ISLAMABAD: At Coachella 2025, performers transformed one of the world’s most-watched music festivals into a platform for political expression, voicing solidarity with Palestinians and drawing attention to humanitarian crises across the globe. With performances livestreamed on YouTube, artists including Green Day, Kneecap, Blonde Redhead, Amyl and the Sniffers, Clairo, Thee Sacred Souls, Bob Vylan, and Darkside used their sets across both weekends to make powerful political statements.
Clairo’s performance was introduced by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, who lauded her activism and issued a strong condemnation of the ongoing war in Gaza. Amyl and the Sniffers’ frontwoman Amy Taylor expanded the message of solidarity, expressing support for Palestinians as well as for queer and trans communities, immigrants, and Ukrainians.
Thee Sacred Souls’ lead vocalist Josh Lane invoked a message of shared humanity, declaring, “If I deserve freedom, so do you… so do the Palestinians, so do the Congolese, so do the Sudanese.”
Bob Vylan delivered an unequivocal statement of support, telling the crowd, “Palestinians have always mattered,” during his performance on the Sonora Stage. Meanwhile, Darkside’s Nicolas Jaar closed with a poignant speech linking the violence in Gaza to broader historical injustices, including the legacy of colonialism and the private detention of immigrants in the United States.
The politically charged moments underscored how artists at Coachella 2025 seized the festival’s global reach to amplify voices and struggles often marginalized on the world stage.
