Lady Gaga made her triumphant return to the Coachella stage Friday night time, headlining the 2025 competition with a high-octane, career-spanning efficiency that thrilled followers and honored her legacy in popular culture.
The 39-year-old music icon kicked off the almost two-hour set in Indio, California with “Bloody Mary” from her 2011 album “Born This Manner,” launching into an electrifying medley of fan favorites together with “Abracadabra,” “Judas,” and the era-defining “Poker Face.”
The response from Girl Gaga’s Little Monsters? Rapturous applause and cheers echoing throughout the desert.
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Girl Gaga Stuns With Nostalgic, Theatrical Return To Coachella
From the beginning, Gaga signaled that this wouldn’t be simply one other greatest-hits run, because the set was layered with references to her most iconic visuals and moments.
Throughout “Paparazzi,” she introduced again the steel crutches seen within the 2009 music video, and for “Unhealthy Romance,” she theatrically laid beside skeletons whereas a dancer donned a white crown evocative of her unique look.
“Girl Gaga completely OUTDID HERSELF,” one person wrote on X, the social media platform previously generally known as Twitter, after seeing the efficiency. “That was probably the most unimaginable, creative, theatrical efficiency of her profession. She is what you name an ARTIST.”
“THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER LADY GAGA,” one other expressed. “THIS IS EVERYTHING I WANT AND MORE.”
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All through the night time, Gaga continued to mix outdated and new, debuting tracks from her seventh studio album, “Mayhem,” together with “Illness” and “Killah.” The latter featured a particular look from producer Gesaffelstein, who collaborated with Gaga on the monitor.
“I actually love that report,” she advised Uproxx forward of the present. “It’s the Gesaffelstein function. It’s extremely assured, extremely funky, tremendous distinctive and funky.”
She added, “I’ve by no means finished something prefer it earlier than, in order that’s making me really feel actually excited simply to do one thing I haven’t finished but earlier than.”
Followers additionally clearly cherished it because the reward poured in on social media, with one Little Monster saying, “Wow! Girl Gaga actually outdid herself with this present!”
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“Girl Gaga… You might need simply taken that #1 spot for the most effective Coachella efficiency of all time,” one other declared.
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Teasing the present upfront, Gaga promised there can be “Mayhem within the Desert” however initially saved the small print underneath wraps.
“I genuinely don’t wish to give something away about Coachella,” she advised Uproxx. “I do know that’s heartless of me, in a approach, however I may truthfully cry on the cellphone with you simply desirous about how excited I’m to do that present, and I need it to be a complete shock, and need everybody to have as a lot enjoyable as doable.”
This yr marks Gaga’s second time main Coachella’s most important stage. She beforehand headlined in 2017, stepping in with simply two weeks’ discover after Beyoncé canceled as a consequence of her being pregnant with twins Rumi and Sir.
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“Following the recommendation of her medical doctors to maintain a much less rigorous schedule within the coming months, Beyoncé has made the choice to forgo performing on the 2017 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Competition,” a rep for the “Texas Maintain ‘Em” singer mentioned on the time.
Gaga Appears to be like Again On 2017 Coachella Breakthrough
Regardless of the brief prep window, Gaga delivered a standout present that yr, together with hits like “Poker Face,” “Phone,” “The Remedy,” and “Unhealthy Romance.”
She additionally used Weekend 2 of the competition to make a significant announcement, her function in “A Star Is Born,” giving followers a primary take a look at the movie’s manufacturing, a few of which was shot at Coachella itself. On stage, she gave a heartfelt because of her co-star and director, Bradley Cooper.
