Some are convinced that they’ve found clues that suggest an appearance is on the way
Rumours have begun circulating online that Taylor Swift could make a surprise appearance at this year’s Coachella.
With the 2024 instalment of the California just around the corner, some have begun piecing together what they think are clues that the pop icon is planning an unannounced visit to the stage.
Currently, the singer-songwriter is not among those listed as performing at this year’s edition – which is taking place during the weekends of April 12-14 and April 19-21. However, some things suggest that the possibility of her taking to the stage isn’t entirely ruled out.
As highlighted by outlet Just Jared, the Indio festival is renowned for its inclusion of surprise guests, and the 2024 dates arrive just as Swift is taking a break from her mammoth ‘Eras’ tour – meaning that there are no obvious scheduling conflicts during the festival dates.
What’s more, L.A. Times pointed out that the second weekend of Coachella starts on April 19; the same day that the singer’s new album ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ is set to drop. It isn’t unheard of for an artist to pop up at the live event to celebrate new material, and Kendrick Lamar did the same thing back in 2017 when he dropped ‘Damn’.
It is possible that a surprise appearance by Swift may not come as a solo set either, as the line-up for this year includes many of the singer’s friends and collaborators.
Taylor Swift performs with Sabrina Carpenter at Accor Stadium on February 23, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Don Arnold/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
Lana Del Rey, who she joined forces with for ‘Snow on the Beach’ is headlining the festival, and longtime creative partner Jack Antonoff‘s band Bleachers is also scheduled for a performance. Sabrina Carpenter is also listed on the bill, having wrapped up her time as the opening act for the ‘Eras Tour’.
The speculation that the ‘Bad Blood’ singer could join either of them as a surprise guest is heightened by a recent report by US Weekly – which recently quoted a source who said that both Swift and her boyfriend Travis Kelce “both want to see Lana Del Rey and Bleachers” and will be “renting a house in the area” during the time of the festival.
Finally, speaking to People in a recent interview, Kelce gave a very coy answer when asked if he would be attending Coachella this year. “I am a Coachella guy,” he said. “I love going to Coachella. I love live music in general. So you might see me pop up over there at some point.”
The rumours come just days after Swift celebrated the upcoming release of her new album by creating five exclusive playlists on Apple Music, choosing songs from her own catalogue that fit each stage – Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance.
Swift previously said that making the new record “was really a lifeline for [her]”, adding: “Just the things I was going through and the things I was writing about.”
A view of fans during Weekend 2, Day 3 of the 2023 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 23, 2023 in Indio, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Coachella)
Following the album’s release, the singer will resume her career-spanning ‘Eras Tour’ in Europe next month before heading to the UK and Ireland in June. Swift is due to play eight shows at Wembley Stadium in London this summer as part of the run, with support coming from Paramore.
As well as Lana Del Rey, other headliners for Coachella include Tyler, The Creator and Doja Cat.
Yesterday, Vampire Weekend were added to the bill, and other acts on the line-up include No Doubt (playing their first live show in nine years), Blur, Justice, Deftones, Grimes, Bleachers and Khruangbin.
Check out the full stage times for Coachella weekend one and information on how to stream the festival online here.
