Coachella

Coachella

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Coachella Announces "Every One" Initiative To Fight Harassment And Assault

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The two-weekend desert festival will take extra measures this year to "develop a festival culture that is safe and inclusive for everyone"
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Jan 4, 2019 - 11:18 am

With news of the stacked 2019 Coachella lineup and re-upped partnership with YouTube still fresh, the iconic desert music festival has announced new measures to fight against harassment and assault. Named "Every One," the initiative outlines plans to ensure all festivalgoers feel safe and comfortable while they attend, including safety ambassadors throughout the grounds, trained counselors on-site, all-gender restrooms, ADA accessibility, and a zero tolerance policy on assault and harassment.

"We are pushing ourselves and our guests to do better and to be better," says the Coachella website. "We are taking deliberate steps to develop a festival culture that is safe and inclusive for everyone. Persons of any gender identity or expression, sex, sexual orientation, race, religion, age or ability are welcome at Coachella."

The new initiative operates in harmony with the current Code of Conduct, which does not mention harassment or assault explicitly. Last April, Teen Vogue reported "rampant" sexual harassment at Coachella 2018, saying, "Of the 54 young women who spoke to Teen Vogue for this piece during the weekend-long event, all of them had a story of sexual assault or harassment that occurred this year at Coachella." This alarming report was magnified by how similar and pervasive the accounts were, with one young woman estimating she'd been touched inappropriately 40 times over the three day weekend festival.

The festival's new measures promise to address the issue and take real action toward creating a safer environment.

"Coachella will NOT tolerate any form of assault or harassment," the Coachella website continues, "Be it sexual, physical or verbal. Anyone found to be in violation of this policy is subject to immediate removal from the festival site and law enforcement may be notified. The offender’s Festival Wristband may be revoked and no refund will be issued."

Coachella 2019 will take place April 12–14 and 19–21 in Indio, Calif. Tickets go on sale today, Jan. 4, via the festival's website.

Coachella 2019 Lineup Revealed With Extended YouTube Live-Stream Partnership

Paul Tollett

Paul Tollett 

Photo: Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

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Coachella Co-Founder Paul Tollett Talks Kanye, Safety, Legacy & More

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Now in its 20th year, the desert festival has boomed into one of music's most significant annual events. Here's how its leader copes with its challenges and keeps Coachella growing
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Jan 14, 2019 - 12:10 pm

Music festivals are king in 2019. But it wasn't always that way.

When Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival debuted in 1999, just months after the disastrous Woodstock '99, the reviews were good but the ticket sales were not. Through determination, imagination, curation, and hard work, Coachella survived and thrived, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, with last year's #Beychella as empirical evidence of its cutting-edge, culture-creating platform power. Even Goldenvoice president and Coachella co-founder Paul Tollett couldn't see his brainchild turning into the mega-event it's become two decades later.

Paul Tollett

Paul Tollett at site of Coachella in 2004
Photo: Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

 

"The hope was that it would be annual," Tollett told the Los Angeles Times in a rare and extensive interview. We never thought about two weekends. Never thought about a country version. Never thought about a Desert Trip. Those are all things that happened along the way."

But expansion to musical and cultural ubiquity hasn't come without its challenges. Tollett admits he "lost a lot of money in 2008," due to the last-minute addition of Prince to the bill and Stagecoach, Goldenvoice's country festival held at the same site in Indio, Calif. And despite the deafening buzz of Beyonce's headlining performance last year, Teen Vogue reported rampant sexual harassment at the festival, with all 54 of the young women they interviewed at the festival describing sexual assault or harassment they experienced. Tollett addressed the issue directly and firmly in the interview.

"It spurred a lot of discussion internally, said Tollett. "We have security, of course, and all the normal things that you have at public assemblage events. But in addition to that, we want to have something specific to this. Lots of things can go wrong where crowds are. This is one more thing coming to light now more than ever, since the #MeToo era."

Tollett and his team took action, creating the brand-new Every One program to fight assault and harassment.

