The Best Dressed Stars At Coachella 2019
Coachella is the mother of all music festivals. The six-day event takes place in Southern California over the course of two weekends in April, and boasts a line-up full of the biggest names in the music business. Additionally, it attracts all kinds of people from all over the world, including super famous celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Winnie Harlow, and Gigi Hadid, to name just a few. It's an affair that you really don't want to miss, even if you're just watching others take part from the comforts of your home.
Given that practically anyone who's anyone attends Coachella, it's the perfect time for celebs to bring their fashion A-game, as the whole world is tuned in and watching. This year's festival proved to be an especially star-studded affair, too, with enough style prowess to host a red carpet walk of its own. So of all of the gorgeous people sporting equally gorgeous outfits, who stunned and slayed the most? Read on to see the best dressed stars at Coachella 2019, which was truly one for the history books.
Rico Nasty
Maria Kelly, better known to the world as Rico Nasty, burst onto the American rap scene in 2016 with her breakout hits "Hey Arnold" and "iCarly." The rapper is known not just for her signature sugar trap rap style, but also for her ever-evolving hairstyles and wardrobe choices — something that she was able to curate more freely once she could afford to. "This is always how I wanted to dress, and now I just have money," she revealed in an interview with Fader. "You buy everything on that wish list, you're gonna look kind of weird sometimes." If what's she's doing is weird, then weird is the new cool, fam.
Of course, Kelly didn't disappoint when it was time for her to take the stage at Coachella. The rapper walked out in a dress designed by Matthew Reisman, with oodles of neon green and black tulle and a bustier top. She thanked both the designer and her team in an Instagram post for helping her bring the dream to life.
Underneath, Kelly sported black and red bondage gear, complete with thigh high black leather boots. Talk about making a splash!
Lauren Mayberry
Lauren Mayberry is the fearless frontwoman of CHVRCHES, the indie synth-pop band that hails from Scotland. Known for her willingness to speak out about how women are treated in the music industry, Mayberry shares her wisdom on the reg, whether it concerns rampant misogyny or how it feels to have arrived as a performer. "It's amazing to play massive festivals like Coachella and Glastonbury," she confessed in an interview with INSP. "But the other side is just seeing how much people have brought that music into their own lives." Clearly Mayberry hasn't forgotten her roots, or where she came from.
The singer-songwriter stepped out in true style at Coachella 2019, sporting an outfit by Yanina Couture, according to a post on her Instagram page. With fluttering white ruffles cinched by bold black ribbons, Mayberry floated across the stage, looking every bit as angelic as she does her typical goth self. She also sported black fishnets and chunky black boots, as well as bold pink sparkling eye makeup. Teach 'em how to slay, girl!
Janelle Monae
The woman, the myth, the legend. Janelle Monáe has finally come into her own — and on her own terms. For over ten years, Monáe adopted the persona of an androgynous alien, weaving Afro-futuristic stories in her songs and videos. But with the release of her Grammy-nominated album Dirty Computer, the musician has come out to the world as both human and queer in her fearless pursuit of the self. "I want young girls, young boys, nonbinary, gay, straight, queer people who are having a hard time dealing with their sexuality, dealing with feeling ostracized or bullied for just being their unique selves, to know that I see you," she proclaimed in an interview with Rolling Stone. "This album is for you. Be proud." Amen, Janelle!
For her Coachella performance, Monáe had several costumes — perhaps the best being her black latex bodysuit with a white harness from Dead Lotus Couture, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She wore that underneath a black latex cropped jacket with red sleeves and accessorized with a custom hat designed by Ruslan Baginskiy, Chanel boots, custom glasses by Nicholas Kirkwood, and stockings. Talk about fierce!
Kasey Musgraves
Kacey Musgraves cleaned up at the 2018 Grammy Awards for her fourth studio album, Golden Hour. The singer-songwriter took home four trophies that night, including awards for album of the year and best country album. Congrats, girl!
In April 2019, Musgraves made her Coachella debut in a gorgeous outfit with her long black hair hanging down and a muted, matte makeup look. She sang, played guitar, and danced while rocking an orange fringed dress from Balmain belted at the waist with a gold studded belt and accompanied by a golden pair of Stella Luna heels, as reported by Entertainment Tonight. She shimmered and sparkled next to the giant disco ball she had on stage throughout her performance.
Musgraves' getup was completely in line with her style philosophy, which emphasizes both whimsy and traditional country fashion. "Basically, when I'm performing, I just love for the look and the world that we're in to be this kitschy, very Western, almost tongue-in-cheek, very colorful style," she shared in an interview with Cosmopolitan, adding, "I think it's fun to go for 100-percent country-wear." We are definitely here for her bright looks!
