'Sorry Biebs, It's Not Giving': Justin Bieber's Coachella Setlist Disappoints Fans With New Songs Over Hits

Justin Bieber's 2026 Coachella setlist on Saturday night has been met with disappointment, as fans questioned his song choices and stripped-back staging during his first-ever top-billed performance at the festival.

Anticipation had been building for weeks, with some fans even dubbing the weekend 'Bieberchella' ahead of his return. The 32-year-old had previously appeared at the festival as a guest performer alongside artists including Ariana Grande and Chance the Rapper, but this marked his debut as a headline act, reportedly commanding a fee of £8 million ($10 million), higher than Lady Gaga and Beyoncé.

Coachella Setlist Did Not Include Hits

When he finally took to the stage at 11:25pm, on time despite rumours of possible delays, the initial reception was warm. Dressed casually in a hoodie, shorts, and sunglasses, Bieber opened with newer material, including 'All I Can Take' and 'Speed Demon', leaning heavily into recent releases rather than the catalogue that made him a global star.

Fans expecting a run of familiar hits instead got fragments. Tracks like 'Baby', 'Favorite Girl', 'Beauty and a Beat', 'Never Say Never', and 'Confident' appeared only briefly, played from YouTube clips on his laptop while he sang along. Even crowd favourites such as 'Stay' and 'Sorry' were spaced out across a set dominated by lesser-known songs.

The reaction online was swift brutal. One viewer wrote, 'Not Justin Bieber scammed Coachella out of $10 million to play songs off of YouTube...'. Another added, 'sorry biebs, but it's not giving', while a third posted, 'He's only going to perform Swag and Swag II songs 😭😭😭 Sorry for anyone expecting throwbacks 💀 #Bieberchella #Coachella'.

There was also criticism of the staging itself. Bieber performed much of the set moving across a smoke-filled, grey-toned stage that evoked an almost otherworldly experience, but without the high-energy choreography or production some had expected from a headline slot.

One comment summed up the mood bluntly, questioning whether the performance justified its scale or price tag: 'Yes he got good vocals but stage presence + performance wise? Very underwhelming.'

Bieber's Attempt to Revive 'Disappointing' Coachella Setlist

Bieber did attempt to bridge past and present. At one point, he played old YouTube videos of himself as a child, including a clip from '19 years' ago, revisiting the early moments that led to his discovery by Usher and Scooter Braun.

Standing on stage, he sang along to his younger self.

Elsewhere, the set leaned into personal themes. Songs such as 'First Place' and 'Go Baby' paid tribute to his wife, Hailey Bieber, while tracks like 'Walking Away' and 'Petting Zoo' were interpreted by some fans as addressing ongoing speculation about their relationship. He also performed 'Devotion' alongside Dijon.

There were lighter moments too. During an interlude, Bieber praised the 'beautiful faces in the audience tonight' and asked viewers watching remotely, 'How you guys doing at home?' He later invited fans to suggest songs via the livestream comments, though the selections still leaned towards newer material.

Besides, not all reactions were negative. Some fans pointed to a possible business rationale behind the setlist.

'Justin Bieber not owning his music catalogue anymore is a huge reason why his Coachella performance is mainly showcasing his new music. I'm not mad at it, cuz he's basically investing that $10 million into promoting music that he owns,' one supporter wrote.

Bieber sold his music catalogue in 2023. He sold the rights to his songs (released before 2022) to Hipgnosis Songs Capital in a deal reported to be worth around $200 million (£160 million at the time).

After selling it, Bieber no longer owns those rights for his older hits like Baby, Sorry, or Love Yourself. The new owner now earns most of that revenue.

He can still perform those songs live, but financially and strategically, there's less incentive to focus on them. That's why some fans believe he leaned into newer material at Coachella—because those are the songs he still owns and profits from directly.