The web has been buzzing with rumors that the Coachella lineup was coming any day now, but apparently the lineup has hit a major snag at the last minute. TMZ is reporting that negotiations just fell apart between Coachella and Kanye West, who was expected to be a headliner.
Reportedly, the negotiations fell apart because Kanye refused to perform on the standard 60×40 Mainstage that Coachella has been using for years because it was “artistically limiting”. Goldenvoice who puts on Coachella would not allow the stage to be altered for his performance. In the end, Kanye passed on the offer.
A source close to Kanye was reported to have said:
“These 40×60 stages are so archaic. It’s the same type of stage on which Shakespeare’s works were performed hundreds of years ago.”
The source said that Kanye only wants to give groundbreaking performances such as his Saint Pablo stage that moved over the crowd. As fans of EDM we have to agree, and we are lucky enough to be treated to plenty of insane festival stages. Look the Coachella mainstage and then compare it to the Ultra Music Festival stage setup for Swedish House Mafia and you might be thinking that Kanye is right. Now Coachella is scrambling for their 2nd headliner replacement since Justin Timberlake also scrapped 2019 tour plans. So far Childish Gambino is the only confirmed headliner.
