Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna Decline Headlining Opportunity at Coachella 2025

On Sunday, October 6, according to Complex, Bloomberg reported that Paul Tollett, the co-founder of Coachella, initially sought to have Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna as headliners for the festival’s two-week event in Indio next April. However, sources indicate that both artists declined the offer, leading Tollett to search for alternative headliners, last minute. The report also mentions that Kendrick is planning a stadium tour following his performance at the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans next February, although this has not yet been officially confirmed by Kendrick.

It is undeniable that both Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna would have been exceptional choices for the next Coachella event. Kendrick is coming off a phenomenal year, especially after his notable exchanges with Drake, resulting in the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Not Like Us.” This track has impressively remained in the upper tier of the Hot 100 for 21 weeks since it first charted. Meanwhile, Rihanna continues to captivate her long-time fans as they eagerly await a long-anticipated follow-up to her 2016 album, Anti, which still stands as her most recent work.

Coachella was established in 1999 by Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen and has evolved from a modest desert gathering into North America’s most significant music festival by 2011, now held over two weekends. The festival has broadened its scope from its original rock and electronic focus to include a diverse array of genres and unforgettable performances, such as the hologram of the late Tupac Shakur in 2012 and Beyoncé’s iconic set in 2018. Bloomberg further noted that by that time, the festival was generating over $100 million in annual revenue. The 2024 edition continued Coachella’s tradition of featuring major stars, with performances from artists like Lana Del Rey, Doja Cat, Tyler, the Creator, No Doubt, J Balvin, and many others. Additionally, the sister country music festival, Stagecoach, is also gaining significant attention.