Coachella Artists of the Day: Feb. 9, 2026

Blood Orange

Origin: London, England, UK 🇬🇧 / New York, New York, USA 🇺🇸

Genre / Subgenres: R&B / Alternative R&B, Progressive R&B, Indie pop

I've been listening to Blood Orange (the musical project of Dev Hynes) for the better part of a decade, and it was his sophomore (Freetown Sound) and junior (Negro Swan) albums that grabbed my attention, which showed me how versatile an artist he can be. Last year's Essex Honey was also very good. He can be pulled in every direction, if needed, and has played, produced, and/or written for everyone. And I mean everyone. From Tinashe to Turnstile, Blondie to Britney, Mac Miller to Mariah Carey, and everyone else in between. He's also dabbled in film scoring.

It's tough to pin down an exact genre for Blood Orange, but that's what makes his music so beautiful and why he's so sought after as a collaborator. Is it R&B? Is it indie? Is it funk? Is it soul? Yes. His lush production and falsetto vocals are the perfect background when delivering vulnerable lyrics about identity, queerness, Blackness, and memory.

Performing: Friday

Stage Prediction: Mojave

For Fans of: Solange, Sky Ferreira, Tei Shi

Key Tracks: Champagne Coast / Sutphin Boulevard / Charcoal Baby

Live Set: Camp Flog Gnaw 2025 (Los Angeles, California, USA)

Rating: ★★★★

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Ben Sterling

Origin: London, England, UK 🇬🇧

Genre / Subgenres: Electronic / Acid house, Tech house

Ben Sterling has been making music for 10 years, but has Jamie Jones to thank for his rise in popularity. Sterling's "Ciao" caught his attention during his early London Ministry of Sound days, and soon after that, Jones was playing seven of his unreleased tracks in a single EDC Las Vegas set. Talk about a major cosign. It was only up from there for the young DJ, who began booking other major international festivals and world-renowned nightclubs. His sound has big-room energy that will be perfect for the Yuma tent and will have festival-goers lost in a trance of sleek rhythms and thumping beats.

Performing: Saturday

Stage Confirmation: Yuma*

For Fans of: Marco Carola, Dennis Cruz, Hot Since 82

Key Tracks: The Energy / Don't Truss (ft. Caitlyn Scarlett) / Eeez

Live Set: Day Trip Festival 2024 (Long Beach, California, USA)

Rating: ★★★½

*Yuma lineup now available via Coachella's social media accounts

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Ratings are on a 5-star scale