"We are committed to messaging, on-site support, trainings, and increased visibility and awareness for the campaign," Tollett said. "We’re challenging staff and attendees to be an integral part of this culture shift. Through these steps, we believe that we can co-create a festival culture that encourages active consent, inclusivity and community responsibility."

The new initiative was announced the same day, Jan. 3, as the lineup for 2019, let by headliners  Childish Gambino, Tame Impala and Ariana Grande, and an extended live-stream partnership with YouTube. Not long before the announcement, Kanye West very publically bowed out of what would have been his third appearance at Coachella.

"When we were going through the stage ideas, he had some other ideas. He's played Coachella, and he knows it very well. Both times were great, and so different. The last one was pure art. He has some great [production] ideas, but we just weren't able to pull them off right now," said Tollett. "Up until Jan. 1, we were making a poster with Kanye on it. We started realizing we're probably going to have an impasse production-wise."

Coachella 2019 will take place over two weekend, April 12–14 and 19–21. Tickets are sold out, but passes may become available. You can sign up for the waitlist via the festival website.

2019 Music Festival Preview: Noise Pop, Ultra & More

Blackpink

BLACKPINK

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Meet BLACKPINK: The Latest, Greatest K-Pop Phenomenon

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Inside the all-female quartet's pristine pop/hip-hop hybrid sound, stunning viral visuals, and impending global takeover of the music world
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Jan 11, 2019 - 4:32 pm

As Korean pop rounds the bend from its smash crossover breakout year in 2018, led by international phenoms BTS, into a sky's-the-limit 2019, the American mainstream is getting to know a few more names around the household.

Enter BLACKPINK: With an enviable fan army known as "Blinks" and nearly 600 million (!) views on their eye candy-coated video for "DDU-DU DDU-DU," the pop quartet are anything but underground. Their international star only continued to rise when Coachella announced its 2019 lineup earlier this week, with BLACKPINK being the first all-female K-pop act to play the Southern California desert fest.

But their Coachella milestone and devout online infantry are only the beginning of BLACKPINK's western takeover. On Jan. 9, YG Entertainment, the group's company, announced that BLACKPINK’s In Your Area 2019 world tour will hit North America, Europe and Australia after several already planned tour dates throughout Asia. While the new dates and venues are yet to be revealed, the international scope of their momentum is undeniable. At this point you're either in-the-know or asking: who are BLACKPINK?

BLACKPINK have been making ridiculously catchy music since 2016

As a group, Jennie, Rosé, Jisoo and Lisa came from diverse international backgrounds, with Jennie, Rosé both spending time in New Zealand, Lisa hailing from Thailand and Jisoo as the only member who has not lived extensively outside of Korea. Collectively, they arrived into K-pop's consciousness back in 2016 with their SQUARE ONE, SQURE TWO and "As If It's Your Last" offerings, which introduced their hybrid of sugary K-pop with danceable Latin trap and hyped up hip-hop, a concoction referred to by some as "K-trap."

But what sets BLACKPINK apart is production quality on all fronts, as theirs is a look and sound striving for perfection.

Consider "Stay," from 2016's SQUARE TWO three-song sophomore EP, a pensive yet peppy ballad that could be dropped seamlessly into virtually any major U.S. brand ad campaign. And as K-pop is traditionally a very visual-heavy genre, the song's video reflects this cross-continental appeal, with its imagery of blighted corporate America complete with a poignant Easter-egg Talking Heads' "Heaven" lyric lettered on the broken down backdrop's theatre marquee, all under a track that's equal parts longing and hopeful. Even in its mess of heartache and rubble, there's not a hair—or a note—out of place.

Exhibit B: the follow-up single, "As If It's Your Last," flaunts meticulously crafted sections with Lisa's stuttered-and-sliced (and all-English) rap sequences building into a soaring melodic pre-chorus before slamming into the hook. Each new musical idea is painted in its own unique temple, all arranged together in a common garden of song, making for a pleasing mix of variety and profluence. From the beginning, the creative powers behind BLACKPINK have struck this same delicate balance of intrigue and accessibility global pop music demands.

