Justin Bieber's headlining set at Coachella has sparked debate, with some critics labelling it 'lazy' after he sang along to YouTube clips and occasionally stopped singing. However, a closer look reveals a carefully crafted performance that challenges traditional notions of live shows.
During the 90-minute set, Bieber spent around 20 minutes at a laptop, playing videos of his past hits and covers, singing along and sometimes mouthing the words. He even mimicked a Wi-Fi dropout and showed a blooper reel. This section was likely rehearsed, despite appearing spontaneous.
Bieber also welcomed guest artists including Dijon, Tems, Wizkid, Mk.gee and The Kid Laroi for other parts of the show. Early on, he acknowledged the livestream audience by shouting out his 'living room' viewers and displaying the chat feed on screen.
Historical context shows that artists have long played with the concept of liveness. The Doors brought a TV on stage in 1967, Kraftwerk presented as robots, and Natalie Cole performed a duet with her deceased father in 1992. Holograms of Tupac Shakur and Maria Callas have also appeared at festivals.
Bieber's performance can be seen as a modern twist on this tradition, using pre-recorded audio and video to create a duet between his past and present selves. It was a bold move that entertained many, including this live-show producer, and challenged what audiences expect from a festival headliner.
