Coachella — the crown jewel of global music festivals — once again drew tens of thousands to the scenic Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, for a sonic spectacle like no other.
The 2025 edition was packed with musical legends and fresh sensations, but one name in particular lit up the desert with Afrobeat fire: Seun Kuti and his iconic Egypt 80 band.
Taking the stage on opening day, the Grammy-nominated Nigerian artist delivered a high-octane performance that had festival-goers dancing deep into the twilight. Sharing the bill with global powerhouse Lady Gaga, who headlined the first day, Seun’s presence was both culturally resonant and rhythmically unforgettable.
His return marked a historic third Coachella appearance — the most by any Nigerian act. From his groundbreaking debut in 2012, when he became the first Nigerian to perform at Coachella, to this year’s dazzling return, Seun Kuti continues to bridge continents through sound, proudly flying the Afrobeat flag on one of the world’s biggest stages.’
Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 opened their Coachella set with “Everything Scatter”, a fiery tribute to Fela Kuti. 💙
— The Debut Hub (@thedebuthub) April 12, 2025
The 2025 lineup boasts over 100 artists, including genre-spanning headliners: punk rock legends Green Day, whose breakout 1991 album Kerplunk remains one of the best-selling independent releases of all time, and Post Malone, the genre-blending superstar with more RIAA diamond-certified songs than any other artist in history.
Also representing Nigeria this year is chart-topping sensation Rema, who joins the roster fresh off breaking records for the most-streamed song and highest Billboard-charting track by a Nigerian artist. His presence signals a new wave of African music powerfully crashing into the global mainstream.
As Afrobeat continues to echo far beyond Lagos, Seun Kuti’s 2025 Coachella performance is more than just a set — it’s a celebration of legacy, resilience, and the rhythm of revolution.