Hi, Here’s A Comprehensive Ranking of the 6 Best Coachella Sets
These sets will be living in my mind rent-free till further notice.
Okay, I’ll bite: after Lana Del Rey, Sabrina Carpenter, and Chappell Roan’s instantly iconic performances at Coachella last year, I kept my eye on the beloved music fest ahead of this year’s lineup drop. Dear reader, it does not disappoint. When murmurs of Lady Gaga’s return to the Indio desert as a headliner started blazing the internet, I knew I had to finally attend.
As a music-obsessed teen who lived for Vanessa Hudgens’s undying commitment to Coachella and her bohemian festival looks, I quickly had an understanding that it was the place to be. Sure, some may liken it to an influencer farm these days, but that doesn’t take away from the insane lineup that brought more heat to the desert this year. We’re talking Tyla’s addictive ampiano beats, rap’s fiercest emcees GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion, and alt faves like Djo and Amyl and the Sniffers—and that barely even scratches the surface.
So, I made my way to Palm Springs for the fest’s highly anticipated first weekend, and ran across the grounds to catch as many sets as possible. Out of 144 performances spanning different stages and genres, I’ve ranked the best Coachella sets you can’t miss. Keep in mind...there were tons of sets I wanted to catch but couldn’t swing, ‘cause I’m just one girl running across a massive desert. To keep it fair, I purposely left out headliners—Lady Gaga, Post Malone, Green Day, and Travis Scott—because that’s a whole other playing field when it comes to budget and production value. So, without ~further ado~, here are the 6 best 2025 Coachella sets, ranked.
MARINA
After taking on the fest in 2011 and 2015, MARINA returned to the Coachella stage for a fun and flirty set in the scorching heat. Sure, it was 100 degrees, but the singer-songwriter was committed to her “CUNTISSIMO” craft with a fitted pink tartan corset and curled platinum blonde wig. The look not only paid homage to her beloved Electra Heart era, but reintroduced her as the Princess of Power—and her setlist showcased her brilliant evolution since her debut, The Family Jewels.
Maybe it was because it was the first set I caught all weekend or the fact that I’ve been a longtime MARINA fan, but there was something about catching the golden girl’s set during golden hour. As I familiarized myself with the festival grounds and frolicked toward the main stage during “How to Be a Heartbreaker,” I ultimately stopped in my tracks as the opening notes of “Are You Satisfied?” tickled the piano. It was a deep cut that had unintentionally been my personal theme song for years, and before I got too existential, someone in the VIP crowd paused to tell me, “You are everything.” That was the magic of MARINA rubbing off on me, and by the time she flew through “Butterfly” and “Bubblegum Bitch,” Coachella had officially commenced.
The Marías
I’ve been bumping The Marías since they dropped their stripped-back cover of Britney Spears’s “...Baby One More Time” in 2017, and yet, I hadn’t caught one of their live shows till I was on Coachella’s festival grounds. The alt-pop quartet cooled down the Outdoor Theater, and their royal-blue stage set and visuals against the night sky were just as breathtaking as lead singer María Zardoya’s signature breathy vocals. Whether they debuted their latest tracks, “Back to Me” and “Ojos Tristes,” or put their spin on The Cardigans’ “Lovefool” with elements of OutKast’s “SpottieOttieDopaliscious,” The Marías drew quite the crowd with their undeniable chemistry.
“I’m the happiest that I’ve ever been in my life, right here,” María said in between tracks. “Since these songs were written in the last three years, I’ve lost love. I’ve lost life, I’ve lost people really close to me. I’ve mourned parts of myself. So, whatever it is that you’re going through tonight or recently, just know that it gets so much better.”
Naturally, María flowed in-and-out of Spanglish during the set, waved a Puerto Rican flag as she bounced through the crowd during a cover of the band’s Bad Bunny collab, “Otro Atardecer.” She even shouted out other Latinx nationalities throughout the set. While Cuba was unintentionally left out of the list, I let it slide because I had already felt seen by their visual oasis and vulnerable lyricism.
Clairo
Claire Cottrill’s discography has stayed in my music library since her diary 001 EP dropped in 2018, and I knew I had to book it to her set when I had the pleasure of chatting with her for her Seventeen cover story ahead of Coachella.
