I get everyone wants to be outraged about everything but I liked it and I’m glad the people there seemed to enjoy it 🤷‍♂️
4
Wolfpackpapi1 Apr 12, 2026 +2
Can see his ye influence, but looks pretty boring as a casual fan
2
Loegann Apr 12, 2026 +2
people would b**** and moan if he didn’t show up. he performed. not in a traditional way but it is what it is. experimentation is what drives music. didn’t watch much of it but it was a cool concept in my opinion. good for him for taking the bag he deserves. he’s done more than enough for pop culture.
2
EmbarrassedShock9735 Apr 12, 2026 +2
I blame Sabrina she obviously spent all the production costs for Coachella on her set that poor Bieber was left with only a YouTube premium subscription. :)
2
lordeharrietnem Apr 12, 2026 +2
I dunno, sounded interesting to me
2
Candid-Many-7113 Apr 12, 2026 +2
I think bieber just needs company.
2
aaronuu7 Apr 12, 2026 +2
Lmao the comments were spamming where is Justin during the Strokes performance only to get this serves them right
2
NedSchneebly-1138 Apr 12, 2026 +2
“Good thing he has youtube premium…” Katy Perry
2
MidniteMN Apr 12, 2026 +2
I feel like him singing lower to contrast his younger self and a much simpler/more raw production represents more of where he’s at right now. He also did a “stripped” down performance at the Grammys recently, nearly undressed with simple looping and vocals. Feels more raw and authentic than his overly produced past stuff, I think it’s kinda cool. I haven’t been able to see the complete Coachella set, just nearly all of the songs he did in clips. I could see how people in attendance may have wanted a larger production.
2
iknowicandobetter Apr 12, 2026 +2
It was awesome.. I liked it
2
FloatingTacos Apr 12, 2026 +2
This is an absolutely shit take on what happened
2
refred1917 Apr 12, 2026 +2
Kinda punk rock, imo
2
CDBoomGun Apr 12, 2026 +2
I watched some clips and recall his Oscars performance. It seems like his artistic expression. I think it's not being will received. My guess is He doesn't care.
2
_Badwulf_Bruh__ Apr 12, 2026 +2
Seems to be a ton of articles saying this was terrible and a ton of people that were there saying they loved it. 
2
ForSchoolBro Apr 12, 2026 +2
Not even a JB fan and the livestream was fun. However in person that would’ve sucked shit and I would’ve been pissed if I paid for that.
2
IAmTheLostBoy Apr 12, 2026 +2
Isn’t that the point. It’s Coachella, this controversy brings clicks and generates views and revenue. Nobody would be talking about a “normal” JB performance. 
2
Druber13 Apr 12, 2026 +2
Dude has a pretty wild neurological disorder give him a break and be happy he is still out preforming.
2
Bublovesdabs Apr 13, 2026 +2
I liked his Coachella performance he had a smile on his face that looked genuine and I was happy for him.
2
Freaktography Apr 13, 2026 +2
this, for sure!
2
Separate_Pound_753 Apr 13, 2026 +2
I thought it was pretty cool. Love the Biebs
2
fustratedgf Apr 13, 2026 +2
The difference between his set and Sabrina’s was crazy.
2
makk73 Apr 13, 2026 +2
I like weird Biebs better than normy Biebs ngl
2
National-Fig4803 Apr 13, 2026 +2
A lot of this backlash feels pushed by media with a narrative to bring him down.
2
PassSenior9197 Apr 13, 2026 +2
He’s insufferable
2
two5five1 Apr 13, 2026 +2
I watched the stream VOD and timed it because of all the media coverage, the YouTube stuff was literally 21 minutes out of a 90 minute set. Any outlet treating it as if he did the laptop the entire time is clearly just doing it for fake outrage and clicks.
2
The_Creamy_Elephant Apr 13, 2026 +1
Now im not a justice beaver fan, nor did I see his set, but it sounds like a pretty chill and intimate affair. Not everything has to be fireworks and auto tune.
1
tayisgrose Apr 13, 2026 +1
he started out on youtube. he performed songs we haven't heard him sing since he was a child. he was up there smiling and having fun, harmonizing with his younger voice. as a fan it made me sooo happy it brought me to tears. this man has been through so much, hated on profusely as a child yet everybody was screaming his old songs. it was beautiful.
1
bigsancholucci Apr 13, 2026 +1
He got 10M to go on stage and run YT videos lmao
1
icatnsplle Apr 12, 2026 +6
The Strokes were infinitely more impressive and should have headlined.
6
callmevillain Apr 12, 2026 +5
You guys are bums lmao Set was awesome and completely different Also he sold his entire collection for 200m so he doesn't have the rights to his own music. He was also screwed by his old manager for a long time. A very unique way of doing things and only he could've done it
5
Dry_Accident_2196 Apr 12, 2026 +3
That’s a lie. He has the rights to perform. And not for nothing, the company that owns the music would always sign off on Bieber singing it live because that pushes sales. Also, loads of artists have sung other artists songs and even re-recorded them. I don’t know what you all think artists can’t sing their own songs.
3
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