Queer Arts & Entertainment

GayChella—All The Queer Moments From Coachella Weekend One

April 15, 2025 Abbie Thompson

We have high hopes for weekend two.

Odds are your feed has been filled with content from Coachella this weekend. The Palm Desert music festival arrives every year with a whole host of influencer outfit flops, celebrity sightings, and iconic performances. This year’s festival was incredibly gay, and we’ve gathered the queerest moments for your viewing pleasure. 

Related: All Things Go Just Released Its (Super Gay) DC Lineup

Megan Thee Stallion Brings The Girls Onstage

Sunday night brought Megan to the stage, and the rap legend did not disappoint. The star sang a number of her hits,”‘Body,” “Savage,” and “Thot Sh*t” while hitting high energy choreo and serving body. Megan brought out a group of all-star guests—Ciara joined for “Roc Steady” and her hit “Goodies,” and Queen Latifah came out for “Plan B” and “U.N.I.T.Y.” 

The desert got significantly gayer when Victoria Monet joined Megan on stage for a hot performance of their duet “Spin.” Here is the full performance for your viewing pleasure. 

While onstage, Megan spotted her “Not My Fault” duet partner Renee Rapp in the audience and gave her a cute shoutout. 

Rapp was not performing this year, but she was seen throughout the festival with her partner, Towa Bird, on her arm. The singer was seen with Cara Delevingne, who is somehow always at the scene of the gay crime, and attended numerous parties and afterparties with Bird. Just when you think they couldn’t get cuter, they manage to. 

Brat-chella Hits The Main Stage

Charli XCX, this year’s It girl, also brought out a number of stars during her highly anticipated Coachella performance on Saturday night. Donning a ‘Protect the Dolls’ shirt, SWEAT Tour member Troye Sivan joined Charli onstage for their remix of “Talk Talk.” Lorde arrived (thank God she’s back) to do a high-energy, strut-filled performance of “Girl, So Confusing.” Charli ended the song with Lorde by shouting “Lorde Summer 2025,” which has since been my reason to get out of bed. 

For the sapphics in the crowd, Charli brought out Billie Eilish, in Adam Sandler realness of course, to perform their version of “Guess.” While no Charli show would function without a backing vocal track that is far too loud, Eilish made sure that her line “Charli likes boys but she knows I’d hit it” was heard loud and clear. 

Ms. XCX made waves after her performance when she was photographed in a sash that read, “Miss Should Be Headliner,” referring to her opening position before Green Day. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Brat as much as the next gay, but I don’t think that one hit club album means you deserve a headlining spot instead of the legendary band that is Green Day. 

Green Day, led by the iconically bisexual Billie Joe Armstrong, used their headlining slot to make a plea for Palestinian life and call out the Trump Administration. I’m brave enough to say that the band’s message is maybe just a little more important than the club kid message of Brat.

Clairo Becomes A Campaign Stop

This weekend we got to witness Libchella, and we have Clairo to thank for that. Before coming onstage for her performance, the singer was introduced by Representative Maxwell Frost and Senator Bernie Sanders. Sanders took the opportunity to rally the younger generation and speak about economic injustice, climate change, Gaza, and women’s rights before thanking Clairo for always using her platform. 

Clairo surprised the crowd with a Shelly reunion, the band she and her best friends made consisting of queer singer-songwriter Claud, Josh Mehling, and Noa Getzug, and performed one of their viral tracks. She ended her set on a high with her queer anthem “Sofia.” 

Trixie Mattel Brings The Gay Club To The Desert

Oh Honey! The hottest club at Coachella this year was Trixie Mattel’s DoLaB DJ set. Mattel brought her Solid Pink Disco dance party to make her festival debut. She was her usual self, complaining about the heat, spraying her wig with hairspray, and of course yelling at the crowd. 

Hot To Go-Go’s

The Go-Go’s, the all-female rock band with numerous gay rumors, surprised their crowd with a mash-up of their hit “We Got the Beat” and Chappell Roan’s “Hot To Go.” This crossover was truly not on my Bingo Card.

Speaking of the Midwest Princess, Roan was spotted throughout the festival to catch some of the acts and support her best friend/creative director. Ramisha Sattar, who we have to thank for the Chappell Roan aesthetic, teamed up with Pinterest to create a hands-on pop-up that Roan came to experience for herself. Roan seemed to get around the festival without any queer hoards so maybe those infamous videos worked. Good for her!

Japanese Breakfast Brings Her Queer Aesthetics To Life

Japanese Breakfast performed a breathtaking set over the weekend and brought the stage to life with imagery from one of the band’s gayest music videos. The video for “Orlando in Love” features lead singer Michelle Zauner as a cross-dressed pirate who falls in love with a siren played by Korean trans icon, Jungle. Zauner brought the video to the stage by incorporating the nautical imagery and sitting in a life-sized seashell. Along with the band’s discography, Zauner covered the Gorillaz’s “On Melancholy Hill.” How can you not say iconic?

Japanese Breakfast – Orlando in Love (Official Video)

Lady Gaga … Duh

In one of the greatest Coachella performances of all time, Lady Gaga cemented her seat among the pantheon of pop greats. In what almost felt like fan service to her queer fanbase, Gaga sang all the hits, served an unbelievable amount of looks and did so flawlessly. All 90 minutes are pure perfection. 

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