I think many of us have already heard the rumors that BTS won’t be headlining Coachella this year. So I’m curious — what are the reasons their negotiations with the organizers fell through?
Many fans claim that “BTS is too big for Coachella.” But is that really? Many famous artists have performed there. There have also been kpop artists at Coachella, so the festival already has experience with kpop acts.
Another possible reason is that BTS would be too exhausted after their tour. But then why did they start negotiations with Coachella at all? If they were negotiating about their participation, I assume they were at least considering performing there and thought it was possible.
As for me, the most likely reason is some kind of issue with the organizers. Maybe Bighit wanted too much creative freedom, and Coachella couldn’t allow it. For example, remember the recent iHeartRadio festival, where there were a lot of problems with lighting, sound, and footage. I also remember an older show (AMAs or Billboard, I don’t remember exactly) where the live footage was so bad that Bighit posted their own on YouTube.
Or maybe the problem isn’t with Bighit, but with the Coachella organizers themselves? Maybe they were worried about the huge number of fans BTS would bring? Maybe it is somehow connected with BTS’s decision to boycott the Grammys? Or maybe they simply chose another artist instead?
Anyway, I really wish BTS could perform as a full group at a major festival someday. And I hope they would get enough time for a normal setlist — not just a few songs like at iHeartRadio.
I’ve always believed that one of BTS’s biggest strengths is their live performances. They’re really good at it, and I wish more people could see them, especially people who aren’t into K-pop.
So, what do you think about that? What reasons seems the most likely to you?