Carolina Giraldo Navarro, also known by her stage name Karol G, was born February 14, 1991, in Medellin, Colombia. Karol G released her first single at just 16 years old and later on went to study music at the University of Antioquia. She moved to New York in 2014 to study English and learn more about music. Once she returned to Medellin, she began releasing covers that helped her sign to Universal Latino in 2016. In 2017, her collaboration with Bad Bunny, “Ahora Me Llama,” went viral, setting her up to release her first studio album, ” Unstoppable.” Throughout the years, she has continued to grow her career and is now one of the biggest Latina artists.
Coachella is a music and arts festival, one of the world’s most famous and profitable annual events. It is held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. The fest lasts for two weekends, from Friday to Sunday. The festival features a diverse mix of music genres like rock, pop, hip-hop, and EDM. It’s known for hosting massive musical artists; for instance, the 2026 Coachella lineup included Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Karol G as the main headlines.
Karol G made her Coachella debut performance in April 2022 with special guests J Balvin and Becky G. Four years later, she would be the first Latina artist to headline Coachella, April 12 & 19, 2026. Karol G had a 90-minute set, performing 20 songs such as her hits, “TQG,” “Amargura,” and “Provenza.” The set blended reggaeton with mariachi, salsa, merengue, and Brazilian funk.
During the first weekend, Karol G had special guests, Becky G, who performed with an all-female professional mariachi group in the United States, Mariachi Reyna De Los Angeles. Together they performed, “El son de la Negra,” “Ese Hombre Es Malo,” and a special arrangement of “MAMIII.” Wisin, a legendary reggaeton artist, performed a four-song medley of reggaeton classics, “Rakata” and “Mayor Que Yo.” Mariah Angeliq, another Latina singer, performed “EL MAKINON,” and Greg Gonzalez from the indie band Cigarettes After Sex performed a collaboration song with Karol G, “Después de Ti.”
The second weekend, Becky G returned with Mariachi Reyna De Los Angeles to repeat the same set with Karol G. Mexican singer Peso Pluma performed their collaboration song “QLONA”. Colombian singer J Balvin and singer Ryan Castro added to the Colombian-focused celebration with a medley of hits such as “Ay Vamos,” “Ginza,” and “La Canción,” followed by Castro’s “Sanka” and many other song collaborations.
During Karol G’s historic Coachella performance, she delivered an emotional speech. “I want to present myself. I am Carolina Giraldo from Medellin, Colombia, and today I am the first Latina woman to headline Coachella. I’m very happy and very proud about this, but at the same time, it feels late. There have been 27 years of this festival going on, and it is the first time a Latina girl is headlining Coachella, so I just want to say that before me, there were so many great Latino artists, legendary Latino artists, who allowed me to be here tonight. So, this is not just about me; this is about my Latino community, this is about my people. And at the same time, this is for my Latinos who have been struggling in this country lately. We stand for them. I stand for my Latina community, and at the same time, I’m very proud because this brings out the best of us: unity, resilience, and a strong spirit. And we don’t do this because we want to take everyone out. Actually, we do this because we want everyone to feel welcome to our culture, to our roots, to our music. So, I just want everyone to feel proud of where they come from, please. Don’t feel fear, feel proud, Raise your flag! ¡Levanten esas banderas!”
This moment made a huge impact, bringing emotion to the crowd. Karol G spoke out against the mistreatment of Latino immigrants in the U.S., emphasizing that the moment was not just about her but the Latino/Hispanic community. The celebration of her culture was not meant to exclude others, but instead welcome them, urging the crowd to feel proud of where they are from. Karol G represented millions of people during her performance, displaying courage and support for her people.
