HISTORY: LE SSERAFIM’s Performance At Coachella
Coachella is an annual music and arts festival that is held annually in Indio, California. It is considered one of the most famous and big-time events among the music festivals in the world, knowing that their lineup of musical activities was always big-time artists such as established ones and rising ones, giving the audience multiple genres such as rock, indie, hip-hop, electronic, and more. Other than music, it showcases art installations, sculptures, and other visual arts, creating a fun experience for attendees.
Way back before, K-pop groups and idols were not usually invited over to Coachella but since BLACKPINK was invited to perform at Coachella in 2019, K-pop’s journey in this music festival continues to evolve. Good news! This year, LE SSERAFIM was invited to perform at Coachella and already made their performance. Knowing they had just recently debuted, they are considered the fastest-invited K-pop group to the Coachella stage. This marks a significant milestone in their journey as a K-pop idol group.
The rapid popularity of their songs proves how influential K-pop music is internationally. With only two years since LE SSERAFIM’s debut, it speaks a lot about what people are expecting from them; their talent and dedication.
Mixed Reactions to LE SSERAFIM’s Coachella Performance
The members of LE SSERAFIM filled the stage with confidence and charisma, they showed their musical power and artistic performance. They show what they’ve got in those 2 years since debut. The performance was electrifying, with a high energy that captivated the audience. The crowd resonated with them when they performed “Antifragile” and “The Great Mermaid” on the stage. And the appearance of special guests added a thrill and excitement to the show.
On the other hand, despite the positive energy performance and giving their best, there always comes the criticism. Some audiences and netizens commented and expressed their disappointment about the group’s live vocals and technical issues because it wasn’t as good as what you will hear in their music videos. There has become a question of the balance between their aesthetic performance and musical authenticity.
While some netizens continues to hate and criticize the group, loyal fans continues to debate over and fight for their idols. At this time, it is good to see that there are still who believes in the group despite being discriminated and pushed to quit in the music and entertainment industry.
The Media and Audience Comments
After the performance of LE SSERAFIM at Coachella, media outlets and as well as audiences shared their reactions to the performance. Publications like Billboard and NME have praised them for their stage presence, aesthetic performance, and entertainment value, however, others are more critical about their live vocals and other aspects of the show. Some billboards highlight how LE SSERAFIM stood out on that day, commending them for keeping the crowd energized and engaging with their music. NME also described the performance as “vigorous and fun,” considering how LE SSERAFIM has dominated the stage as their own.
In contrast, netizens’ responses on social media and online forums have more divided sentiments. Some praised them for overall performance and production quality, but others are concerned about their live vocals and technical issues arose during the show because it did not meet their expectations. Expectations can truly affect the subjective experiences and comments of the audience, it influence the perceptions of whether the performance was a failure or success.
Thus, it is hard to say yet as there is a wide range of comments among the people. Not all people hate the group, the group has still fans who continue to support and push them to go forward.
LE SSERAFIM Facing Criticism and Reflecting on Growth
LE SSERAFIM’s member, Sakura, used Weverse to address the controversy about their live vocals and to reflect on their performance as a group. In her constructed message, Sakura acknowledged the challenges and pressure of performing at such a grand event, saying that the group is willing to grow and they are determined to overcome these obstacles.
She is thankful for the chance to showcase their talent and music using the grand stage and Coachella. Even though they are facing criticism right now and being discriminated against, they are willing to face the people and commit to their career growth as an artist. Sakura’s heartfelt message reached the fans, who fought for them and are supporting their journey in the K-pop industry. As LE SSERAFIM is committed to evolving and improving their performances, music, and live vocals, they are also setting healthy boundaries from the haters and continue to prove that their critics are wrong.
This leaves the fans excited and some are looking forward to how they will improve their performances for the next activities and projects they will be having. So, for the next topics, we will be talking about the future collaborations and performances of the group.
STAY TUNED: Future Performances and Collaborations
In the table below are the future collaborations and performances of LE SSERAFIM.
LE SSERAFIM’s Future Performances and Collaborations
| April 20th | Next Performance at Coachella |
| Multi-year | “Friends with NBA” collaboration with the NBA |
Despite being criticized since their Coachella debut, LE SSERAFIM continues to pursue their journey’s growth of musical excellence and global recognition. With the group’s other performance at Coachella scheduled on April 20th, the group sees it as an opportunity to address some criticisms, showcase their growth, and further prove that they deserve the international attention they are getting. At this time, it is a crucial day for them on April 19th whether to prove the haters right or wrong.
Other than Coachella, LE SSERAFIM also announced their multi-year collaboration with the NBA. This proves that their presence is beyond the music industry, they are also expanding their presence. The partnership with NBA is entitled “Friends of NBA’” in which the goal is to celebrate the intersection of sports and music, further promoting LE SSERAFIM’s status as a cultural and global ambassador.
As they continue to expand their presence and push their limits, LE SSERAFIM is unbothered and confident to leave a lasting impression on the grand stage, which makes the fans more excited, and other artists are inspired by how they have dealt with this issues.
Daniel Lee’s career in journalism began with a focus on Korean culture and lifestyle. With a background in arts and humanities, Daniel explores the intersection of tradition and modernity in Korean fashion, cuisine, travel, and beauty.