![\"Justin](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-130555586,imgsize-78942,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/biebers-coachella-set-where-he-sang-along-to-old-youtube-videos-divided-opinion-with-some-calling-it-lazy-while-others-praised-its-nostalgic-intimate-feel.jpg\" "\\"Bieber\u2019s")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nJustin Bieber\u2019s Coachella performance was pure nostalgia for fans. Weak in the knees, crying, smiling, almost unable to stand like Billie Eilish \u2013 that\u2019s how fans felt as he performed Baby, One Less Lonely Girl , and revisited old videos. \u201cLet\u2019s see how far you guys go,\u201d Bieber said, searching his videos on YouTube and performing along.Using a laptop on stage, he casually went through old clips and sang with his younger self. Few expected this approach, but he leaned into it, pairing old tracks with visuals in the background. Some called it Bieber\u2019s personal karaoke. Others said most artists couldn\u2019t pull this off, especially at Coachella. But because it was Bieber, and because it tapped into nostalgia, it largely turned into meme fodder.Back home, it raises questions for artists and organisers: can something like this work here? Can artists bring their own catalogue into performances and get the same response? Is this the start of a new concert format, somewhere between a live show and a stream?In the era of streaming, can this become more common?<\/span>At a festival like Coachella \u2013 one of the most watched music events globally \u2013 performances are no longer limited to the people in the crowd; they are livestreamed across the world. And because this happened here, with Bieber, it brings attention to a kind of hybrid performance we haven\u2019t yet seen at scale in India. Coachella has live streamed performances for years, but this one stood out for how it played out. Bieber was discovered on YouTube, so when he told a packed crowd at Coachella and the millions watching online, \u201cWe kind of grew up together,\u201d it wasn\u2019t just a line \u2013 it was the point. His life has played out online, and the audience has been part of that journey. That\u2019s what made the moment land. <\/p>\n Justin Bieber\u2019s performed hits like Baby and One Less Lonely Girl<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u2018You go for the experience of live music, not a karaoke\u2019<\/span>\u201cStreaming has made artists more fluid \u2013 they are not locked into just their biggest hits anymore. But live shows are a different game. If you lean too much on one side, it shows,\u201d says DJ Sartek.Livestreaming is increasingly becoming an extension of the stage. \u201cPhysical concerts will always be the core experience, but livestreaming allows events to scale globally. We could see hybrid headliners \u2013 artistes performing for a live audience while simultaneously reaching millions online,\u201d says Mohit Bijlani, co-founder, Team Innovation.\u201cLivestreaming is no longer an add-on \u2013 it\u2019s becoming a parallel stage. In some cases, the digital audience may even surpass the in-person crowd,\u201d adds Aman Kumar, co-founder of the event production and management company White Fox. <\/p>\n At Coachella 2026, Justin Bieber and Billie Eilish shared what fans are calling the \u201cultimate full-circle moment.\u201d The latter went weak in the knees on the stage<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u2018SOME MIGHT CALL IT LAZY, OTHERS ARTISTIC EXPRESSION\u2019<\/span>Talking about the performance, where Bieber essentially scrolled YouTube with the audience, Varun Rajput, from a Delhi-based Hindi rock band Antariksh, says, \u201cIt seemed like he tried to stand out by doing something different, or experimenting with an idea he and his team had. Some might call it lazy, others artistic expression. But coming from a rock and metal background, concerts are about raw energy, a vibrant atmosphere, and real musicians playing together. That\u2019s what I like, and I think that\u2019s what most people expect. I don\u2019t see something like this becoming common \u2013 it lacks the spark one expects from a live show.\u201dFor those who have travelled abroad for concerts, this could feel like a disappointment \u2013 regardless of the artiste. Subir Malik from Parikrama puts it simply, \u201cIf I went to see my idols and they revisited old songs through YouTube and sang along, I would be highly disappointed. You go for the experience of live music, not a concert karaoke.\u201dBeyond the nostalgia-driven moments, the set also included more conventional performances and guest appearances from Dijon, Tems, WizKid, Mk.gee, and more.\u2018The <\/span>future of live music<\/span> is hybrid\u2019<\/span>From a promoter\u2019s perspective, this shift opens up new possibilities \u2013 across ticketing, sponsorships, and content. But even here, the idea comes back to balance.\u201cThe exclusivity and energy of a live concert must remain intact. Digital layers should enhance, not dilute, the experience. The future isn\u2019t just bigger crowds \u2013 it\u2019s broader connections,\u201d says Mohit.\u201cThe future of live music is hybrid with both designed as equally immersive experiences. This marks a clear shift in how live music is experienced and distributed. Artists will start designing shows not just for a venue, but for a global audience tuning in simultaneously, making hybrid experiences the new standard,\u201d adds Sara Awwad, creative director at Studio Majime.What Justin Bieber did at Coachella may not define what comes next \u2013 but it does show how far an artist can push the format.The real question is whether audiences will keep going along.<\/div>\n![\"Justin](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-130555605\/justin-biebers-performed-hits-like-baby-and-one-less-lonely-girl.jpg\" "\\"Justin")
<\/p>\n![\"At](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-130555664\/at-coachella-2026-justin-bieber-and-billie-eilish-shared-what-fans-are-calling-the-ultimate-full-circle-moment-the-latter-went-weak-in-the-knees-on-the-stage.jpg\" "\\"At")
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