On Friday night, Lady Gaga headlined Coachella for the second time in her career, taking the stage in Indio, California, and delivering new tracks from her latest album, Mayhem, as well as fan favorites like “Born This Way” and the big finisher, “Bad Romance.”
The pop star’s previous headlining appearance happened in 2017, where she stepped up to cover Beyoncé’s intended performance. The Renaissance singer was pregnant at the time, but she returned in 2018 for her own historic show.
Ahead of Friday’s two-hour extravaganza, Gaga told Uproxx that while she intended to bring her new music to the forefront, she wanted to honor her fans by performing her most beloved tracks as well.
“I think people always want to hear your hits. That has to be a part of it,” she explained. “But also, you know, I’ve actually never been someone that will shy away from my artistry given the venue. I think Coachella is an opportunity to do something unique and special. So yes to the hits, but also yes to high artistry.”
The star did bring some striking visuals to accompany her explosive performance, including dancing with skeletons, wearing a sculptural red gown that set her high above the audience, leaning on a pair of her “Paparazzi” crutches, modeling a billowing white cape, heading a human chess game, and, of course, her signature dance moves.
The set began with “Bloody Mary,” and she went on to perform “Abracadabra,” “Judas,” “Scheiße,” “Garden of Eden,” “Poker Face,” “Perfect Celebrity,” “Disease,” “Paparazzi,” “Alejandro,” “The Beast Killah,” “Zombieboy,” “Die With a Smile,” “How Bad Do U Want Me,” “Shadow of a Man,” “Born This Way,” “Shallow,” “Vanish Into You,” and “Bad Romance.”
Lady Gaga’s Mayhem Ball tour begins in July, and this Coachella set hints at what audiences might expect as she comes through their city.