Vivifying their voices and mastering their moves on "DDU-DU DDU-DU"

The group's evolution toward perfect pop onomatopoeia is on full display in their breakout 2018 single, "DDU-DU DDU-DU," which features buoyant beats and an irresistible hook. Audiences clearly love it too; its music video is nearing 600 million views on YouTube, and the song became the highest-charting song by an all-female K-pop group on the Billboard Hot 100, entering the chart at No. 55 back in June. Unsurprisingly, the song hiked all the way up to No. 1 on South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia, while hitting No. 2 in New Zealand and No. 7 in Japan.

"DDU-DU DDU-DU" also debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart and on its Emerging Artist chart, becoming the first all-female K-pop act to accomplish the feat.

BLACKPINK's American takeover hits full throttle

As the rest of the world began to take notice, Interscope Records and Universal Music Group took action, signing the group in October of 2018 to represent them outside of Asia. If a major label deal isn't a signpost to success in a country the group has not yet even performed in, what is?

On Nov. 23, 2018, BLACKPINK dropped a nine-song collection of singles constituting their full-length debut, BLACKPINK IN YOUR AREA, named after the group's tagline with the aforementioned banger "DDU-DU DDU-DU" as the lead single.

BLACKPINK also bolstered their rolodex in 2018, collaborating with GRAMMY-nominated British songstress Dua Lipa for "Kiss And Make Up" from the complete edition of her self-titled debut, further deepening their cross-over campaign to an international audience. Like their male counterparts BTS, BLACKPINK maintain the highest pop production of both their music and their videos, giving them seemingly limitless potential for audience accumulation.

BLACKPINK have already won a ton of awards

Furthermore, if BLACKPINK's domestic success at home is any indication, the group's global future is blindingly bright. In the past two years they've won 23 awards and been nominated for a whopping 90 (and counting), including several Goan Chart Music Awards, Melon Music Awards and Mnet Asian Music Awards, all major music awards shows in South Korea. Their first Mnet honor came back in 2016 for Best of Next Artist (Female), proving the critics were on board since day one.

Even better news for the group, the American audiences they are primed to overtake have shown strong streaming habits for hip-hop, a perfect fit for BLACKPINK's leaning into rap to counterbalance their pop appeal. Now, with an ever-growing fan army, a litany of awards under their belts and enough buzz to light up the night sky in pink neon, 2019 appears to be BLACKPINK's to take.

K-Pop Titans BLACKPINK Will Visit U.S. During World Tour
 

Coachella

Coachella

Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images

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Coachella 2019 Lineup Revealed With Extended YouTube Live-Stream Partnership

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Whether you're traveling to the desert or tuning in from your device, take a look at the stacked roster of artists primed to make this year's fest memorable
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Jan 3, 2019 - 10:26 am

Anticipation for the Coachella lineup seems to grow each year. Today, the wait is over, as the festival has revealed its long list of performers for the two weekend event April 12–14 and 19–21. The headliners alone are cause for celebration, with Childish Gambino, Tame Impala and Ariana Grande earning top-line billing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights respectively.

With over 160 artists, the lineup—arranged in Coachella's now-iconic colorful desert sky show poster—is heavy on buzz artists, inlcuding 2018 breakout superstars Billie Eilish, Bad Bunny, Ella Mai, and Best New Artist GRAMMY nominee H.E.R. The bill also features a host of once-in-a-generation artists hitting full stride such as Janelle Monáe, Kacey Musgraves, and Solange.

But the list is as deep as it is lofty, with something for everyone scattered across the lineup's lower lines. For instance, experimental funk/pop outfit U.S. Girls, indie/electro R&B artist Blood Orange and dance duo Sofi Tukker all promise to ensure the dessert is as varied as it is hot.

