Justin Bieber is celebrating a double milestone — not only has he been announced as the headliner for the 2026 Coachella Festival, but he’s also made history as the highest-paid act to ever grace the event. Following the lineup announcement on Monday, Rolling Stones reported that Justin's place was part of a deal north of $10 million. The two-weekend deal not only crowns him the highest-paid performer in Coachella’s history – surpassing past headliners like Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Kanye West, and The Weeknd – but also cements his status as one of the most in-demand artists of his generation.
Bad Bunny, who headlined Coachella in 2023, was reportedly paid $5 million, according to the Trapital podcast. In comparison, The Weeknd is said to have requested $8.5 million, while Ariana Grande reportedly earned around $8 million for her set. Billboard previously noted that Beyoncé made somewhere between $8–$12 million for her iconic 2018 performance. A year earlier, The New Yorker reported that Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, and Radiohead each took home between $3–4 million for their 2017 appearances.
Justin's return to the stage comes after he was forced to cancel his 2022 Justice tour due to his battle with Ramsay Hunt syndrome. The singer recently dropped two albums, SWAG and SWAG II. The follow-up work was announced less than two months after the first instalment.
The project was teased less than 24 hours before its release, with eye-catching billboards popping up in London and West Hollywood to build anticipation. The baby pink billboards, adorned with white and pink lettering, simply read: "SWAG II," sparking a frenzy of speculation among fans. A similar last-minute campaign was orchestrated for the singer’s seventh studio album, SWAG, back in July, with surprise billboards and minimal promotion creating a buzz just ahead of its release.
The 23-track album features an eclectic lineup of guest appearances, including R&B sensation Tems, rapper Lil B, British artist Bakar, rapper Hurricane Chris, and Australian singer Eddie Benjamin, adding a diverse range of sounds and styles to the project.
Justin's eye-watering paycheck comes after his wife, Hailey Bieber, announced that her brand Rhode had been acquired by e.l.f. Beauty for a $1 billion dollar deal that came only three years after she debuted her company.
"Our partnership with e.l.f. Beauty marks an incredible opportunity to elevate and accelerate our ability to reach more of our community with even more innovative products and widen our distribution globally," she said in the announcement.
The couple, who tied the knot back in 2018, welcomed their first child, Jack Blues Bieber, in August 2024.