14 Surprises From Coachella 2024 Weekend One That We’re Not Yet Over — Jackson Wang, Childish Gambino, Kesha, And More

The first leg of Coachella 2024 has just concluded.

Weekend one, which happened from April 13 to 15 (Philippine time), featured a slew of internet-breaking surprise appearances, performances, and collaborations like never before. From Jackson Wang making a surprise appearance during Bibi’s set at the 88rising FUTURES showcase to Will Smith throwing it back to 1997 with a performance of “Men In Black,” these moments definitely set the bar for what festival-goers can expect for the second weekend.

With that, check out our list of the most memorable surprises from weekend one of Coachella 2024 below.

Jackson Wang’s appearance during 88rising FUTURES

When Jackson Wang came out to perform a reportedly unreleased song with Bibi during the 88rising FUTURES showcase, he immediately sent X into a frenzy. The surprises didn’t stop there. He even performed “GOAT” with boy group Number_i, making it a truly unforgettable moment for everyone at home and in Coachella.

Olivia Rodrigo joining No Doubt for ‘Bathwater’

The reunion of the Gwen Stefani-fronted No Doubt was already a groundbreaking surprise by itself. Throw Olivia Rodrigo in the mix, and you have a simply unforgettable rendition of “Bathwater.” In a post celebrating the performance, Rodrigo wrote, “I remember hearing bathwater for the first time when I had just started writing songs. [I]t totally turned my world on its head and inspires me to this day.”

Childish Gambino, A$AP Rocky, Kali Uchis, and Charlie Wilson performing with Tyler, the Creator

For Tyler the Creator’s Coachella headliner debut, he definitely didn’t hold back any punches. His first surprise collaborator of the night was none other than the elusive Donald Glover, also known as Childish Gambino. The two ran across the stage as they sang their collaboration, “Running Out Of Time” off Tyler the Creator’s 2019 record, IGOR. After Glover came fellow rapper A$AP Rocky, who joined Tyler for “Potato Salad” (2018) and “Who Dat Boy” (2017). Next on the list of surprise performers was 71-year-old 13-time GRAMMY nominated singer-songwriter Charlie Wilson, who performed a slowed and more mellow version of “Earfquake” off IGOR. To cap the night off, Kali Uchis joined Tyler briefly for their hit collaboration “See You Again.”

Le Sserafim preview new song ‘1-800-hot-n-fun’

In the wise words of Le Sserafim’s Yunjin: “Coachella, are you ready to shake some f***ing a**?” Le Sserafim’s debut Coachella appearance was marked by a stellar live band led by the legendary Nile Rodgers and high-energy performance. They even debuted a new single that appears to be titled ‘1-800-hot-n-fun,’ where in the chorus they sing, “1-800-hot-n-fun, that’s my number, hit my line.”

Deftones covering The Smiths’ ‘Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want’

Hardcore heavyweights Deftones led their crowd into singing The Smiths’ “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” from their 1987 compilation, Louder Than Bombs. The band recorded the cover in 2005 as part of their B-Sides & Rarities album. Coachella 2024 marks the first time they’ve performed the song live.

Ke$ha and Renee Rapp singing ‘Tik Tok’

Renee Rapp has made waves online for her unapologetically queer take on pop music. But when Ke$ha came out as a surprise performer for Rapp’s set, decked out in a tank top with the words “I Am Mother,” to perform “Tik Tok” together, they definitely elevated the set to an unforgettable status. The duo even changed the lyrics of the song to say “f*** P Diddy,” in response to the latter’s numerous sexual misconduct allegations and lawsuits.

ATEEZ

ATEEZ made history this year as the first K-Pop boy group to perform at Coachella. One of the most standout features of their set was their impressive vocals — with almost each member hitting extremely high notes. They definitely blew audiences away with their powerful performance.

Billie Eilish and Lana Del Rey

While Billie Eilish was set to perform a special set with art collective Do LaB, she surprised everyone by joining headliner Lana del Rey on “Video Games” and Eilish’s “Ocean Eyes.” The two artists are known to be close, with Lana del Rey writing “I love you so much” to Eilish. Eilish wasn’t the only surprise performer during the “Summertime Sadness” singer’s set; she also brought out fellow Coachella performer and GRAMMY award-winning artist Jon Batiste.

The Rose

Another band that made their Coachella debut this year was The Rose. In a cheeky yet heartfelt speech during their set, frontman Woosung said, “At our very first show as The Rose, we had about 20 people show up, and half of them were our friends. But look at all you m***** f****** now!”

Will Smith performing ‘Men In Black’ with J Balvin

Will Smith’s performance during J Balvin’s set was the epitome of wish you were here. Smith went back in time to channel the energy of his character Jay from the film series Men In Black with a performance of the 1997 track of the same name. The whole stage was decked out in UFOs and alien imagery as Smith was outfitted in his character’s signature suit and sunglasses.

Justin Bieber and Wizkid showing up during Tems’ performance of ‘Essence’

Nigerian hitmaker Tems brought out the big guns for her Coachella set, enlisting the help of Wizkid and Justin Bieber for a live rendition of “Essence.” The song became the first Afrobeats track to ever breach the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 10. Bieber has stayed out of the limelight since 2022, where he revealed that he was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, where one side of his face is fully paralyzed.

Atarashii Gakko! premiere three new songs

One of Japan’s most exciting acts Atarashii Gakko! took this year’s Coachella stage not just once, but twice — performing during 88rising FUTURES showcase set and their own solo set. To the surprise of long-time fans, they debuted three unreleased songs during their performance, namely “Omakase,” “Arigatou,” and “Forever Sisters.”

Lauryn Hill, The Fugees, Busta Rhymes make reunion during YG Marley’s set

Viral reggae artist YG Marley brought the house down with performances from The Fugees members Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean as well as Busta Rhymes. YG Marley is the grandson of the legendary Bob Marley, and the son of Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley. He is best known for his track “Praise Jah In The Moonlight,” which is trending on TikTok and has amassed over 220 million streams. He also co-wrote the track with Hill.

Jhene Aiko surprises crowd with Saweetie, Omarion, and more

Jhene Aiko’s set was chock full of surprise performances, featuring everyone from Saweetie, to Omarion, to Big Sean, and finally Tyga. She and Saweetie performed “My Type” together while she took the crowd back to 2014 with a performance of “Post To Be” featuring Omarion.