Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna reject chance to headline Coachella 2025
Coachella has long been one of America’s most popular festivals. The music event, which takes place annually in the Coachella Valley of the Colorado Desert, features an array of different artists performing on its various stages, from EDM to jazz and hip-hop. It truly celebrates music. However, it has recently been reported that Rihanna and Kendrick Lamar have declined the opportunity to headline the event.
Although it has been one of the most prestigious music festivals in the US for a long time, fans, especially hip-hop enthusiasts, have been gravitating towards events such as Rolling Loud and Camp Flog Gnaw. Still, Coachella is a big part of the American festival circuit.
However, it has recently been reported by Bloomberg that the festival’s co-founder, Paul Tollett, is struggling to find headliners for the 2025 main stage and has been looking for artists willing to commit since April.
Coachella was hit extremely hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and has had some hardships in recent years concerning its location. Furthermore, since the end of nationwide lockdowns, the festival has not managed to sell out tickets as it did in the 2010s.
Tollett has allegedly been looking to book some international superstars to headline the event to ensure 2025 doesn’t see a further slump in ticket sales. However, he has struggled, and reportedly, after asking Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna to perform, he was met with two rejections, according to Bloomberg (via NME).
Aside from Beyonce, Rihanna has been one of the most successful pop icons of the last two decades. Her teasing has got her fans for her rumoured upcoming ninth album, R9. Not much is known about its contents, but it will be the Bajan singer’s first project since Anti, which hit shelves in 2016.
Lamar has been at the centre of attention for the majority of this year due to his beef with Drake. However, now, following the announcement that he will be headlining the 2025 NFL Super Bowl LIX Halftime show, he has even more hype around his name.
Although no official reasons for either artist regarding Rihanna have been given, many believe she has turned her focus to her family and various new business ventures. On the other hand, many assume that Lamar is preoccupied with his performance at the Super Bowl, which will see him deliver a live set to millions across the globe.
That said, Tollett is still looking for a household name that is willing to commit to headlining the festival. This year’s lineup included the likes of Ice Spice, Grimes, Sabrina Carpenter, Peso Pluma, J Balvin, Khruangbin, Jhené Aiko, and even Lil Uzi Vert.