This past weekend, Indio traded flower crowns for African heat. While headliners like Lady Gaga and Travis Scott soaked up most of the marquee font, four African acts — Tyla, Rema, Amaarae and Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 — proved “small print” doesn’t mean small presence. Let’s talk performances, fits and the culture quake they triggered.
Tyla’s Y2K Déjà Vu — and the Clap‑back Heard Round X
South Africa’s breakout Water‑whisperer waltzed onto the Mojave Stage in a lime‑green bra top, micro‑denim shorts and a slinky body‑chain that instantly ignited Britney‑2001 déjà vu memes. When a fan tweeted “girl, that’s I’m a Slave 4 U cosplay,” Tyla coolly replied “no inspo” before adding the now‑iconic “stfu” for good measure.
But the look worked because the music slapped harder. Backed by amapiano log‑drums, she glided through “Water,” “Truth or Dare” and a brand‑new proto‑Afro‑house cut rumored to be on her summer EP. Between tracks she teased the Weekend 1 vs 2 rivalry: “I heard Week 2 is the real party — prove it!” Cue 30 000 voices doing the “Water” shoulder roll in unison.
Rema’s Redemption Arc
Week 1 was a memeable mess — 30‑minute delay, dead mic, Reddit threads calling him a paid actor. Week 2? Different movie. Rema hit the stage on time in a crimson moto vest, live horns in tow, and blasted through “Calm Down,” “Holiday” and a surprise afrobeats/EDM mash‑up of “DND.” The crowd answered with the loudest chant of the night, effectively rewriting his Coachella narrative in thirty sweaty minutes.
Amaarae Served Leather, Lush Vocals and Ghanaian Easter Eggs
First Ghanaian solo act on a Coachella main platform? Tick. Sporting custom matte‑black leather by Sir Baba Jagne, Amaarae floated into the Gobi tent with a neon halo wig and ran a velvet‑voiced clinic. Mid‑set she flipped the script, dropping snippets from La Meme Gang and Joey B to remind the crowd Ghana’s music scene is deeper than “Sad Girlz Luv Money.” The sensual whisper‑sing translated live better than skeptics expected, with fans swaying like it was 2 a.m. in Accra.
Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 Lit the Desert on Fire
Fela’s youngest moved the set from concert to rally in under five minutes. Dressed in a Yoruba‑print jumpsuit, sax hanging low, Seun dedicated “Struggle Sounds” to “everyone still fighting colonial hangovers.” Mosh‑pit? More like an Afrobeat thunderstorm: layered percussion, call‑and‑response horns and a closing chant of “Na Dem!” that echoed clear past the Sahara Tent. Even the indie‑kids stopped queueing for matcha to dance.
Why This Matters
Coachella’s African quota used to be a polite one‑or‑two token slots; 2025 gave us a mini‑continent. Beyond representation, each act pushed a distinct sound — amapiano, afrobeats, alt‑R&B, militant Afrobeat — proving Africa is not a genre but a galaxy. And the style? From Tyla’s Y2K revival to Amaarae’s cyber‑goth leather, African performers shaped the looks people will copy on Pinterest boards all summer.
If Weekend 2 felt like a victory lap, here’s hoping 2026 schedules them in the headliner font. Until then, let’s keep the shoulders bouncing — water or no water.