When Justin Bieber took to the Coachella stage last week, he probably didn’t expect to spark so much controversy. It was revealed that he was the highest-paid Coachella headliner in history, earning $10 million for his two-night performance. His low-key set, which included scrolling through YouTube for his hits, was a far cry from the energetic “Sabrinawood” show by Friday’s headliner, Sabrina Carpenter.
The perceived lack of effort led to discussions about the expectations placed on male and female artists, with fans expressing disappointment in Biebs. However, this weekend, Sabrina raised the bar even higher by bringing out Madonna to perform “Like A Prayer” with her, teasing a potential duet on the Queen of Pop’s upcoming album.
So, all eyes were on Justin as he returned to headline Saturday night, wondering if the backlash would affect his performance.
While the setup was similar, his second set was packed with stars and emotional moments that left fans in awe. Biebs seemed more at ease on stage, interacting with the crowd and leaning into the sobbing masses as he sang.
Mirroring Tems’ appearance the previous weekend, he brought out Sexxy Red early on during “Sweet Spot,” but the surprises didn’t stop there. In what many considered his most controversial segment of the set—scrolling through YouTube for his old hits and singing along—he clearly listened to fan feedback and upped his game.
After performing hits like “One Time” and “Baby,” with his younger self providing backing vocals, he played “One Less Lonely Girl.” Midway through, a woman climbed onto the stage and made her way toward Justin, stumbling slightly as she went. The Sorry legend rushed to help her up.
It turned out that the woman was actually superfan Billie Eilish, who hugged Justin as she sat on a stool, clearly emotional and trying to hide her face. The moment was a nod to his tour tradition of bringing one audience member on stage and giving them flowers during the bridge.
Viewers were overwhelmed by the moment, with many thrilled that Billie’s “childhood dream had come true” after Justin’s wife, Hailey, had encouraged her to the stage.
“She was falling without being able to believe it and the way Justin runs to help her and hugs her I’m broken down in tears,” wrote biebrntion on X.
Antisumiya added: “What do u MEAN Justin chose Billie as his One Less Lonely Girl? I’m gonna sob.”
Pictures of Billie, 24, as a teenager with Justin posters on her walls started to circulate, along with snaps of her hugging her idol.
“I’d be weak in the knees too Billie,” joked wdcleclerc16.
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However, it wasn’t just “One Less Lonely Girl” that got the all-star treatment. Long-time collaborator Big Sean joined for two songs, performing “As Long As You Love Me” and “No Pressure.” Sean emotionally shared how proud he was of Justin after “all he’s been through.”
Before the music video section was over, Justin had one more surprise in store. He played an incredibly early pre-fame cover of “Cry Me A River,” singing in harmony with his younger self. He only briefly got distracted by memes, playing one video before stopping himself and declaring they had to “keep the show going.”
This was likely in response to the backlash around last week’s set, with many feeling they had paid too much for him to be sitting there watching memes. He quickly got back into the music, bringing out two more cameos—Dijon and SZA—before closing on hit song “Daisies.”
Once again, Justin headed into the crowd, actively pulling one girl’s arm further around him as he leaned into the adoring audience.
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Overall, the set has been received far more positively than the first week, with the sheer number of cameos upping the production quality in many viewers’ eyes. “Seeing Justin Bieber’s performances at Coachella are so nice, it looks like he’s so happy and healing! Love it for him,” wrote megannjessop_.
“Justin Bieber and Billie Eilish at Coachella?? That combo is insane 😭 Weekend 2 really didn’t come to play 🔥” said CyberM001.
CreightonBranch shared: “It’s so good to see Justin find his joy on the stage again. This industry is exponentially better with him in it.”
“What an unbelievable performance. He had the crowd in the palm of his hand. Not many can compete with his aura. That was incredible. A living legend.”
Many fans said they were emotional watching the Baby singer, who found fame at just 15, “healing” on stage in real time. While his set-up might not have matched Sabrina’s level of production, seeing him reconnect with his younger self meant more to fans than any epic stage show.
As Scott Bailey said: “Respect Justin Bieber week 2. He actually sang and sounded great. I roasted his ass week 1 …rightfully so but he redeemed 💯.”
In one final moment, Biebs teased, “I’ll see y’all soon,” blew a kiss to the audience, and walked off stage, leaving fans wanting more.