The second day of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival reached a fever pitch on Saturday, April 11, 2026, as Britain’s reality TV royalty descended upon the Colorado Desert.
Leading the charge, Love Island icons Millie Court, Chloe Burrows, and Samie Elishi showcased a masterclass in festival “it-girl” fashion, all while preparing for one of the most polarizing headline sets in the festival’s history: the long-awaited return of Justin Bieber.
If day one was about setting the vibe, day two was about making a statement. Millie Court, 29, dominated social media feeds in a sheer, floor-sweeping white lace mini dress from the White Fox Boutique Coachella House, where she and her fellow islanders have been stationed for the weekend.
Accessorizing with classic black cowboy boots and her signature blonde waves, the Season 7 winner personified the “Coastal Cowgirl” aesthetic that has come to define Coachella 2026.
Her partner-in-crime, Chloe Burrows, took a more rugged approach to desert dressing. Chloe “set pulses racing” by posing atop a vintage pink Cadillac—a centerpiece of the White Fox desert activation—wearing a daring leather-look crop top and matching brown shorts.
Joining them were Samie Elishi, who dazzled in a beaded halter top, and Shakira Khan, who offered fans a glimpse of a frilled pink mini dress featuring a “sexy” central cut-out.
The influencer contingent didn’t stop there. Megan Forte Clarke was spotted in a striking grey bikini top alongside boyfriend Conor Phillips, while Jessie Wynter and fiancé Will Young continued their romantic festival streak, with Jessie opting for a coordinating bikini-and-shorts set.
“Bieberchella” and the $10 Million Controversy
While the fashion was a unanimous success, the night’s headliner left the audience deeply divided. Justin Bieber, making his first major U.S. appearance since 2022, took to the Coachella Stage for a 100-minute set that reportedly earned him a record-breaking $10 million payout—roughly $5 million per weekend.
However, the high-priced spectacle was met with mixed reviews. Arriving precisely on time at 11:25 PM despite high desert winds, Bieber emerged in a surprisingly low-key ensemble: shorts, a hoodie, and sunglasses.
The Setlist Struggle:
The set was heavily weighted toward his 2025 albums, Swag and Swag II. Fans expecting a “greatest hits” medley were instead treated to deep cuts and new tracks like:
- “All I Can Take” (Opening number)
- “Speed Demon”
- “Walking Away” (Widely rumored to address recent marriage speculation)
- “Petting Zoo” and “I Do”
While he did bring out special guests The Kid LAROI for their smash hit “Stay” and Tems and Wizkid for a rendition of “Essence,” the exclusion of classics like “Baby” or “Sorry” led to a wave of online criticism.
One disgruntled fan on X (formerly Twitter) fumed, “There’s just no way Coachella paid Justin Bieber $10 million to dress up like Jesse Pinkman and play zero classics”.
Despite the backlash from “Old Bieber” fans, the performance marked a significant milestone in the singer’s recovery from Ramsay Hunt syndrome.
Sources close to the artist suggest this “stripped-back” approach was intentional, meant to highlight his vocal maturity and his pride in his recent musical output.
Unlike Sabrina Carpenter’s high-energy, prop-heavy show the previous night, Bieber’s set featured no backup dancers and minimal stage changes, focusing instead on the music and intimate interactions with the crowd.
As the first weekend of Coachella 2026 draws to a close with Karol G set to headline Sunday, the “Love Island” crew shows no signs of slowing down. With weekend two just days away, the question remains: will Bieber adjust his setlist to appease the “Beliebers,” or is the Swag era here to stay?