Historically, Coachella has leaned upon trusted partners to deliver a major “who’s next” artist from Asia when it sets up camp in the desert.
Long-running K-pop label YG Entertainment first landed hip-hop trio Epik High at the 2016 fest before having BLACKPINK in 2019 and 2023 (where the girl group was a headliner), as well as their long-running boy band BIGBANG for the ultimately canceled 2020 Coachella. Music and media company 88rising has brought the likes of Jackson Wang from China in 2023 and as a surprise guest this year, Joji from Japan in 2022, and both NIKI and Rich Brian from Indonesia in 2022. Korean indie-rock acts Hyukoh, those in electronic spaces like Peggy Gou, and even Japan’s vocaloid scene via Hatsune Miku’s booking in 2020 as well as this year all brought a much-needed range of representation to the festival in the past.
But for 2024, Coachella opened its arms to a range of new and rising artists boasting a vast range of seniority, label homes and backgrounds, casting its widest net yet across Asia’s varying pop scenes — most boasting fanbases that display their fandom in fierce fervor — giving the artists a similarly large spotlight offered to pop, rock, electronic and Latin music at the influential festival.
From ATEEZ, YOASOBI, The Rose, LE SSERAFIM and ATARASHII GAKKO! all rocking their own sets to the exciting mashing of worlds and surprise guests that came together at the 88rising Futures showcase, read on for more about the artists representing this year and why Coachella 2024 clearly did their research when it came to this year’s expanded spotlight on Asian pop.
