‘He’s Fully in the Driver’s Seat’

Justin Bieber scored a seven-figure deal to headline Coachella — all without an agent, Rolling Stone has learned. The musician, who was announced as a headliner Monday night, worked “directly” with festival promoter Goldenvoice to negotiate the terms of his slot.

“It’s a groundbreaking move for a headliner, and it’s something he built entirely on his own,” a source close to Bieber tells Rolling Stone. “Between headlining Coachella and the success of Swag, it’s clear this is the start of an exciting new era for Justin — one where he’s fully in the driver’s seat.”

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An insider pegs Bieber’s fee at north of $10 million for the two weekends, a figure that’s in line with previous payouts for a topline Coachella performer — though Bieber won’t have to siphon off an agency fee. (Goldenvoice parent company AEG has been Bieber’s touring partner for the entirety of his career. A rep for Goldenvoice did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone‘s request for comment on the fee.)

Bieber’s Coachella set will mark his first performance in the United States since 2022’s Justice World Tour. “Bieber is an unshakeable artist who has stood up against the grain and fought for his independence,” the source adds. “His 2026 Coachella performance won’t just be a headlining set, but a once-in-a-generation spectacle from a once-in-a-generation pop icon.”

Bieber’s return to the stage comes after the release of his Swag I and II albums, which featured hits “Daisies” and “Yukon.” The Swag project landed at Number 4 on this week’s Billboard 200, following Bieber’s release of Swag II. According to Luminate, the two Swag albums were tallied as one combined project, though the label has not clarified whether it is being counted as a deluxe edition, à la SZA’s Lana which tacked on new tracks with her previous effort, 2022’s SOS — though there were two years in between. (In social media posts, Bieber himself has referred to Swag II as a separate album, adding to the confusion.)

“It was the label’s idea to combine the albums,” an industry insider reveals. “Justin and his team wanted a second album right away and were gunning for a Number One. It was a brilliant move in that it protected Justin,” in case of a chart drop, says the second source.

But a rep for the label (Bieber is signed to Def Jam, a unit of Republic Corps) says all credit is due to the singer.

“Justin Bieber and his team are the driving forces behind both albums and their rollouts,” the rep tells Rolling Stone.

Rolling Stone previously reported that Bieber had “100% creative freedom” on Swag. “He was able to be his true, authentic self and didn’t have any additional voices trying to steer him in a certain direction,” a source told Rolling Stone. “This is the purest version of Justin we’ve ever seen musically.”

While Bieber has joined previous Coachella performers for guest appearances, 2026 will mark his first solo slot. He joined Tems and WizKid for a rendition of “Essence” in 2024, and performed “Peaches” with Daniel Caesar in 2022. The pop icon also performed “Sorry” with Ariana Grande when she headlined the music festival in 2019.

Coachella is scheduled to take place in Indio, Calif. on April 10-12 and April 17-19. Additional headliners include Sabrina Carpenter, Karol G, and Anyma.

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