Sydney Wanguhu

Hopefully, weekend 2 will show up and show out.

The Coachella crowd has disappointed Africans all over the internet. 

Last weekend, South African-born singer Tyla outdid herself for her Coachella debut, but her performance was met with still bodies and dull energy. Whether it was the lack of knowledge of her charting songs or the weary heatwave throughout the desert, the Diaspora on TikTok didn’t hesitate to call out the underappreciative audience. 

“Are people in Coachella that boring? My African waist would be uncontrollable,” said @Zokiritu. 

Even her hometown fans put in more effort. “The crowd is disappointing. It was 3 am in [South Africa], and I was screaming 😭😭😭,” mentioned @kota4lota.

Opening with a crowd-pleaser, “Push 2 Start,” and “Water” as the finale, Tyla’s 45-minute set showed us what partying in Jo-berg with her feels like. Her dancers brought high energy, dancing Bacardi across the stage. In a surprise appearance, Becky G joined Tyla for the first-ever live performance of their collab track “On My Body.” And to top it all off, Tyla remixed her own song, blending “On & On” with Aaliyah’s classic “Rock the Boat.” 

 A unanimous decision for the festival to tour overseas was promoted in many comment sections by Africans to show why “African artists are the best🤣🤣,” @Africagoddess121.

With her undeniable “it girl” persona, I’m genuinely stunned her aura wasn’t captivating enough. And as an African myself, watching a lukewarm crowd respond to a musical catalog that embodies the infectious vibe of afro-pop fusion so vividly—how is that even possible?

From the early 2010s to now, Afrobeats has seen undeniable global success. But in the U.S., there’s still a noticeable disconnect—especially when it comes to sustaining long-term fan engagement. Sure, you’ll hear overplayed hits like Wizkid and Tems’ “Essence” during a Target run or catch Burna Boy in rotation on a Friday night out. But beyond the hits, many listeners aren’t diving deeper into artists’ full catalogs. That gap in connection shows at festivals, where thousands show up just to record the two songs they know—only to stand still for the rest of the set.

I’ve been to Coachella, and it’s true. The crowd engagement has noticeably declined in recent years as the festival becomes increasingly saturated with influencers over true music fans—and this year might have marked a new low. Despite thousands showing up for artists like Beabadoobee, Junior H and Three 6 Mafia, the audience energy was widely described as “lifeless.” 

If you’re attending weekend 2, I sincerely hope you become the life of the party in a dead crowd because I’m starting to think it’s a cannon event.

Sydney Wanguhu, (she/her) is from the Bay Area and is an L.A.-based journalist who covers entertainment and culture. Follow her on Instagram: @sydneyy._