The Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival kicked off the first of its two weekends on Friday in the desert in Indio, California.
Among the celebrities scattered in the huge crowd: Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, 33, who is better known as The Weeknd.
A veteran of the popular music festival performing in 2012, 2015, 2018 and again in 2022 replacing Kanye West, the Canadian singer-songwriter played the role of fan, along with girlfriend Simi Khadra, during a break from his After Hours Til Dawn Tour.
The pair seemed to be doing their best to keep a low profile while checking out musical performers such as headliner Bad Bunny and rock group the Gorillaz.
Festival outing: The Weeknd and girlfriend Simi Khadra kept a low profile while attending the opening day of the 2023 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival on Friday
The Weeknd moved closer to one of the six stages in an all-white ensemble, consisting of tailored pants, a jacket, a T-shirt and sneakers.
He looked cool like a rock star with stylish sunglasses, while his dark hair was cropped short.
His lady followed closely behind in tight white trousers and a matching top worn under a black leather jacket.
Khadra, a popular DJ, model and social media influencer, has been linked to the Blinding Lights star since early 2022, according to Capital Extra
Khadra was actually a friend of The Weeknd’s ex-girlfriend Bella Hadid, who he dated on and off from 2015 to 2019.
She is also the sister of Kendall Jenner’s BFF, male model Fai Khadra.
During his six-month hiatus from his ongoing tour, The Weeknd has been working on The Idol, the upcoming HBO drama series he co-created and will star alongside Lily-Rose Depp.
The show revolves around Jocelyn (Depp), an aspiring pop idol who, after a nervous breakdown that causes her latest tour to be canceled, decides to reclaim her title as America’s sexiest pop star and begins a complicated relationship with a self-help guru and the head of a modern-day cult (The Weeknd).
Tour break: The pop star is currently on hiatus from his After Hours Til Dawn Tour which will resume on June 5 with a European leg
Festival veteran: The Weeknd played Coachella Festival four times, most recently in 2022 replacing headliner Kanye West
Double Dose: The Khadra sisters also work as popular DJs, among other entrepreneurial pursuits
History: Simi Khadra was actually a friend of The Weeknd’s ex-girlfriend Bella Hadid, who he dated from 2015 to 2019 in an on-again, off-again relationship; they are on display in 2018
The Weeknd’s tour continues in Europe with a show at Passeio Maritimo de Algés in Lisbon, Portugal on June 6.
Mixing things up with shows in both stadiums and arenas, the second leg will take him to several cities in England, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Spain, France, Poland, the Czech Republic and Estonia, until the ends at Wembley Stadium in London on August 18.
This will be followed by a third leg in Latin America that will take the pop star to Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Peru from September to October 25.
The After Hours Til Dawn Tour is in support of The Weeknd’s fourth and fifth studio albums After Hours (2020) and Dawn FM (2022).
Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival weekend 1 (April 14-16) – FULL SCHEDULE
Kicking off: Bad Bunny is Friday’s headliner as he will headline talented acts including Gorillaz, Burna Boy, Becky G and Pusha T
FRIDAY
Coachella stage
Bad Bunny -11:25 PM
Gorillaz – 8:35 p.m
Burna Boy – 7:05 p.m
Becky G – 5:45 p.m
Pusha T – 4:30 PM
Duchii – 3:30 pm
Record Safari – 2:50 PM
Sahara
Subway Boomin – 10:35 PM
Two Friends – 9:20 PM
Jamie Jones – 8:05 p.m
Blink-182 – 6:45 p.m
Vintage Culture – 5:20pm
Malaa – 4:15 PM
Dombresky – 3:10 pm
