Coachella 2023 Day 1: Post Malone Ruined Bad Bunny's Performance?

When an unannounced guest with an acoustic guitar entered from stage left, things began to hiccup. Did Post Malone ruin Bad Bunny's Coachella gig?

The wild spectacle advertised for Bad Bunny's headline set on Friday night at Coachella in 2023 was living up to its billing. The Puerto Rican superstar's overpowering charisma and heartfelt dedication to the music that made him were enough to make him the first Latino solo artist to headline the event.

During the Friday night performance, the artist wore a multicolored plaid coat and elaborate stage designs, the first of which resembled a gas station in the desert, with the artist standing on a suspended stage and addressing the massive audience from his altar. The set began with his arresting 2022 single "Tit Me Preguntó" and continued with global favorites such as "I Like It" (sans Cardi B and J Balvin) and "Si Veo a Tu Mamá," a modern rendition of the immortal song "The Girl From Ipanema."

Bad Bunny confidently explained to tens of thousands that "Nunca antes hubo uno como yo" translates to "Never before has there been someone like me"; he asked the audience which language they'd prefer early on, and the result was obvious. Bad Buddy used his spotlight on the Coachella main stage to pay homage to the music history that inspired him through the use of brief documentary interludes that appeared on screen during the show's transitions.

Beginning by praising the origin of drums and rhythm from Congo and Nigeria to the history of salsa and reggaeton (along with a reference to the illustrious Tito Puente), his set paid homage to the numerous artists and musical styles that influenced his opening headlining performance at the festival. Late in the performance, he decided to share the stage with a previous Coachella headlining act. Off to the side of the stage, a mysterious figure appeared as Bad Bunny navigated through the throng.

After Bad Bunny took the stage again, the cameras revealed the surprise performer to be Post Malone. Post Malone strung a guitar as the two musicians slowed down for a mournful duet, sending shock waves of enthusiasm (and ambivalence) to the rear of the polo field. Post Malone's performance of "La Canción" by Bad Bunny sounded choppy and jerky within the first minute.

Initially, it appeared that the tattooed face artist was intentionally altering the song's rhythm, but within a few seconds it became apparent that the microphone amplifying his instrument was malfunctioning.

Uncomfortably, the two musicians scurried to resolve the audio issues. Bad Bunny even attempted to hold a separate microphone to the guitar while singing with a second microphone, but his plan B failed swiftly. The audience participated in an a cappella rendition of "Yonaguni," but the performance was rapidly losing steam.

Post Malone, who has a reputation for attracting suspicious looks from residents of Indio (the city that hosts the event), quickly departed the stage, allowing Bad Bunny to continue performing without further interruption. As Bad Bunny finally finished his set at Coachella 2023 on the first night, fireworks exploded overhead despite the earlier mishap.