Back to the headliners: Childish Gambino, Friday's main event, is nominated five times over for the upcoming 61st GRAMMY Awards. Known for their entrancing live shows, Tame Impala returns to the Coachella stage for the first time since 2015 and the first time ever as a headliner. On Sunday, Grande will close the weekend with the next blast of her meteoric rise over the past year. Grande also marks the third consecutive solo female artist headline at Coachella following in the footsteps of Beyoncé and Lady Gaga.

The best part? You don't have to make the trek to Indio, Calif., to catch your favorite artist's set. Thanks to an expanded partnership with YouTube, Coachella will be live-streamed both weekends. This mark's YouTube's ninth year as the festival's exclusive live-streaming partner.

Tickets for Coachella go on sale Friday, Jan. 4 on the festival website, and YouTube subscribers will receive an access codes via email on Jan. 4 providing the opportunity to purchase tickets via a dedicated YouTube Music member cart. The countdown to Coachella 2019 has officially begun!

2019 Music Festival Preview: Noise Pop, Ultra & More

Coachella 2019

Coachella 2019

Photo: Rich Fury/Getty Images

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Breaking Down The Coachella 2020 Lineup: Rage Against The Machine, Frank Ocean, Calvin Harris & More Announced

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From hip-hop headliners to K-pop comebacks, the Coachella 2020 lineup reflects the current state of the music industry
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Jan 3, 2020 - 2:24 pm

The world-leading Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival is back with the much-anticipated lineup announcement for its upcoming 2020 edition. Returning to the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Calif., across two weekends—weekend one takes place Friday, April 10, through Sunday, April 12; weekend two takes place Friday, April 17, through Sunday, April 19—Coachella 2020 will feature headlining performances from the recently reunited Rage Against The Machine (Friday), hip-hop giant Travis Scott (Saturday) and R&B avant-gardist Frank Ocean (Sunday). Other artists rounding out the lineup include Calvin Harris, Lana Del Rey, FKA twigs, Flume, Thom Yorke, Lil Uzi Vert, Run The Jewels, Megan Thee Stallion, Disclosure, 21 Savage and many others. 

Coachella, the most successful reoccurring festival franchise, is known for its wide-spanning annual lineups, which regularly predict and solidify music trends while also reflecting the current state of the industry. This year's artist roster continues the trend. 

Here's a quick breakdown of the Coachella 2020 lineup and what it means for the year ahead. 

Hip-Hop And R&B Lead The Way

With hip-hop and R&B surpassing rock as the most popular genre in the U.S., it's no surprise that Coachella, once a rock-centric festival in its early years, is leaning heavily into those dominating scenes. Two of the festival's main headliners, Scott and Ocean, come from the rap and R&B worlds, respectively. Even Friday headliners Rage Against The Machine, who headlined the first-ever Coachella in 1999, feature hip-hop elements in their rap-rock sound. 

The Coachella 2020 lineup also features rising hip-hop and R&B artists and bona fide stars including Roddy Ricch, 21 Savage, DaBaby, Megan Thee Stallion, Brockhampton, City Girls, Doja Cat, Pink Sweat$, Princess Nokia, Summer Walker and others. This year's lineup expands Coachella's large bet on hip-hop and R&B as the de facto sound of the new decade, a continuation of previous years, with a larger focus on emerging artists and global acts. 

Reunions, Surprise Acts And Comebacks

The big reunion at Coachella 2020 is the return of Rage Against The Machine, who last performed at the festival in 2007 and last played together as a group in 2011. Elsewhere, K-pop fans worldwide are ecstatic for the return of South Korean boy band BIGBANG, who are reuniting as a group for the first time since 2018, the year the act went on official hiatus after some of its members enlisted in their homeland's military and another member retired from the entertainment industry amid criminal and legal investigations against him. The BIGBANG booking continues Coachella's expansion into K-pop, which last year welcomed BLACKPINK as the first K-pop girl group to perform at the festival.

Read: Why is K-pop's popularity exploding in the United States?

