Young Thug, FKA Twigs, Karol G & More: Best Moments From Coachella 2026, Day 3

Announced on the Outdoor Stage by their DJ Yoo Q as Grammy winners for the first time, the hip-hop brothers duo of Pusha T and Malice proceeded to deliver an impressive victory-lap set following their many 2025 triumphs. And though the performance did feature a three-song run of favorites from their acclaimed 2006 LP Hell Hath No Fury (and a thunderous rendition of 2002 breakthrough single “Grindin”), the set was mostly focused on last year’s Let God Sort Em Out, which already landed as time-tested and festival-ready. Push ended the set by proclaiming Let God as “still album of the year.. until we drop again.” Hard to argue with. — ANDREW UNTEREBRGER

Sunday late afternoon mainstage billing is a choice slot that comes without the massive pressure of an after dark performance but serves as a place for artists who’ve already proven themselves to further do so. Starting promptly at 4:45 p.m., English alt rock darling Wet Leg did just that, coming hot out the gates with their show-opening “Catch These Fists.” Wearing a ripped white tank top covered in silver glitter, yellow underwear printed with the work “lucky” and big black boots, singer and guitarist Rhian Teasdale was pure cool-girl frontwoman charisma as she went heavy on the gyrations and occasionally sipped from a can of Modelo.

Meanwhile, guitarist Hester Chambers made her presence known primarily by the righteous noise she made. Together with bassist Ellis Durand, drummer Henry Holmes and guitarist Joshua Mobaraki, they ripped through 2022’s “Angelica” and “Chaise Longue” and new material from 2025’s Moisturizer —including the single “CPR,” during which German electronic producer Horsegiirl came out onstage and danced around with Teasdale. After a few years of relative absence, rock had a heavier presence at Coachella this year via longstanding acts like Iggy Pop, Jack White, Nine Inch Noize and The Strokes and newer artists like Geese. With their confident show, Wet Leg put established themselves as crucial members of this ecosystem. — KATIE BAIN

For those who lived through the dance music explosion of the 2010s, Major Lazer’s hits are effectively canonical. The vibe in the crowd on Sunday evening was thus simultaneously one of nostalgia and ass-out booty bouncing as the group played the festival for the first time ever as a foursome. Major Lazer’s newest member America Foster brought not only raw swagger, but femininity that’s an effective add to the group that’s otherwise made up of Diplo, Walshy Fire and Ape Drums. The four artists and a fleet of dancers barreled through 2015’s “Lean On,” 2013’s “Watch Out for This (Bumaye)” and 2009’s “Pon de Floor” with the crowd going especially berserk for their drop of Daddy’s Yankee’s “Gasolina” and then “Paper Planes,” the Diplo-produced 2008-classic for which M.I.A. herself came out to pack deliver like UPS trucks. (“She brought me to Coachella for the first time,” Diplo then told the crowd of M.I.A. after the song was over.) The show closed with an edit of “Get Free,” which 14 years after its release still functions as a sort of dance world hymn. “It’s okay to cry!” Walshy Fire told the crowd while putting his arms around Foster, who herself was tearing up as the show closed. She wasn’t the only one. — K.B.

A wardrobe malfunction was not enough to ruin Cobrah’s energy as she took over the Gobi stage for an electric afternoon set. The Swedish dance-pop artist began her set with “Hit Girl” off her new album Torn, during which her nude corset was coincidentally torn. Cobrah handled the mishap like a champ, running off stage, asking the audience to not post pictures of her bare chest and throwing on a large tee shirt before continuing into the rest of her set like nothing happened. From there, Cobrah’s show went flawlessly, as the singer performed danceable banger after banger from her new record. A little after halfway through her set, Cobrah brought out fellow electro-pop star Grimes for a surprise live debut of their new song “Sign from God.” — ANNIE HARRIGAN

Though he’s been a rock icon for well over half a century at this point, Iggy Pop’s shirtless gyrating antics have only ever gotten more punk as he’s aged. Now 78, he’s not as physically lithe as he used to be, but still carries the same sinewy magic as a performer — equally able to transfix with his body and voice, alternately seductive and overpowering. All was on display on Sunday as he punched and twisted his way through elemental rock classics like “Lust for Life” and “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” with a mighty supporting band behind him ensuring the songs still land with the thunder they have for so many decades now. “Raw Power, baby,” he both promised and delivered – after all, he’s a punk rocker, yes he is. — A.U.

