Coachella Artists of the Day: Jan. 26, 2026

Alex G

Origin: Havertown, Pennsylvania, USA

Genre / Subgenres: Rock / Indie rock, Lo-fi, Indie folk

Alex G gained immense credibility after contributing multiple arrangements and the sound of his guitar to Frank Ocean's Blonde in 2016. To get to that point, he pushed his music on Bandcamp through self-recorded, independent releases. He then built a cult audience thanks to his raw, lo-fi aesthetic. Alex G went viral in the 2020s and caught a new wave of young listeners who were looking for music to kick back to. Personally, it's a touch too pedestrian for me, but I see the appeal he has to the masses.

Performing: Saturday

Stage Prediction: Mojave

For Fans of: Duster, Mac DeMarco, German Error Message

Key Tracks: Gretel / Bobby / Sarah

Live Set: Live at The Anthem 2025 (Washington, D.C., USA)

Rating: ★★½

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The xx

Origin: Wandsworth, London, England

Genre / Subgenres: Rock / Indie rock, Indie pop, Indie electronic

With only three albums to their name in the band's 20-year existence (and a fourth finally on the way after nine years), The xx have left a major impression on the pop culture landscape. "Intro" is a cultural phenomenon that has been used in films, TV, ads, freestyle raps, and was sampled on Rihanna's "Drunk On Love," just to name a handful of examples. And that's just the first song on their first album, which is an instrumental intro!

Over time, their minimalist sound, with lots of negative space, has been imitated in all genres of music: indie, pop, R&B, and electronic. You name it, their influence can be heard, but no one has come close to fully replicating what this trio has done. Even though I've seen Jamie xx and Romy do their own fun DJ sets multiple times in the last decade or so, nothing comes close to the lasting impression their Coachella set had on me nine years ago.

Performing: Friday

Stage Prediction: Coachella Stage

For Fans of: London Grammar, Beach House, Daughter

Key Tracks: Intro / Crystalized / Angels

Live Set: Lollapalooza Brasil 2017 (São Paulo, Brazil)

Rating: ★★★★★

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Ratings are on a 5-star scale