Katy Perry
Katy Perry has been perched comfortably at the top of the pop charts for over a decade with hit song after hit song. The singer-songwriter and American Idol judge has done it all, including headline the halftime show at the Super Bowl, garner multiple Grammy nominations, and become the single most-followed person on Twitter. That's quite the list of accomplishments!
Perry brought her upbeat pop music to the Coachella main stage during Zedd's performance and was dressed, as usual, to the nines. She wore a red jumpsuit that was custom-made by Area with a rhinestone overlay and large, patterned hoop earrings, as noted by MEAWW. As for her makeup, she went with a red lip, accompanied by bold, black wingtip eyeliner and dark pink eye shadow.
Perry's style ethos has evolved over the years, something she's acutely aware of. "I've had such an interesting relationship with fashion," she explained in an interview with WWD. She continued, "I feel super lucky; I can get anything I want now, but a lot of times you will see me mix. It's gonna be a high-end or a vintage, you just can never tell." She definitively was rocking the high-end at Coachella 2019!
Lizzo
Melissa Jefferson — or, as the world knows her, Lizzo — is both a musical powerhouse and a fierce advocate for body positivity. The hip hop star has been heralded as a groundbreaking artist in the music industry for her work, which celebrates herself and tells her story through music. "And if that's body positive to you, amen. That's feminist to you, amen. If that's pro-black to you, amen," she proclaimed in an interview with Allure. "Because ma'am, I'm all of those things." Yes you are, Lizzo, and we're 100 percent here for it.
Lizzo absolutely stunned during her set at Coachella on Sunday, April 14, outfitted in a shiny silver and black leotard with long, floor-sweeping sleeves and matching boots. Her hair fell down past her waist, giving her flowing movement throughout her performance. "We made that stage our b***h and guess what — next weekend will be even better," she wrote in an Instagram post. Amen to that!
Audiences also got to see Lizzo when she joined Janelle Monáe for some epic twerking the previous Friday. What a night that must have been!
Ella Mai
English singer-songwriter Ella Mai is the poster child of the Instagram generation, given that she was discovered by DJ Mustard on the platform, according to Rolling Stone magazine. But interestingly enough, she doesn't have a super strong social media presence, and she doesn't post very often. Quality over quantity, y'all!
Mai looked like an angel during her Coachella performance. She wore her trademark long curly hair down and free, with a minimal makeup look that showed off her super healthy skin. As for her outfit, Mai was all flowing white, with a long sweeping jacket and pants paired with a form-fitting shirt of sheer fabric and a wrap-style top.
Mai had a super positive experience at her Coachella debut. "Even there were two people in the audience, I still would've done my best," she shared in an interview with Vibe magazine. "But just to see the crowd be so engaged, even if they didn't know the music, was a really good feeling. I had so much fun." Talk about a new queen on the scene!
H.E.R.
The enigmatic H.E.R. is singular. For one, she's never without her trademark sunglasses, so you'd be hard-pressed to look into her eyes. But despite her shy guy approach to celebrity, the Grammy-winning R&B artist bares it all in her music, which explains why she chose the moniker of H.E.R. — which stands for "having everything revealed." In an interview with Elle magazine, she shared, "It's all things I think about: All of these thoughts I pull from the deepest, darkest places." She continued, "I guess that's why people love it so much — because they're the things that we're afraid to say." It doesn't get any more personal than that!
Along with her sunglasses, H.E.R. donned a flowing patterned robe during her set on April 14, with lots of emerald green and multi-colored accents, complimented by her green jeweled guitar strap. She also wore simple, large hoop earrings, and let her full, wavy locks blow in the breeze. "I can't believe I headlined a stage at Coachella. Wow. Thank you god," she gushed in an Instagram post. "It was windy as hell...but so much fun. Next weekend's gonna be even better."
Billie Eilish
If you don't know who Billie Eilish is, you might be surprised to see her make a best-dressed list based on what she wore during her Coachella set. But the pop star has become known for her tomboyish look, showing that streetwear isn't just for guys. "If I was a guy and I was wearing these baggy clothes, nobody would bat an eye," she explained in an interview with NME. "There's people out there saying, 'Dress like a girl for once! Wear tight clothes you'd be much prettier and your career would be so much better!' No it wouldn't. It literally would not." You're a legit style hero, Billie!
On Saturday, April 13, 2019, Eilish made her Coachella debut in all white in an oversize hoodie with the word "Siberia" across the front, accompanied by baggy, bedazzled cargo shorts and Nike Air Force 1 sneakers, according to Footwear News. Then on Sunday, she joined Khalid on stage while decked out in a matching jacket and pants set from Louis Vuitton, which she wore over a white T-shirt with anime characters on it.
