On Friday, April 12, the festival’s main stage screens illuminated with an aerial view capturing Del Rey and her entourage swiftly approaching. Contrary to expectations of typical golf cart arrivals common at the Indio, Calif. fest, Del Rey’s crew arrived on motorcycles. Accompanied by a snippet of her unreleased song “Jealous Girl” playing in the background, featuring the repeated lyric “Baby, I’m a gangster too,” Del Rey’s motorcade circled through the crowd as she greeted the thousands of eagerly awaiting fans.
“Hey, Coachella,” she casually addressed the audience, reaching center stage with a modest smile before launching into a rendition of “Without You” blended seamlessly with Sublime’s “Doin’ Time” and her own “Summertime Sadness.” “I’m thrilled to be here,” she added, punctuating her statement with yet another fleeting smile.
True to her persona as the melancholic pop icon, Lana Del Rey remained committed to her character, whether headlining Coachella or not. Her demeanor harmonized with the intricate set design, reminiscent of a weathered rendition of the Gatsby Mansion, evoking images of a bygone era long after its extravagant parties had ceased.
This visual backdrop served as the ideal imaginary setting for Del Rey to curate her own late-night soiree, complete with a swing band and backup dancers inspired by the roaring 20s. Early in her performance, Del Rey reminisced about her last Coachella appearance “exactly 10 years ago to the day” when she premiered her single “West Coast,” softly crooning, “We’re still doing it.” Yet, what truly captivated was not just her longevity in the industry but her unwavering commitment to her unique persona – Lana Del Rey remained unchanged, or rather, impeccably herself, throughout the years.
Across her nine studio albums, Del Rey has only deepened her authenticity, embracing bolder experimental ventures and crafting longer, more evocative track titles.
Tonight’s headlining set felt like a subdued celebration of this artistic journey, as Del Rey gracefully traversed the stage, presenting career-spanning hits that, within the festival atmosphere of Coachella, felt like rediscovered treasures.
Even the anticipated “headliner stunts” were executed with finesse: she swayed through “Ride” while suspended in a circular swing adorned with leaves, delivered a haunting a cappella rendition of “The Grants” alongside her trio of backing vocalists, and, most notably, performed “Hope Is a Dangerous Thing for a Woman Like Me to Have – but I Have It” via hologram, accompanied by her collaborator and close friend Jack Antonoff on piano, who co-produced the track.