“Anyone here from Cuba?” Young Thug posed to the packed Coachella Stage crowd midway through his Sunday night set. In case any fans were wondering why he was inquiring, the opening piano from Camila Cabello’s Hot 100-topping “Havana” — featuring a memorable Thugger guest verse — arrived to answer their questions. But in case further explanation was needed, there arrived Cabello herself to help perform the 2018 smash for the elated crowd. “Love you Jeffrey!” she shouted to the rapper following the song, referencing the alter ego he was starting to use at the time of the song. Simpler times, y’all. — A.U.

With sword swallowers, pole dancing and voguing deserving of tens across the board, FKA Twigs gave the Mojave tent a performance absolutely worthy of the main stage. From the moment she began, lying on a mattress and singing “Meta Angel,” to when she closed out on the same bed with “Cellophane,” the English singer held the audience captive with her impeccable vocals, impressive choreography and otherworldly breath control. In just 75 minutes, she was able to bring the crowd on a spiritual journey as she sang songs from her catalogue spanning Magdalene, Caprisongs and Eusexua.

Twigs’ performance was a true masterclass in storytelling. Whether she was singing on stage alone to the crowd or hitting a split while spinning on a pole with a dancer, there was always a new and exciting element to take in every moment of her set. She also showed reverence for the queer community, which makes up a large portion of her fan base. Her performance included cameos from ballroom stars Mike Q and Dashaun Wesley and voguing showcases from her insanely talented dancers. Queer Atlanta-based rapper Izzy Spears also popped out onstage multiple times to hype the crowd and join Twigs for performances of “Honda” and “Schadenfreude.” 

After having to cancel her U.S. tour last year due to visa problems, Twigs hit the stage like she had something to prove. And prove it she did — by the time she sang the lost notes of “Cellophane,” multiple audience members were left visibly in tears. — A.H.

U.K. legend has been showing us how it’s done in the booth for decades, with the sheer joy and focus he exudes while DJing on full display during his Sunday night set on the Quasar stage. Since it was added to Coachella three years ago, Quasar has essentially become an Outdoor Stage-sized area exclusively for dance music, giving the genre room to breathe via the extended sets hosted there. Fatboy Slim’s two-hour show was characteristically groovy, as he wove in everything from salsa to an edit of Radiohead’s “Everything in Its Right Place,” an apt drop given that the band’s bunker installation was within eyesight of Quasar. In total, it was the kind of loose and feel-good party he’s long been known for. — K.B.

G-Dragon, Taeyang and Daesung of BIGBANG celebrated a major milestone tonight at Cochella’s Outdoor Theater. The boy group has 20 years in the K-Pop industry under their belt, not a small feat for a senior K-Pop act. The group started as five and have whittled down to three, bringing major star factor whenever they go. As a first-gen stan, I’d never thought I’d see the group live, given they haven’t gotten around to touring as a full group of five since 2016. Despite this, their popularity and influence on the complex world of K-pop is as strong as ever; as evidence by the throngs of eager fans that flocked to the stage to re-live the old days of the genre.

The YG Entertainment boy group was one of two K-Pop acts to grace Coachella this year, alongside SHINee’s Taemin, who took the stage on Saturday. The group kicked off their long-awaited set with “Bang Bang Bang” which transitioned into hits like “Fantastic Baby,” “Haru Haru,” “Lies,” “Still Life” and “A Fool of Tears.” The group continued with nostalgic track after nostalgic track, transporting fans back to a point in time that is arguably the golden age of K-pop. There were even some solo or duo moments from members, most notably, Taeyang’s “Ringa Linga,” G-Dragon and Taeyang’s “Good Boy” and a trot-inspired extravaganza ala Daesung feat a throwback hit “Look At Me, Gwisoon.” — AMINA AYOUD

As musically satisfying and theatrically dazzling as Karol G’s headlining performance was, it was the sense of purpose behind it that really made it transcendent. That purpose was made clear a little over an hour into the set, where Karol paused to mention that she was the first Latina woman to ever headline Coachella — rightly earning a roaring extended ovation for the achievement. But, she stipulated, it wasn’t just her own achievement — it was one she shared with the artists who preceded her, and with her entire Latino community.

“Before me, there were so many great Latin artists, legendary Latino artists, that gave me the opportunity to be here tonight,” she explained. “So this is not just about me. This is about my Latina community, this is about my people. And at the same time, this is for my Latinos that have been struggling in this country lately. We stand for them, I stand for my Latina community, and at the same time I am very proud because this brings out the best in us: unity, resilience, a strong spirit…

“We don’t do this because we want to take everyone out,” she concluded. We do this because we want everyone to feel welcome to our culture, to our roots, to our music. So I just want everyone to feel proud of where you come from, please.” — A.U.