Charli XCX brought glitter, rage, and a whole lot of Brat energy to the Coachella stage Saturday night, leaving fans breathless — and possibly festival organizers a little red-faced. While the British pop queen had the crowd losing their minds with a parade of queer music royalty, she saved her most savage moment for the afterparty.
Despite being the moment — and let’s be real, the entire summer — Charli didn’t get the headliner spot. That went to Green Day, because apparently, it’s 2004 again. In what can only be described as delicious passive-aggression, the “Boom Clap” hitmaker rocked a custom sash at the Guess Jeans afterparty that read “MISS SHOULD BE HEADLINER.” And honestly? She wasn’t wrong.
A Brat-Fueled Queer Takeover
Charli’s hour-long set was a glitterbomb of high-voltage pop and LGBTQ+ flair. She shared the stage with none other than Troye Sivan, Billie Eilish, and Lorde — a power lineup that felt more like a dream blunt rotation than a Coachella setlist. Sivan, in a “Protect The Dolls” shirt that screamed queer solidarity, delivered a hyped-up remix of “Talk Talk.” Billie and Charli debuted their remix of “Guess” live, while Lorde graced the crowd with “Girl, So Confusing.” This wasn’t just a performance — it was a cultural reset.
Charli didn’t just sing — she burned. Literally. Her set ended with the now-iconic Brat album cover going up in flames, followed by an existential spiral on the screen asking: “Was it over?” “No???” “I don’t know who I am if it’s over???” — before finally landing on, “Wait. I remembered. I’m Charli. And honestly… I just want this moment to last forever.”
A Message to the Industry, Loud and Clear
It wasn’t just a concert. It was a statement. Charli XCX, a longtime champion of queer expression, pop innovation, and unfiltered authenticity, made it crystal clear: being relegated to second billing despite the cultural moment she’s leading is a joke. A joke she’s more than happy to laugh at — while dancing in the ashes.
Her set, bursting with LGBTQ+ representation and energy, highlights the ongoing conversation around who gets top billing at major events and why. In a world where queer voices are still fighting for equal platform space, Charli’s sash wasn’t just shade — it was activism, sequined and on-brand.
For the queer community, Charli’s Coachella moment is another reminder that we don’t need the industry’s permission to take center stage. We’ve already built the stage, lit it on fire, and sashayed across it with a Brat-colored fan in hand. And next time, maybe Coachella will finally get the memo.