“Express yourself,” a whispered voice hushes by way of the principle stage because the lights flicker. Doja Cat is about to take to the principle stage to headline the ultimate night time of Coachella 2024, and when she emerges on the finish of the runway in a hazmat swimsuit, you recognize she’s going to do as these two phrases say.
For the rapper, expressing herself usually means doing issues others won’t – both as a result of her type of expression is just too off-the-wall for the remainder of the world or too controversial. Tonight, she proves the previous spirit is nicely and really alive, bringing a contact of sensible weirdness to the desert.
After the opening two songs, she takes off the white swimsuit that leaves solely her face seen to disclose a physique swimsuit lined in lengthy locks of blonde hair. Ominous tones roll out over the sector as she crawls as much as the principle stage earlier than ‘Demons’ cuts in, and he or she’s joined by dancers wearing yeti costumes. If these are the demons she’s rapping about, they don’t look too dangerous – cuddly, almost – and he or she embraces them totally, climbing on one’s shoulders to ship the ultimate components of the observe.
This is only the start of the Doja Cat spectacle tonight, which incorporates a number of outfit adjustments and stage antics that get more and more madcap. After a commanding ‘Tia Tamera’, she disappears behind a curtain, solely her silhouette seen, because the buzzing sound of an electrical razor whirrs, and he or she pretends to shave off the thigh-length blonde hair she’s been whipping round till now. When she emerges, she sports activities a shaved head and a glance that may solely be described as excessive style cyborg.
As the efficiency enters its closing throes, she’s joined by a really particular, uncommon visitor – the big skeleton of a dinosaur. It rolls down the runway after her as she airs ‘WYM Freestyle’, wanting like she’s about to be its subsequent sufferer. Before the observe is up, although, it seems to determine Doja is just too formidable an opponent and retreats again to the place it got here from.
Formidable is strictly what the star is tonight, crafting a fiery set that bounces by way of her rap-focused songs and by no means lets the vitality drop. ‘OKLOSER’, which will get its stay debut tonight, is an infectious spotlight, whereas ‘Balut’ drops the tempo to one thing just a little extra soulful however nonetheless highly effective. When she brings out dwelling human visitors to affix her on stage, she doesn’t come near being overshadowed.
21 Savage seems for ’n.h.i.e.’, whereas Teezo Touchdown ups the bizarre, vocalising right into a flower that appears to require his entire head to be submerged in its petals. A$AP Rocky makes his second look of the weekend for a ferocious ‘URRRGE!!!!!!!!!!’, buying and selling bars together with his host from the highest of a scaffolding tower. Earlier within the night, South African a cappella group The Joy deliver gentle to ‘Shutcho’.
It’s unlucky that the group tonight isn’t a lot larger than it’s – or that, aside from the followers down the entrance, its vitality isn’t far greater. Sure, it’s the ultimate night time of the weekend and the chilly desert winds are roaring, however the reception for Doja is disappointingly flat. Perhaps that’s as a result of she doesn’t give the informal viewers what they need – her pop hits. There isn’t any ‘Say So’ on this set, nor a rendition of ‘Kiss Me More’ – with or with no cameo from SZA. ‘Paint The Town Red’, her latest smash, is saved till the penultimate observe within the setlist, however even when its opening notes drop, the response is muted.
Regardless, Doja sticks to her weapons all through and closes the efficiency within the form of approach that leaves the viewers confused. After a short break from the stage, the rapper reappears again on the finish of the runway, which has now changed into a hoop filled with slimy, gray mud. She and her dancers get caught into the mess as she closes the set with ‘Wet Vagina’, someway not slipping and sliding by way of it however nailing the choreography.
As Doja strides again to the principle stage and blows a kiss goodbye, the group hesitates, questioning, “Is that it?” They get their reply when the lights lastly exit – a subdued ending, maybe, however one which comes after 90 minutes of pure pageantry.
Doja Cat performed:
‘Acknowledge Me’
‘Shutcho’
‘Demons’
‘Tia Tamera’
‘Fuck The Girls (FTG)’
‘Gun’
‘OKLOSER’
‘Ouchies
‘n.h.i.e.’
‘Attention’
’97’
‘Balut’
‘Need To Know’
‘MASC’
‘Streets’
‘Agora Hills’
‘Ain’t Shit’
‘WYM Freestyle’
‘URRRGE!!!!!!!!!!’
‘Paint The Town Red’
‘Wet Vagina’
