Bad Bunny, Blackpink, Frank Ocean headline Coachella

PALM SPRINGS

Hundreds of thousands of revelers were descending on California’s Coachella Valley for the premier desert arts festival that kicked off on April 13, which for the first time won’t feature a white headliner.

Reggaeton titan Bad Bunny, K-pop superstars Blackpink and the influential but reclusive R&B artist Frank Ocean will top the 2023 edition of Coachella, the mammoth event that takes place over two three-day weekends and traditionally kicks off the year’s summer concert circuit.

It’s set to be a history-making weekend, with Bad Bunny as the first Spanish-language and first Latin American act to headline. And K-pop group Blackpink of South Korea is the first Asian act to receive a top billing at the festival.

Ocean, thought to be the first out queer man to headline the festival, was originally booked as a top-billed act for the 2020 edition, which organizers postponed and eventually scrapped due to the pandemic.

The acclaimed R&B artist, who hasn’t released an album since 2016’s “Blonde,” is anticipated to debut new work at this year’s festival.

The weekend is set to host perhaps the most international lineup Coachella has ever booked, including Spanish phenomenon Rosalia, Iceland’s Bjork and Nigeria’s Burna Boy.

Belgium’s Angele is slated to make her Coachella debut, as France’s Christine and the Queens, who has been performing under the name Redcar, will also return after wowing audiences in 2019. And the elusive electronic producer Jai Paul will play his first public performance ever.

Domi and JD Beck, the rising jazz duo comprised of a French keyboardist and American drummer, will also take the stage, months after they made a splash in Los Angeles as Grammy nominees.

Diljit Dosanjh will become the first Punjabi singer to perform at Coachella, as Pakistani singer, songwriter and composer Ali Sethi will also play a set.

English virtual band Gorillaz will also perform, as will New Wave pioneers Blondie and the American indie rock supergroup boygenius, which includes Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker.

Beyond the supernova that is Bad Bunny, the weekend will once again see a strong showing from Latinos, including but not limited to Los Angeles native Becky G, rapper Eladio Carrion, Argentina’s Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, and the Grammy-winning Kali Uchis.