In a move no one saw coming, the singer-songwriter allotted the beginning of her set for Congressman Maxwell Frost and Senator Bernie Sanders, who commended her for her activism efforts and encouraged the crowd to vote. Clairo charmed the crowd with live instruments, zero backing tracks, and the allure of her Jane Birkin-meets-Joni Mitchell aura in a dreamy ‘70s-style conversation pit reminiscent of my favorite bar back in Brooklyn. One thing I particularly loved about this set, aside from the immaculate vibes between Claire and her band, was the range of her setlist. She made sure fans of any era got what they came for, whether it was “Amoeba,” or “Add Up My Love,” and, yes, I am one of those who are eternally grateful for a “4EVER” mention in our good year 2025. Of course, I can’t forget the reunion of her band, Shelly, for a performance of “Steeeam,” which marked another milestone for the musicians.
Once she strummed her electric guitar with the opening riff of “Bags,” a song that pulled a magnifying glass into the pain and longing I had once felt in my own life, those emotions released themselves and transcended into thrill. For those 4 minutes and 20 seconds, nothing else mattered as I sang and jumped around the VIP section with one of my best friends. Then, the infectious melody of “Sofia” took over the Outdoor Theater since Claire squashed her beef and closed out her set with the fan-favorite track. Truly 10s across the board.
Megan Thee Stallion
This marked my first time seeing H Town’s finest in the flesh, and let me tell you: it did not disappoint. Despite the fact that her set abruptly ended because of technical issues, Megan Thee Stallion pulled out all the stops. She paid homage to her Southern roots in a barely-there festival-approved cowboy outfit and empowered every attendee with hits dating back to her Tina Snow days till now. Once I parked near the Artist Compound (and, regrettably, forgot to grab a 21+ wristband), I caught Meg’s set with another music editor friend who had a vodka soda in hand. I’m glad to report that a time was had—even if I was completely sober.
Meg’s performances are known for their light, high-energy vibes. You know you’re in for a good time, even if she’s coming in hot about everyone who’s wronged her on “BOA,” or if she’s quick changing to 2020’s “Captain Hook.” I found myself spitting every bar to “Realer,” even if I hadn’t heard it in a minute, because by the power vested in Megan Thee Stallion, I am still a Hottie. Of course, she brought out the big guns when her A-list pals joined her on stage. She maximized her joint slay with Queen Latifah, enlisted Victoria Monét for a steamy sapphic lapdance to “Spin” and “On My Mama,” and tapped Ciara for a choreo-heavy moment to “Goodies.”
While things were cut short during her TikTok-favorite track, “Mamushi,” I find myself wanting to experience it all again, especially because she deserves to see her entire set through at weekend 2.
The Beaches
The Gobi tent became The Beaches’ stomping grounds on Sunday afternoon, and when I tell you this was the best start to the long day of sets and social content ahead of me, I fully mean it. I discovered the Toronto-based alternative darlings as a supporting act in 2021, and two years later, their breakout album Blame My Ex had some of my favorite songwriting of the past decade.
Two years later, Jordan Miller, Kylie Miller, Leandra Earl, and Eliza Enman-McDaniel made their Coachella debut, drawing a crowd big enough to spill out of the tent. The Beaches brought their best slinky beach-rock production and careless confessional lyricism to the stage, where they requested beers mid-performance, shared kisses with friends, sang about their exes, and enlisted a lucky fan for some crowd work. Their energy bounced off each other seamlessly, and when it came time to bring special guest G Flip out for a duet of their latest single, “Last Girls at the Party,” the band proved they can hang in the big leagues.
Charli XCX
I’ve seen Charli XCX do her thing on stages of every size. Whether she gave sleazy garage band realness at an underground bar during her Sucker album cycle, commanded a crowd with “Boom Clap” at Taylor Swift’s Reputation Stadium Tour, or fulfilled the Top 40 pop star fantasy with choreo at the Crash Tour in 2022, I can only say one thing about Miss Charli: she is a bonafide entertainer.
So, when Coachella became Bratchella on Saturday night, I knew I had to catch a glimpse of her main stage set before running between the Heineken House and Clairo at the Outdoor Theater. Charli has taken the desert plenty of times, but this time was different: she transformed Indio into her own rave as the sun set into night. From Quen Blackwell, Alex Consani, and Gabbriette doing Kelley Heyer’s famous “Apple” dance to Lorde, Billie Eilish, and Troye Sivan joining her on stage for their respective collabs, Bratchella goes down as one of the best moments in the festival’s 26-year history.
“I thought this fucking song was big in Germany, what the fuck are you doing?” she exclaimed to an unenthusiastic crowd at the 2014 MELT Festival as she sang her hit with Icona Pop, “I Love It.” Coachella 2025 saw a stark difference—as I made my way through the crowd to catch my next set, it was impossible to find someone who wasn’t raging to the track. At her after-party (because, of course, the 365 Party Girl had one), Charli donned a sash that read “Miss Should Be a Headliner.” I’ve known it for ages, but after Bratchella, I can’t help but wholeheartedly agree.
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