What Really Happened During Rema’s Coachella Set
On the surface, Rema’s Coachella debut looked like a flop—an awkward, disjointed performance riddled with delays, half-hearted lip-syncing, and visible frustration. But beyond the noise and viral reactions, the truth is far more complex. This wasn’t a case of an unprepared artist blowing a big stage. It was the unfortunate result of technical failures and festival logistics gone wrong—and Rema caught the fallout.
Let’s get this straight: Rema arrived at the venue two hours before his set, not “late,” as many online narratives suggest. According to his label, Mavin Records, he completed a full soundcheck and was ready to go. But about 30 minutes before he was scheduled to perform, everything started to fall apart. His in-ear monitors—essential for any live vocal performance—were suddenly replaced with a different model, and they didn’t fit. His microphone stopped working. And when he eventually hit the stage, the band couldn’t hear each other either.
What followed was damage control. A DJ scrambling to hold down the crowd. A backing track becoming the lead. A confused band trying to improvise without being able to hear a thing. And a crowd, rightfully, unsure what was happening.
To make matters worse, Rema wasn’t given any extra time to recalibrate. Despite the delays being completely out of his control, Coachella held him to the original schedule, and the next act—Basement Jaxx—was already experiencing their own tech issues. The whole Mojave Tent was in chaos.
And here’s the kicker: just three days before his Coachella set, Rema opened the North American leg of his HEIS Tour with a sold-out show in Canada on April 11. That performance was everything Coachella wasn’t—tight, energetic, vocally sharp, and visually dialed in. No issues. No delays. No confusion. Just Rema doing what he does best.
So yes, the Coachella performance didn’t land. But to paint Rema as careless or unprofessional is simply false. This is an artist who’s built his career on intention, precision, and next-level creativity. From Lagos to Paris, his shows are known for their energy, structure, and commitment to giving fans a full experience. December’s run of headline shows in Nigeria saw him show up early, perform live with a full band, and leave everything on stage.
What happened at Coachella wasn’t a reflection of who Rema is as an artist—it was a bad hand dealt on one of the world’s biggest stages. And if there’s one thing we know about Rema, it’s that he thrives under pressure. All eyes are now on weekend two. And if history has taught us anything, it’s that Rema doesn’t miss twice.
