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BLACKPINK performs at Coachella festival as 1st-ever Korean headliner

April 17, 2023

South Korean girl group BLACKPINK has heated up the stage of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, North America’s largest music festival, as the first K-pop act to headline it.

Appearing as the final performer at the event held in Indio, California, on Saturday (U.S. time), the quartet performed numerous hit songs, such as “Boombayah,” “Playing With Fire,” “Lovesick Girls,” “Kill This Love” and “Pink Venom” to the accompaniment of a band.

In 2019, BLACKPINK became the first K-pop girl group to perform at Coachella, but the performance was held on a sub-main stage. It, however, returned after four years as one of the headliners of the main stage, a position befitting its fame as the world’s biggest girl group.

K-pop girl group BLACKPINK performs on the main stage of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, North America's largest music festival, held in Indio, California, on April 15, 2023 (U.S. time), in this photo provided by YG Entertainment. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) — K-pop girl group BLACKPINK performs on the main stage of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, North America’s largest music festival, held in Indio, California, on April 15, 2023 (U.S. time), in this photo provided by YG Entertainment. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

“Four years ago we were invited to perform here for you at Coachella at the Sahara tent, and that made a mark in all of our hearts,” Rose told the crowd. “I must say, this is a dream come true.”

Jennie added: “We are so happy to be back here … It’s crazy that within four years we made it from Sahara to the main stage.”

All four members also performed their solo songs during the show. Jennie performed “You and Me,” her unreleased second single after “Solo,” while Jisoo performed her newly released debut solo single “Flower.” Lisa presented fans with a new version of “Money” with a pole dance performance, while Rose heated up the atmosphere with “Gone” and “on the Ground” from her solo project “R.”

The audience, who filled the venue, enjoyed the performance, singing along with even the Korean-language songs.

Fans waved pink cheering wands, a color symbolizing the group, with a large Taegukgi (Korean national flag) visible in one of the seats closer to the stage.

As the show was also streamed online via the festival’s YouTube channel, its live chat window swarmed with favorable reviews such as “BLACKPINK is an absolute legend” and “As always, BLACKPINK was amazing” from the band’s global fans.

The band is currently on the largest world tour for a K-pop girl group that is expected to attract 1.5 million fans in North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

It will also become the first K-pop act to headline at the British Summer Time Hyde Park, one of the largest British music festivals, in July in London.