Blackpink earns rave response as first K-pop artist to headline Coachella

Girl group Blackpink became the first K-pop artist to headline the Coachella music festival on Sunday, holding an hour-long performance filled with passion and earning thundering applause from the crowd.

“This is a dream come true for us to be headlining one of the most loved festivals in the world,” Rosé said, waving to the crowd as they cheered with every step the girl group took on the main stage of the U.S. music festival.

Blackpink was invited to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival to perform on April 15 and 22, U.S. time, as the headlining artist among a lineup including Rosalia, boygenius, $uicideboy$ and Kid LAROI.

This was the second time for Blackpink to take part in Coachella, after becoming the first K-pop female act to perform at the festival in 2019.

Having kicked off the performance with its 2022 hit dance number “Pink Venom,” the group went on to perform all the best of its discography including “Kill This Love,” “How You Like That,” “Whistle,” “Lovesick Girls” and “Forever Young.”

The crowd cheered with lightsticks given to members of the band’s official fan club Blink and even the Korean flag.

Coachella sees around 125,000 visitors each day. The girl group was also joined by 2.96 million viewers around the world who joined in through a YouTube livestream.

Members also performed their solo songs, including Jennie’s “You and Me,” Lisa’s “Money,” Rosé’s “Gone” and Jisoo’s latest solo track “Flower.”

“About four years ago, we were invited to perform for you guys here at Coachella over there at the Sahara Tent and I believe that made a mark in all of our hearts and made us remember the passion performing for you guys,” Rosé said. “Thank you so much. I feel like all four of us — Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa and I — are here all because of you guys.”

Following the Coachella performance, Blackpink will continue its ongoing “Born Pink” world tour, where the quratet is set to meet with over 1.5 million fans in total. The band will also headline the Hyde Park British Summer Time Festival in July as the first K-pop artist to do so.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]