Karol G Makes History as First Latina to Headline Coachella
La Bichota will perform at the music festival on April 12 and 19 as the first Latina headliner
KAROL G performs during halftime during an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Sao Paulo. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
Iconic Colombiana Karol G has been on a winning streak this year, making history and breaking barriers left and right. Just this last weekend, La Bichota took the stage at the “Grace for the World” concert at Saint Peter’s Basilica, becoming the first contemporary Latin American artist to perform at the Vatican. Now she’s set to become the first Latina headliner at Coachella 2026. La Bichota has been on a roll lately, making Latin music history with her performance at the Vatican and becoming the first Latina guest to perform at the French cabaret club Crazy Horse Paris. She was also the second Latina after Anitta to perform during a halftime show at an international NFL game and the first to perform during YouTube’s first exclusive NFL live broadcast. The winning streak continues with Coachella posting the music festival’s 2026 lineup including Karol G, who will headline Sunday nights on April 12 and 19. With this, the Colombian superstar will become the first Latina to ever headline Coachella. She follows in the footsteps of Bad Bunny who made history when he became the first Latinx headliner in 2023.
This won’t be the first time she takes the Coachella stage however. She performed in 2022 and paid tribute to Latin music with songs by Selena Quintanilla, Shakira, Celia Cruz, and more and was joined by fellow Colombian superstar J Balvin. With this full-circle moment she is expected to put on a lively show now that she’s in her “Tropicoqueta” showgirl era following the release of her fifth studio album of the same name earlier this year.
The Grammy winner celebrated the upcoming event in an Instagram post, writing in the caption: “Coachella 2026, LA BICHOTA IS A HEADLINER! See you in the desert. #TROPICOACHELLA MODE ON!!!”
Latin American acts are expected to take the stage at Coachella as well including Salvadoran group Los Hermanos Flores, which will make history as the first Central American act to perform at the music festival, KATSEYE, which includes Cuban-Venezuelan member Daniela Avanzini, and Cuban-American singer-songwriter Gigi Perez, who will make her Coachella debut and sing her viral hit “Sailor Song.”
Additional Latinx performers include rising Brazilian singer Luísa Sonza, Mexican-American instrumentalist Los Retros, Guatemalan-American DJ Gordo, Mexican reggaeton duo Cachirula y Loojan, Puerto Rican-Dominican singer-songwriter 54 Ultra, and Major Lazer, whose member Ape Drums is of Mexican descent.
The exciting news comes on the heels of Karol G’s historic performance in Vatican City. On Saturday, September 13, she took the stage at the event, which was co-directed by famed music producer Pharrell Williams and iconic Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. She performed hits including “Mientras Me Curo del Corazón,” “Milagros,” and “Vivo Por Ella” with Bocelli, which left the audience visibly moved, to a crowd of over 100,000 in Vatican City.
The superstar celebrated the achievement and reflected on the event in an emotional Instagram post. In the caption, she described it as “the most sublime moment” of her career and thanked everyone who made it possible:
“Literally experienced Nirvana in its purest state and nobody can take away the excitement and pride I have for myself and mine!!!!!!! Thank you Abu that from heaven you gave me the strength. I LOVE YOU!!! Thank you P @pharrell for counting on me for this, how great you are!! Thank you Maestro @andreabocelliofficial for your generosity and for giving me such a big spot where maybe I didn’t see myself,” she wrote. “Thank you to everyone who was there with their shirts, flags and signs ✨ Nobody like you!!!!!!!!”
The Grace for the World concert commemorates the closing of the third World Meeting on Human Fraternity, is available for streaming on Disney+ until September 27 and can also be viewed for free on ABC News’ Youtube Channel. La Bichota’s performance at the esteemed concert marks a new chapter in Latin American music. Singing her documentary hit “Milagros,” which is filled with spirituality and celebrates the miracles in everyday life, and her duet with Andrea Bocelli, Karol G bridged the gap between Latin music and religion.
The 34-year-old performer’s latest wins exemplify that Latina power can not only make history but reach the biggest stages in the world.
