Fans Spot Awkward Detail as Justin Bieber Returned to Coachella Stage
Justin Bieber's second appearance at Coachella on April 18 left many fans focused less on his performance and more on the surprising reaction from the crowd.
While the singer appeared more confident during weekend two of the festival, compared with the beginning of his first Coachella show on April 11, viewers watching clips online said they were distracted by what they described as a lack of energy and engagement from some members of the audience.
The audience response came as a surprise, after Bieber’s first show at the festival practically broke the internet, leading to several trending videos while becoming a viral moment of its own. His appearance led to the festival being dubbed “Bieberchella” by countless social media users and in many ways reignited “Bieber Fever.”
Fans sharing reactions on X said parts of the crowd did not appear to know the lyrics or sing along as Bieber performed on April 18. For some watching from home, the subdued response felt uncomfortable, particularly given the scale of the festival and Bieber's history as one of pop music's biggest stars with a loyal fanbase.
One X user, @defnotastridd, wrote: "@justinbieber you better memorize those faces because they were NOT singing."
One X user, @Theeunknowwn, commented under a post about Bieber fans allegedly being shoved out of the way for a prime spot by the stage: “All this just for them to stand there and not sing along with Justin.”
Another user, @itsaboutjbieber, wrote: “All the men in this crowd not singing go THE F*** HOME WHY DID YOU PAY #BIEBERCHELLA.”
The reaction followed a weekend-one performance that, while gaining plenty of visibility and praise, had divided some opinion online. Bieber, 32, returned to Coachella after years away from touring. While some fans were delighted to see him back, others were unsure about the stripped-back nature of the show, comparing it to other headliners like Sabrina Carpenter who put on more elaborate performances.
During his first weekend set, Bieber performed newer material from SWAG and SWAG II. At one point, he brought out a laptop and sang along to older music videos playing on YouTube, including his breakout his, “Baby.” This became a moment that quickly spread online. Some viewers found the approach refreshing and intimate, while others criticized the lack of big production elements such as dancers, elaborate staging, or multiple outfit changes.
By weekend two, many viewers agreed Bieber appeared more settled and confident on stage.
Justin Bieber’s Coachella Weekend 2 Setlist
Bieber performed 30 songs during his second Coachella appearance, including:
- ALL I CAN TAKE
- SPEED DEMON
- FIRST PLACE
- GO BABY
- BUTTERFLIES
- LYIN’
- WALKING AWAY
- ALL THE WAY
- 405
- TOO LONG
- PETTING ZOO
- I DO
- SWEET SPOT (with Sexyy Red)
- MOTHER IN YOU
- GLORY VOICE MEMO
- ZUMA HOUSE
- DOTTED LINE
- EVERYTHING HALLELUJAH
- One Time
- U Smile
- Up
- Baby
- One Less Lonely Girl (with Billie Eilish as his girl on stage)
- As Long As You Love Me (with Big Sean)
- No Pressure (with Big Sean)
- Cry Me a River (Justin Timberlake cover)
- YUKON
- DEVOTION (with Dijon)
- Snooze (with SZA added in weekend 2 instead of LOVE YOU DIFFERENT and Essence)
- DAISIES
Who Did Justin Bieber Bring Out
Bieber brought out Sexyy Red for “SWEET SPOT,” Billie Eilish for “One Less Lonely Girl,” Dijon for “DEVOTION” and SZA for “Snooze,” not to mention Big Sean on “As Long as You Love Me.”
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This story was originally published April 20, 2026 at 9:41 AM.