Karol G becomes the first Latina woman to headline Coachella

Karol G was just announced as one of the headliners for Coachella 2026, making her the first Latina woman to headline the popular music festival since its inauguration in 1999. 

Rumors of Carolina Giraldo Navarro, most commonly known as Karol G, headlining next year's festival were confirmed on Monday night when the festival released its official flyer on social media with the caption “hard launch.” 

The Colombian reggaeton star and Latin Grammy winner will close the festival, headlining Sunday, April 12, and April 19. 

“See you all at the dessert,” the singer wrote in Spanish in an Instagram post where she announced the news. 

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which features hundreds of performers spread across two consecutive three-day weekends, has been called out for its lack of representation of artists of color, including Latinos. 

In the 26 years since the first Coachella, the only previous Latino headliners include Zack de la Rocha from Rage Against the Machine (1999), Bad Bunny (2023) and now Karol G. 

While not headliners, other Latino stars have also performed on the stages of the highly anticipated festival, including J Balvin, Rosalía, Grupo Firme, Becky G, Kevin Kaarl, Banda MS, and Eddie Zuko, among others. 

Each April, tens of thousands of people flock to the heart of the Coachella Valley to camp, dance and enjoy live music, while simultaneously posing at one of the most celebrity-studded, commercialized music festivals. 

In an average year, Coachella grosses over $115 million in ticket sales; this does not include additional revenue from food, beverage, or merch. In 2017, the festival reported that it made $114 million in profits with just ticket sales alone. 

In 2024, Karol G became the winner of Best Música Urbana Album and at the 2023 Latin Grammys, she won Album of the Year for “Mañana Será Bonito.” 

Back in 2022, the singer and songwriter talked about Coachella and the significance of Latinos being represented on such a big stage like that of the festival. 

“Many artists start off on other Coachella stages and scale up through the years. My first participation at Coachella, though it wasn't as a headliner, was on the main stage, and two artists ahead of the headlining act,” she said. “That was a big commitment for me. ... It was a moment for me to show who we Latinos are, to introduce a culture that many people may still not know very well.”

Tickets for the festival will go on sale this Friday.