The China Mail - Sabrina Carpenter transforms Coachella into her own 'Sabrinawood'

The 26-year-old headliner packed 20 songs into a Tinseltown-inspired set complete with A-lister cameos, vintage film props and a "Sabrinawood" billboard in huge white letters evoking the Hollywood sign.

The "Manchild" singer made her Coachella debut in 2024, the year she released her catchy summer smash "Espresso."

"Two years ago, I wanted to put on a little song for Coachella," Carpenter said on Friday as fans belted out the words to the megahit.

Her performance also included live debuts from her latest album "Man's Best Friend" as well as appearances from Susan Sarandon and Will Ferrell.

The star-studded Coachella line-up -- which also features headliners Justin Bieber and Colombia's Karol G -- will grace the stage in Indio on two consecutive weekends, kicking off the US music festival circuit for 2026.

Under Coachella's desert sun, with temperatures reaching 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) on Friday, music fans donned cowboy boots, short shorts and glitter galore for the festivities.

Two-time Grammy nominee Teddy Swims took to the festival's main stage at dusk with an enthusiastic set that included hits such as "The Door" and "Bad Dreams," before closing out with "Lose Control."

Soon after, thousands of fans packed another stage to sing, dance and cheer the much-anticipated Coachella debut of girl group KATSEYE.

Italian DJ Anyma cancelled his set due to "strong wind conditions" that affected stage build, organizers said in a statement.

- Bieber Fever -

The party continues across Coachella's nine stages on Saturday, with a heavy dose of yesteryear's biggest stars.

The 90s are back with industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, who will team up with German producer Boys Noize for a performance, and the aughts will be repped by New York City rockers The Strokes -- who are slated to release a new album in June after a six-year hiatus.

But peak nostalgia may hit like a bout of "Bieber fever," on the heels of the 32-year-old singer's comeback at the Grammy Awards this year, with hits such as "Sorry" and "Where Are U Now."

The night will also feature performances by techno stalwarts like Armin van Buuren and Adam Beyer, K-pop stars such as Taemin and British dance sensation PinkPantheress.

French DJ and producer David Guetta returns to the desert in Indio, and David Byrne, the legendary co-founder of Talking Heads, will make an appearance.

As a testament to the diversity of genres on display at Coachella, the festival's main stage will host influencer-turned-singer Addison Rae.

- 'Tropicoqueta' -

Sunday's cherry on top will be reggaeton star Karol G, the first Latina to headline the festival.

The winner of eight Latin Grammy Awards made her Coachella debut in 2022 with a performance that paid tribute to Latin music icons such as Selena, Celia Cruz, and Daddy Yankee.

For this year's show, the "Provenza" singer is expected to embrace the "Caribbean showgirl" aesthetic of her latest project, "Tropicoqueta."

Sunday also promises the festival debut of K-pop kings BIGBANG, who are celebrating their 20th anniversary with a highly anticipated return to the international stage.

Also appearing will be the godfather of punk Iggy Pop, and British DJ and producer Fatboy Slim, who dominated the electronic music scene in the 1990s.

Other acts include Major Lazer, indie-pop band Foster the People and British singer, dancer, and visual artist FKA twigs.

The festival will close with a screening under the stars of the first episode of the third season of "Euphoria," the HBO high school drama series starring Zendaya, returning to television after four years.

Coachella is streamed live on YouTube.

X.So--ThChM