Nostalgia, Culture, Impact Who’s Next Up After Beychella?

Music lovers, it’s the time of year when people head out to the desert for a full weekend of partying, vibing, and listening to their favorite artists. Yep, it's Coachella season. A space where many get introduced to new genres of music and different sounds.

Now, I have a confession; this year’s lineup is not really catching my attention, and that’s fine. Because, admittedly, I’m still stuck in the 90s and early 2000s when it comes to music.

Via Netflix/Parkwood Entertainment

I have to be even more transparent when it comes to celebrating Coachella's 25th Birthday. I had no idea about Coachella until that historic moment in music history known as "Beychella."

"Beychella" happened in 2018, and it became a moment that shifted the culture. Beyoncé became the first Black woman to headline the festival, and she didn’t just perform she created an experience. The theme honored the culture of HBCUs, and celebrated Black excellence in all its glory from the marching bands to the majorettes and dance squads to the clothing and everything in between. If you never attended an HBCU, you watched feeling like you were a part of an cultural experience. If that wasn’t enough, Beyoncé gave us even more by turning that moment into a full experience on Netflix with her Homecoming special.

via Netflix

Many say "flattery is the best compliment," so you know it’s real when Madea even honored her in A Madea Homecoming; proof of how impactful Beyoncé’s performance really was.

via Netflix

Now, not to take away from the talent that has been selected to headline this year’s festival or even the years after "Beychella," but it does make you wonder…

1. Can we ever have another "Beychella" moment with another artist?

2. Or was that a once-in-a-generation experience that can’t be recreated; only remembered?

I may be optimistic, but I believe there are a few artists who can leave the same impact as Beyoncé. While the internet loves to joke and say that Beyoncé is the “celebrity to celebrities” (she is the "Queen" for a reason), but with the right strategy and attention to detail, cultural impact, and appreciation, another “Beychella” can be pulled off.

These are the artists I nominate to give us something more than just a drunken night in the desert, but an experience. The first is Kehlani. Kehlani has been on a musical high lately, and in my opinion, gives strong 90s R&B vibes. The culture loves nostalgia, so bring us a 90s inspired set that takes us through a journey... sliding down the walls, demanding respect, and ending being madly in love. You see the vision, right?

My next nomination might be a bit controversial, but I’m going with Chris Brown. He can sing, dance, and his catalog is timeless; it takes us right back to being 16 years old in high school. And like I said, the culture loves nostalgia, so Chris, take us back to the “Kiss Kiss” days and give us your own version of a millennial tour.

AI Generated

Maybe I’m a bit delusional and just want us to continue creating musical history that’s about us and for us as well as reminds the people in the back that we create trends; y’all just copy and repeat. We are music history.

Now, let me know, are you here for the delusion, or do I need to get real?