The biggest surprise act to wow Coachella fans is Danny Elfman, the former Oingo Boingo frontman who's since become a film and TV score composer virtuoso. (You might know him best as the man behind the everlasting theme song of "The Simpsons" as well as the scores and music for major blockbuster films like Planet Of The Apes (2001), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) and many others.) While Elfman may be the odd man out at this year's lineup, he joins fellow film score composer Hans Zimmer, who performed at the festival in 2017, in Coachella history.

Read: "The Simpsons" At 30: A Complete History Of Every Band That's Ever Rocked Springfield  

Latin Music Comes Back Strong

The influence of Latin music at Coachella 2019 was undeniable. Last year's lineup featured Latin pop's heavy hitters like J Balvin, Bad Bunny and Rosalía. As well, Coachella welcomed Los Tucanes De Tijuana, a legendary band from Tijuana, Mexico, who became the first-ever norteño act to perform at the festival in 2019. 

This year, Coachella continues the Latin music spree with confirmed performances from Brazilian pop superstar Anitta, Mexican banda group Banda MS and Brazilian drag star and pop singer Pabllo Vittar. The lineup also features rising Latinx indie pop and rock artists like Jessie Reyez, Cuco, Chicano Batman, Omar Apollo and Inner Wave. Ranking as the fifth most popular genre in America, Latin music continues its global domination on the charts and again at Coachella 2020.

The Many Flavors Of Pop

Ever since Drake headlined Coachella in 2015, the festival has experimented with mainstream pop headliners over the past five years: Calvin Harris in 2016, Lady Gaga (replacing Beyoncé) in 2017, Beyoncé (actually) in 2018 and Ariana Grande in 2019. For 2020, Coachella enlists a wide array of pop artists, each offering a distinct take on the genre. Acts like Lewis Capaldi, Alie Gatie and Marina lead the pack for the vocal pop singer-songwriter bunch. Lana Del Rey and FKA twigs, both billed as subheadliners for Sunday, will offer a moodier, more experimental pop experience. Then there's Charli XCX and Kim Petras, two alt-pop auteurs taking the genre to the future. Finally, Lil Nas X and Carly Rae Jepsen, both pop giants who tout global crossover appeal, will undoubtedly bring their viral sound to the festival masses. Coachella 2020 is a pop lover's dream come true. 

Experiences As Artists

While not officially billed on the lineup, Kanye West stole the show at last year's Coachella with an Easter Sunday performance from his gospel group, Sunday Service Choir. The event was one of the most talked-about performances at Coachella 2019, essentially becoming an "experience within an experience." This year, Coachella continues the trend via two standout bookings: Emo Nite and 88rising's Double Happiness.

Emo Nite, which takes over on Saturday, is the wildly popular emo-themed event series from Los Angeles that has largely sparked the emo and pop-punk revival and emo nostalgia trend of the past decade. The throwback dance party has hosted performances, surprise DJ sets and full-on tours from the genres' mainstays, including 3OH!3, Blink-182's Mark Hoppus, Dashboard Confessional and From First To Last, featuring frontman Sonny "Skrillex" Moore. That's all to say you can expect a star-studded roster at the Emo Nite gig this April. 

Elsewhere, 88rising, the hybrid management and multimedia production company and record label globalizing rap artists and hip-hop culture from the wider Asian-American and Asian markets, is presenting its Double Happiness event series at the festival. While the event, scheduled for Saturday, is featured as a standalone experience at the bottom of the bill, 88rising has confirmed several of its artists across the Coachella 2020 lineup, including Indonesian rapper Rich Brian (Friday), Japanese R&B singer/rapper Joji (Saturday) and Indonesian singer NIKI (Friday).

With Coachella leading the way, festival lineups this year may feature more experiences-as-artists bookings. 

Tickets for weekend one of Coachella 2020 are now sold out, but presale registration for weekend two is now open. A first-ever presale for weekend two begins Monday, January 6, at 12 p.m. PT. 

View the full Coachella 2020 lineup and register for the presale via the festival's official website.

Coachella Co-Founder Paul Tollett Talks Kanye, Safety, Legacy & More