Lady Gaga’s Coachella 2025: A Theatrical Triumph

Lady Gaga returned to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2025, headlining the first night of both weekends with a performance that left fans in awe. Dubbed "Gagachella" by her devoted Little Monsters, the nearly two-hour show was a masterclass in pop artistry, blending new tracks from her latest album, Mayhem, with timeless hits that had the crowd dancing under the desert sky.

A Setlist Packed with Mayhem and Classics

Gaga’s setlist was a carefully curated journey through her career, leaning heavily on her 2025 release, Mayhem, while paying homage to her iconic past. The show opened with the electrifying Bloody Mary from Born This Way, setting the tone for a night of high-energy performances. Fans were treated to 11 tracks from Mayhem, including the singles Disease and Abracadabra, both of which made their live debut at Coachella.

The setlist also featured fan favorites like Poker Face, Bad Romance, and Shallow from A Star Is Born. A standout moment came during Disease, where Gaga recreated a scene from her Bad Romance music video, lying beside a skeleton in a hauntingly beautiful tableau. The performance was split into five acts, each with distinct visuals and choreography, showcasing Gaga’s ability to transform the stage into an opera house of chaos and beauty.

Gagachella: A Visual and Theatrical Spectacle

Gaga’s Coachella 2025 performance was as much a visual feast as it was a musical one. The stage design resembled a baroque opera house, complete with sprawling balconies and gothic elements, creating an atmosphere that felt both medieval and futuristic. Her costumes were equally dramatic, with one highlight being a custom feathery look by Fecal Matter, complete with bird claws for hands, which closed her set as a "feathered angel."

Gaga when she wrote this lyric:pic.twitter.com/WjdfmellY5 https://t.co/RtguY7eVXL — KⱯTIEKAT (@ThatsSoKatie44) April 18, 2025

Choreography by Parris Goebel elevated the performance, with seamless transitions between acts that revisited different eras of Gaga’s career. From a chess battle during Poker Face to a zombie-filled grave for Disease, each song came with its own narrative, keeping the audience captivated. Fireworks and the message "monsters never die" marked the finale, cementing Gaga’s status as a pop monarch.

Social media exploded with praise for Gaga’s Coachella return, with fans calling it one of the greatest headlining sets in the festival’s history. The hashtag #Gagachella trended worldwide as attendees shared clips of her theatrical costume changes and powerful vocals. Critics noted the performance’s ability to balance nostalgia with fresh material, proving Gaga’s relevance in an ever-evolving music landscape.

While some fans were disappointed by the absence of songs from albums like Harlequin, Joanne, or Chromatica, Gaga addressed the feedback on social media, explaining her focus on Mayhem as the foundation for her upcoming Mayhem Ball tour, which kicks off in Las Vegas on July 16, 2025.

She was so mad she took off her veil 😭 #GAGACHELLA pic.twitter.com/tjQ6XpXFxx — toni (@toptieralba) April 19, 2025

Gaga’s Coachella performances served as an unofficial launch for her Mayhem Ball tour, which will take her across the globe, ending in Australia in December 2025. She also announced a free concert in Brazil, along with shows in Singapore, hinting at a busy year ahead. For fans who missed Coachella, the festival’s YouTube livestream offered a front-row seat to Gaga’s set, with replays available for those eager to relive the magic.

Lady Gaga’s Coachella 2025 performance was a reminder of why she remains a cultural force. With a setlist that honored her past and embraced her future, coupled with visuals that pushed boundaries, Gagachella was a night to remember for all who witnessed it.