Mary Jane – 1:45 p.m
Gobi
Ashnikko – 10:35 PM
Whyte Fang – 9:25pm
The Garden – 8:15 PM
Yves Tumor – 7:05 pm
Tobe Nwigwe – 5:45 p.m
Overmono – 4:25 p.m
Gabriels – 3:20 pm
¿Teo? – 2:20 PM
Jupiter & Okwess – 1:20 p.m
Desert Cahuilla Bird Singers – 12:45 p.m
Outdoor Theater
The Chemical Brothers – 9:50 p.m
Kaytranada – 7:30 PM
SG Lewis – 6:10pm
Yungblud – 4:55 pm
Saba – 3:45 PM
The comet is coming – 2:30 pm
Juicewon – 1:00 PM
Mojaves
FKJ – 10:35 PM
Angele – 9:10 PM
Blonde – 7:35 PM
Wet stage – 6:00 PM
Muna – 4:50 PM
Benee – 3:45 p.m
Domi & JD Beck – 2:40pm
Lewis OfMan – 1:40 p.m
Black Jade – 12:30 p.m
Sonora
Uncle Waffles – 9:30 pm
Sasha Alex Sloan – 7:40 p.m
TV girl – 5:55 pm
Magdalena Bay – 4:50 PM
DannyLux – 3:40 p.m
Soul Glo – 2:55 p.m
Lava La Rue – 2:00 PM
The Murder Capital – 1:10 PM
Jim Smith – 12:00 PM
Deserved: Blackpink headlines Day 2 as they lead the pack over Rosalia, Charli XCX, Boygenius and Eric Prydz
SATURDAY
Coachella stage
Blackpink – 9:00 PM
Rosalia – 7:00 PM
Charli XCX – 5:35 p.m
070 Shake – 4:20 PM
Marc Rebillet – 3 p.m
BRN LUXXRY – 2:20 PM
*Calvin Harris returns to the desert – 11:35 pm
Sonora
NIA ARCHIVES – 10:00 PM
Bakar – 9:00 PM
Roller coaster at sunset – 7:55 pm
The Fokkers – 6:40 PM
The Linda Lindas – 5:35 p.m
Ethel Cain – 4:30 p.m
Destroy Boys – 3:35pm
BRATTY – 2:40 PM
Frown – 1:45 PM
Rider – 1:00 PM
Buster Jarvis – 12:00 p.m
Mojaves
Labrinth – 10:35 PM
Underworld – 9:05 PM
Jai Paul – 7:40 PM
Remi Wolf – 6:25 p.m
Mura Masa – 5:20 PM
Yung Lean – 4:15 pm
Snail Mail – 3:10 PM
AG Club – 2:10 p.m
wave Groove – 12:50 p.m
Yuma
Keinemusik – 11 p.m
Hot since 82 – 9:30pm
WhoMadeWho – 8 p.m
Jan Blomqvist – 6:45 p.m
DJ Tennis + Carlita – 5:30 pm
Mathame – 4:15 pm
Colyn – 3 p.m
Chloe Caillet – 2:00 p.m
Francis Mercier – 1 p.m
Claw – 12:00 am
Outdoor Theater
Eric Prydz Presents HOLO – 10:20pm
boygenius – 8:20 pm
SOFI TUKKER – 6:35 PM
Hiatus Kaiyote – 5:20 PM
EARTHGANG – 4:10 PM
Rebellion – 3:00 PM
Yimbo – 1:40 PM
Gobi
Donavan’s Yard – 11:55 PM
Chromeo – 10:40 PM
Monolink – 9:30 pm
Eladio Carrion – 8:20 p.m
Yaeji – 7:00 PM
Shenseea – 5:55 PM
Dinner – 4:40 PM
UMI – 3:35 PM
Elyanna – 2:30 p.m
dxsko – 1:10 pm
Sahara
$uicideboy$ – 11:45 p.m
The Kid LAROI – 10:20 PM
Story of us – 8:05 pm
Diljit Dosanjh – 6:50 PM
Elderbrook – 5:30 p.m
Kenny Beats – 4:20 p.m
Flo Milli – 3:20 p.m
Venessa Michaels 1:50 p.m
Mainstay: Frank Ocean closes out third and final day over Bjork, Kali Uchis, GloRilla and Sudan Archives
SUNDAY
Coachella stage
Frank Ocean – 10:05 PM
Bjork – 7:25 PM
Kali Uchis – 6:00 PM
Porter Robinson – 4:45 p.m
GloRilla – 3:40 PM
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs – 2:30 p.m
Sonora
Sudan Archives – 9:10pm
Unhinged – 8:10 p.m
Mareux – 7:15 PM
Alex G – 6:00 PM
Mom – 5:05 PM
Sleaford Mods – 4pm
El Michels affair – 2:55 pm
Los Bitchos – 1:55 PM
Conexion Dicina – 1:00 PM
Argentina – 12:00 PM
Mojaves
The Fire – 8:55 PM
WILLOW – 7:45 PM
Christine and the Queens – 6:35pm
Weyes Blood – 5:15 p.m
Noname – 4:10 p.m
IDK – 3:05 PM
Paris Texas – 2:05 pm
DJ Lil Buddha – 12:45pm
Yuma
Gordo – 10:30 pm
Adam Beyer – 9 p.m
Camelphat – 7:30 p.m
Sasha & John Digweed – 6pm
Cassian – 4:30 pm
TSHA – 3:00 PM
LP Giobbi – 2:00 p.m
Airrica – 1:00 PM
Minus the light – 12:00
Open air theatre
Fisherman + Chris Lake – 8:40 p.m
Dominic Fike – 6:50 p.m
Rae Sremmurd – 5:40 p.m
Big Wild – 4:15 p.m
Stick Figure – 3:00 PM
Jack Glam – 1:40 PM
Gobi
DPR LIVE + DPR IAN – 9:20pm
DRAMA – 8:15 PM
Guns – 7:10 PM
2manydjs – 5:55 pm
Romy – 4:45 PM
Foushee – 3:40 PM
Joy Crookes – 2:45 p.m
Ali Sethi – 1:50 PM
Ginger 12:30 p.m
Sahara
Boris Brejcha – 11:20 PM
A Boogie – 9:05 PM
Jai Wolf – 7:45 p.m
Jackson Wang – 6:45 p.m
LOREN – 6 p.m
Lato – 5:00 PM
MK – 4:00 PM
Pi’erre Bourne – 2:50 p.m
Loboman – 1:25 PM
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