Eilish was also seen zipping around the festival earlier that day in fur pants and a Louis Vuitton vest over a neon shirt. Love it!
Cardi B
Anywhere where Cardi B goes, she goes in style, as is evidenced by her ever-changing, absolutely slaying litany of looks. And, of course, she did not disappoint at Coachella 2019, where she appeared twice: once as a guest on DJ Snake's performance on Friday, April 12, then again on that Sunday night with her husband, Offset, at the end of the super elite Revolve Festival. Maybe she'll be one of the headliners for the festival next year? We hope so!
Cardi B's ensemble comes to us courtesy of Louis Vuitton and Chanel, according to Footwear News. She wore a beige and blue shirt dress from Louis Vuitton paired with pink sneakers from Chanel, leaving her toned legs exposed. Her hair was long and straight, flowing from sky blue to lilac purple, to hot pink at the ends. She had her nails done (of course) in bright yellow, and she sported Bronx-style gold hoop earrings, rounding out the red-hot outfit.
The rapper took to Instagram to thank the luxury brands for the getup. "LV [bow emoji] CC," she wrote in the caption.
Sabrina Claudio
Technology, as everyone knows, has dramatically changed the way that we consume music. It's been a long time since anyone had use for a cassette player, and streaming services are the norm for anyone with a smartphone. That's a good thing for Sabrina Claudio, who got her start independently releasing songs on Soundcloud. She eventually got signed by Atlantic Records because of her widespread fan base. Way to rise to the top, girl.
Additionally, Claudio had what it took to land a spot on the Coachella stage in 2019, marking her first time both attending and playing the festival. But was she ready to slay? "Well I definitely have my performance looks set out, and I feel like I'll have a few options for festival going," she shared in an interview with Paper magazine. "But I don't know what to expect. I'm just going to go as I normally dress for festivals and see what happens."
The singer-songwriter graced the stage during the festival's second weekend in an all-black sheer cutout dress, which she donned over a black bra and underwear. She also sported a bold burgundy lip, evoking super goth vibes. Love it!
Tierra Whack
Some musicians are as visual as they are aural, like Gorillaz and Janelle Monáe, using strong visual elements that accompany their songs. The same holds true for Tierra Whack — yes, that's her real name — who infuses her music with bright colors, eclectic costumes, and striking background decor. Check out her video for Whack World if you need an introduction — it's a wild ride.
It was not surprising at all then when Whack made her entrance at Coachella 2019 both weekends in dresses that inflated midway through her set. The first weekend she was all neon yellow, and the second weekend she was head to toe in highlighter pink, with pink eye makeup and a sculpted W braid on her head. "[Whack's stylist] wanted an element where the piece would inflate and create sculptural silhouettes throughout [her] performance," designer Sharon Rahim explained in an interview with Paper magazine. "We brainstormed and discussed what would look the best in terms of fabric and color — how we could achieve this in a practical way and tested out some methods, and just went for it." The result was an outfit like no other at the event, which is 100 percent Whack.
Mon Laferte
Latin music has been steadily creeping into American pop culture more and more, as evidenced by songs like "Despacito," which blew the lid off of the pop music scene in 2017. Even Justin Bieber recorded a version of the song, showing just how far-reaching it was.
Chilean-born musician Mon Laferte is also gaining major traction in the American scene, as evidenced by her presence at Coachella 2019. She performed her signature songs at the festival, showing off her guitar skills, and she looked good doing it. The first weekend she sported a one-shouldered red dress, and the second weekend she wore a black dress that showed off her ink and was adorned with white feathers at its bottom — something she wouldn't wear off-stage. "I like putting on my costumes, my long gowns and eyelashes which I don't use in daily life," she confessed in an interview with Rolling Stone. "What I do is connect with the moment I wrote the song, and that's something that's very real." We can't wait to see what she does next!
Calypso Rose
History was made at Coachella 2019 when Calypso Rose brought her Trinidadian flair to the stage, making her the first calypso artist and the oldest performer ever to play the festival, according to Billboard. The near-octogenarian is known for breaking barriers in the calypso world, as she was performing among mostly all men for decades. And despite the hostile opposition she faced, she is now one of the most famous calypso artists in the world — and she still kills it on stage when she performs. "I am happy to know that I have opened the doors for a lot of female calypsonians," she revealed in an interview with Coachella Curated. What an amazing person!
Style was not in short supply for her either, as she performed the first weekend in a bright, yellow-patterned, two-piece pantsuit over a white shirt. The second weekend she wore a beaded red dress under an ornately embroidered and beaded beige jacket with a pink lining. She busted some moves in that get-up, too. Go get 'em, queen!