every april, you can find me in the desert at coachella. since 2015, i have never missed a year and after each trip, i am reminded of why i go each year. you might be thinking that coachella was last month so this post might seem a bit overdue. that wouldn’t be entirely wrong. however, presale tickets going on sale today and my group already securing ours for 2025 made today the perfect day to do this post.

each year, i purchase tickets blind. while i typically don’t like surprises, i love so many different genres of music that it has never felt risky to buy tickets without knowing who will be performing. at the beginning of this year when the lineup was dropped, many people talked about how the lineup was disappointing. i didn’t feel that way at all. i think people have become a bit too accustomed to seeing people like beyoncé, ariana grande and lady gaga. while all three of those artists are ones i love and some i’ve paid a pretty penny to go see outside of coachella, i don’t go to coachella expecting everyone to fall into the top 40 category. if anything, some of my favorite artists of all time are ones i discovered at coachella. anj and i actually talked at length about this on episode seven of our podcast, twin time.

let’s get into this year:

there were six of us staying in the sweetest airbnb in palm springs. the big nonnegotiables are multiple bathrooms, central air, great wifi and a pool. anything else is truly an added bonus. i typically do all of the grocery/booze shopping ahead of time and get to the house first so everyone else can arrive and just let their hair down. we stayed up late thursday night catching up, having cocktails, playing cards and most importantly, discussing our lineup. there was definitely some overlap but luckily, none of us were afraid to see people on our own.

friday was phenomenal. i started off at main stage in vip and listened to sabrina carpenter. she has pipes! next, i met up with anthony to see brittany howard. many people know her from the alabama shakes. this was arguably the best set of the day. her connectivity with her fans? the rawness of her voice? how soulful she was? UNMATCHED. at that set, we met this adorable australian couple. they were in their 50s and were at the set as a duo but were at the festival with their three kids (26, 23 and 16). you could feel the love radiating from them. the husband wanted to know how many coachellas we each had been to and was shook when i said this was my eighth. we exchanged stories about favorite sets from last year and all of us couldn’t stop talking about metro boomin. i will never get over how music truly brings people together in such a special way.

next, i rapped along to lil uzi, swayed to peso pluma and was entranced by lana del rey – especially when she brought out jon batiste and billie eilish. lana and billie doing “ocean eyes” together will be seared in my memory forever. an added bonus? running into heidi klum in vip and watching her be an absolute gem to any person that walked up to her and/or asked for a photo. and yes – she is just as stunning in person. the icing on the cake? getting to see one of my favorite students from webb. julia is a fellow music junkie.

saturday was sensational. our group definitely got a bit of a later start to the day but somehow, i packed in nearly everyone i wanted to see. i started with jon batiste – i didn’t know what to love more: him solo, his duet with willow smith or his pink velvet suit. this was a set i saw on my own. just when i thought i couldn’t be more impressed, i heard to beat drop for “back that azz up” – because i remember him doing tiny desk with juvenile, i figured he was going to crank out an instrumental. then, juvie himself came out on stage. as someone born in 1990, there are few things as impactful as “back that azz up” – seeing it live at coachella with an aperol spritz in hand will be something i tell my grandchildren about.

i retired at main stage for the rest of the night. why would i need to move when i could see blur, no doubt and tyler the creator back to back to back? blur sounded amazing. no doubt still has it and had me DEEP in my feels. if they do a world tour, i will paying whatever it costs to be front and center. olivia rodrigo seemed pumped to guest appear with them. tyler did not disappoint. he also brought out so many guests – childish gambino, asap rocky, kali uchis and one of my all time favorites, charlie wilson. i felt like i had teleported to the living room of my adopted grandmother, miss bessie. i will be sure to include a video on my instagram.

sunday was so special. i started with carin leon and am now a fan. next, i frolicked over to the rose garden for a little relaxation and was able to enjoy victoria monet’s set from there. this girl is TALENTED. i also can’t pretend i didn’t dance on my own when she brought out sexyy red. next, i met up with tay’s group and moved way closer to the stage for tems. her voice is as smooth as butter in person. she is also DROP DEAD GORGEOUS. i don’t know that i’ve seen a more humble and grateful performer. wiz kid and justin beiber coming out? i think the crowd could have collectively fainted. next, we went over to see jhene aiko. while i’ve seen her do a song or two, this was my first time witnessing a full set. she was incredible. i was already sold before she brought out big sean, tyga, saweetie or omarion.

we ended the night at doja cat – i knew she would kill it after seeing her at coachella in 2022 and at chase center here in sf in 2023. talk about a true performer – if you haven’t seen her, run – don’t walk!

with that being said, whether or not i was going in 2025 was a no brainer. my group secured tickets this morning and are already planning. was i exhausted afterwards? absolutely. my energy looked pretty similar to misu’s on the drive back.

i was recently asked when i would retire going to coachella. i think my answer is if i’m super pregnant or newly breastfeeding. otherwise, you can catch me in the desert as long as i am able bodied.

if you’ve gone to coachella, what was your favorite year or favorite performance? if you haven’t gone, what are you waiting for?

xoxo,

k. tap