Sabrina Carpenter Headlines Coachella 2026 With Old Hollywood Inspired Set

Sabrina Carpenter headlined the first night of Coachella 2026 on April 10, 2026, delivering a star-studded performance themed around the glamour of Old Hollywood. The set, described as an intricate vintage production, featured a drive-in movie-themed design and various acting cameos that reinforced the singer’s current position as a leading figure in pop music.

The performance began just after 9 p.m. With a black-and-white video introduction. The cinematic sequence followed Carpenter speeding through the desert before being pulled over by a police officer played by actor Sam Elliott, who portrayed a menacing cop in a classic film noir scenario.

Following the video, Carpenter entered the festival grounds in a vintage car and walked across a catwalk inspired by the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The stage design incorporated rocky structures reminiscent of the Hollywood Hills and a large Sabrinawood sign, with the overall production invoking the spirit of films such as Some Like It Hot and Dirty Dancing.

Setlist and Visual Production

Carpenter opened her set with the song House Tour, which features a music video starring the singer alongside Margaret Qualley and Madelyn Cline. During the outro of the opening track, she sampled In My House by Mary Jane Girls. This was followed by performances of Taste and Busy Woman.

During the performance of Manchild, the production included background dancers dressed as Dalmatians and poodles who were walked around the set. The full setlist for the evening included:

• House Tour
• Taste
• Busy Woman
• Manchild
• When Did You Get Hot?
• Please Please Please
• We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night
• Nobody’s Son
• because i liked a boy
• Man on Willpower
• Go Go Juice
• Such A Funny Way
• Sugar Talking
• Don’t Smile
• Feather
• Bed Chem
• Juno
• Espresso
• Goodbye
• Tears

The second half of the show focused on high-scale visuals. Carpenter requested that the audience use their flashlights to illuminate the stage and later appeared elevated above the crowd while water rained down. The set concluded with the final song, Tears.

Star-Studded Cameos

The Old Hollywood theme was supported by several celebrity guest appearances. Susan Sarandon appeared in a vehicle to deliver a reflective monologue regarding the nature of show business. This segment took place while Carpenter briefly stepped off the stage, immediately preceding the performance of Go Go Juice.

Will Ferrell also appeared on stage, playing the role of a disgruntled electrician called in to repair a lighting outage. Other cameos included Corey Fogelmanis, Carpenter’s former Girl Meets World co-star, who played a waiter. Samuel L. Jackson provided a voice cameo as a spiritual guide, at one point telling the singer to Finish the motherfucking song.

Career Context and Festival Details

The headlining slot served as the fulfillment of a promise Carpenter made during her 2024 Coachella performance, where she told the crowd during a Nonsense outro that she would return as a headliner. During the April 10 show, she joked that it would have been pretty fucking awkward if she had not returned to headline after making that claim.

This performance follows a series of high-profile appearances for the artist. Carpenter headlined BST Hyde Park in London during the summer of 2025. More recently, on February 1, 2026, she attended the 68th GRAMMY Awards, where she had been nominated for six awards, though she did not win any on that night. She also performed Manchild during the GRAMMY ceremony in February.

Other developments at Coachella 2026 include the last-minute addition of Jack White to the weekend one lineup. Conversely, the group Lambrini Girls appeared to have been removed from the schedule. Fellow headliner Karol G stated she had received warnings not to say ICE out during her performance to avoid jeopardizing her visa.

The 2026 festival bill also features a wide array of artists, including The Strokes, The xx, Disclosure, Turnstile, David Byrne, FKA Twigs, Interpol, and Nine Inch Noize—a collaboration between Nine Inch Nails and Boys Noize. Other scheduled acts include Ethel Cain, Labrinth, BIGBANG, Laufey, Iggy Pop, KATSEYE, and Addison Rae.