Ariana Grande Paid 2x More Than Beyoncé For Coachella Performance: Report

BYErika Marie25.0K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Beyoncé is the first black woman and Ariana is the youngest person to ever headline the festival.

Just as fans dubbed Coachella "Beychella" last year following Beyoncé's HBCU-themed performance at the desert festival, Ariana Grande fans titled this year's concert "Arichella" after she brought out special guests Nicki Minaj and N'Sync (sans Justin Timberlake) during her performance. Both women now hold a special place in Coachella history as Beyoncé is the first black woman to headline the festival and Ariana is the youngest, but when news surfaced that the latter made twice as much as the former, the Beyhive came out to attack.

According to Business InsiderBey was paid approximately $4 million for her 2018, two-hour "Homecoming" show that sparked a Netflix documentary and a live album of the same name where she performed dozens of her hit songs. However, this year, Variety says that Ariana was paid $8 million for her show where she sang her chart-topping tracks from all five of her albums while closely following the same setlist for her "Sweetener World Tour."

Vivien Killilea/Getty Images

"Because Beyoncé came in last year and did her thing and kind of set the bar, basically Coachella becomes a competition, which is ridiculous," Ariana's production designer LeRoy Bennett told The Hollywood Reporter. "And artists who are strong should just come in and do their own thing and just be who they are. And that's pretty much what Ariana has done. There's not like there's a bunch of gags. She's being Ariana and singing and doing her thing."

Beyoncé's fans have taken to social media to share their surprise—and displeasure—with the payout difference, especially with the news that there were hiccups during Ariana's performance. "Y’all can’t compare #ARICHELLA with #Beychella. Pitting Beyoncé performing with a 20+ year catalogue with Ariana’s 5-ish years of mainstream relevance isn’t really fair to either party," one person wrote. Another person said, "Ariana Grande is NOT a performer. She can sing; but she cannot entertain. Also, that entire set was a disaster. #BeyChella is the best thing to happen to Coachella & it will NEVER happen again, unless Beyoncé performs, again. Goodbye & goodnight." 

Even the L.A. Times wrote, "With routines from her current arena tour jammed together with special-for-Coachella numbers, this thing told no coherent story — a must for any pop extravaganza that plays in the wake of Beyoncé’s game-changing performance last year." 

Ariana fans came through for their queen, too.


About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.
...