Coachella 2025: Rihanna and Kendrick Lamar Decline to Headline

Festival founder Paul Tollett has sought to secure headliners for the event, targeting major artists like Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna. However, both have reportedly turned down the opportunity to perform.

Kendrick Lamar, who previously headlined in 2017 and performed in 2012, will be busy with the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show and a subsequent stadium tour, making Coachella unfeasible. Meanwhile, Rihanna has shifted her focus from music to expanding her business, including her Fenty Beauty line, indicating she no longer needs the exposure or financial incentives that Coachella offers.

Fans reacted strongly to the news, with some expressing disappointment over the festival's perceived decline in appeal. One user noted, “They have better things to do. Coachella is a ghetto mess now,” while another lamented, “That’s a bummer! Kendrick and Rihanna would’ve been epic headliners.”

In other news, excitement surrounds potential performances by K-pop star Lisa from BLACKPINK, who might headline Coachella as a solo artist. This would mark her debut on the festival stage, although some fans are wary due to past lip-syncing controversies. There are also rumors that K-pop groups NewJeans and Aespa may perform, but no official lineup for Coachella 2025 has been confirmed yet.

Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna have declined the offer to headline Coachella 2025, Bloomberg reports. pic.twitter.com/VqFy7tNIDm

— Pop Base (@PopBase) October 7, 2024