YouTube clips and an empty stage - how Justin Bieber captivated Coachella and the internet
Kyiv • UNN
Instead of a show, the artist streamed YouTube videos via MacBook. Some viewers criticized the singer for laziness, comparing the performance to a Zoom video call.
Justin Bieber approached his Coachella performance in the same way he started his career: through YouTube, UNN reports with reference to NBC News.
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The pop star burst onto the scene in the early 2000s after music producer Scooter Braun accidentally stumbled upon the Canadian teenager's amateur videos online and turned him into a music icon.
Taking the stage on Saturday at the festival in Indio, California, USA, the 32-year-old Bieber paid homage to his roots and took his fans back in time, the publication writes.
Instead of a flashy, choreographed performance with costume changes, bright lights, and backup dancers — which is common on Coachella stages — Bieber brought only one prop for his performance: a laptop with an internet connection.
The artist projected the YouTube homepage and showed several of his classic hits, including Baby. He even performed his viral 2008 cover of "With You," which launched his singing career. Thousands of fans, braving the desert heat to see Bieber live, sang along in the crowd, while millions of online users followed the live stream of the performance on YouTube.
For many fans, the show was more of an oral history of Bieber's successes and failures than a traditional Coachella performance, the publication notes.
"This show felt like it was made for true Bieber fans," one Bieber fan account wrote in the comments of one of the videos posted by Coachella. Another user in the comments described the performance as "simple and legendary."
But the lack of vibrancy Bieber displayed on one of the biggest music stages also sparked a negative reaction online — especially amid reports that the artist was paid $10 million to host the YouTube live stream.
The online discussion began jokingly.
"Thank God he has a premium subscription," pop star Katy Perry said during Bieber's performance in a video she posted on Instagram. "I don't want to see ads."
This was one of several social media posts from the singer, the performer of the hit "Teenage Dream," who was at the festival with her beloved, former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Swedish pop star Zara Larsson also joined the online comments, posting a video of her watching the live stream of Bieber's performance.
"This is just bomb, let's smoke and watch YouTube," Larsson wrote in the text under the video. The caption read: "He's on my favorite artists list."
Many were quick to assume that Larsson was criticizing Bieber, but she followed up with an Instagram comment defending his performance.
"People who think I'm criticizing are just projecting their feelings, lol, I was thrilled," Larsson wrote.
But other network users were less enthusiastic.
One X user posted a screenshot of the Coachella broadcast, showing Bieber sitting at a table with an open MacBook in front of him, and the YouTube page displayed on a huge screen behind him.
"Nothing from my side, thank you," the user wrote in the post, comparing Bieber's setup to a corporate Zoom video call.
Some network users criticized Bieber for being lazy and for cheating the famous festival out of millions by sitting at a computer.
One person compared Bieber to another festival headliner, Sabrina Carpenter, known for her grand performances.
"If Sabrina Carpenter did what Justin Bieber is doing right now, her career would be over," an X user wrote.
But "Beliebers" — as Bieber's fans are called — were quick to offer an alternative version of events.
Influencer Remi Bader, who was also present at Bieber's Coachella performance, posted photos of actor Jacob Elordi and artist Sombra, who apparently enjoyed the performance.
Bader also posted a separate photo of the stage and wrote that the performance was "pure bliss."
Coachella will continue next weekend, and Bieber is expected to perform on the main stage again on Saturday night. It is not yet known whether he will turn on his laptop a second time or choose a different, perhaps more artistic path.
"In any case, one thing is clear: Bieber's fans will never say 'never' (a reference to Bieber's song "Never Say Never" - ed.) to his performances," the publication writes.