From FYP to Main Stage: How Coachella Became a Flex, Not a Breakthrough

For years, music festivals were the place where careers were made. A buzzy set could turn a second-line name on a flyer into the next big thing. But with social media doing the heavy lifting of discovery now, is it still where careers begin? Or has that ship sailed, long replaced by a swipe and soundbites?

From Discovery to Proof

There was a time when performing at a festival meant something new. It meant you were on the cusp. Amy Winehouse at SXSW. Bon Iver at Pitchfork. Even Billie Eilish had something to prove when she first took the stage at Coachella. These were moments that felt like the start of something. The crowd, the dust, the sound cutting through the air—there was a sense of arrival. But now? Artists often have platinum singles and viral fame before they hit that festival lineup. With major label backing and millions of streams—now it's less of "Who's that?" and more of "Oh, they're playing too."

With all that being said, Luminate's 2024 report clarifies one thing: live music is booming again. The research data sheds light on Post-pandemic Gen Z, stating that they spend more than any other generation on live music events, including festivals. But the question hangs—are they chasing discovery? Or just reclaiming lost time?

Coachella 2025

April 11-13th, Coachella's first Weekend was stacked with performances from Lady Gaga, Post Malone, and a surprise set by Green Day. That's a dream lineup—but it's not fertile ground for fresh discovery.

Still, there were glimpses of new and upcoming releases from rising artists.

Tyla, the South African rising star behind hit songs like "Water," appeared at Coachella for the first time, teaming up with Becky G to perform their duet "On My Body." Her set trended briefly on platforms like TikTok and YouTube. Still, Tyla already had a Grammy, a viral dance challenge, and millions of followers before she stepped foot in Indio, California.

Tyla tells Vogue. "It's definitely a milestone that I've always wanted to hit. The amount of people that came to my set was really exciting and warming."

GloRilla, one of the few artists who felt like a breakout moment, brought an alien-themed set and teased a new single sampling Keyshia Cole's "Love." Her charisma and crowd energy were magnetic and fierce. Although GloRilla was already signed and featured on The Tonight Show last year, She may have already had her moments, but having a set at Coachella just polishes her career even more. What festivals do well now is elevate the experience. They allow artists to build brand relationships and open doors to global audiences via livestream.

Even indie sweetheart Clairo had a special moment when Bernie Sanders walked out on stage during her set, urging for political action from our youth. "We need you to help us in creating an economy that works well for everybody," he stated.

Festival's New Role

In a way, festivals have gone corporate. It's not a diss—it's just the shift. An emerging artist's team must often strategize their entire rollout around landing a "cool" festival slot to back up their viral numbers. But it's not a launch; it's a flex.

Coachella, in particular, continues to serve as a cultural moment—with YouTube exclusivity turning performances into shareable media events.

That said, Smaller festivals, like Treefort, still focus solely on emerging artists and are Known for a more community-focused and "discovery" vibe. But for the major players, like Coachella, the real "breaking" usually happens months earlier—on your For You Page.

So, do festivals still break artists? Sometimes. But often, they just give a polished platform to artists that the internet already crowned.

Looking Ahead: Coachella's 2nd Weekend

As Coachella's second Weekend kicks off, we'll see repeat sets from the same acts—but it'll be interesting to watch who takes advantage of this moment. Who will go viral again? Will anyone take a surprise slot and run with it? If lucky, we might just witness a rare thing: a star born on stage and not online.