Diplo has come out in support of Justin Bieber after the pop star faced criticism for his headline performance at Coachella.
Some fans criticised the set as “lazy” because of its stripped back style, which saw Justin performing alongside YouTube clips of his earlier hits. However, the 47 year old DJ and producer described the show as “awesome” and praised the Never Say Never singer as “legendary”.
Speaking to PEOPLE, he said: "I was surprised he even went [back] to the classics, but the way he played it was amazing.
"Nobody [else] could go to Coachella and just sit on his laptop and play off YouTube because that's like - that's legendary.
"And he gave you a little bit. He was like, 'I got so many hits, here, you get this.' "
Diplo compared Justin’s headline appearance to the feeling of being at a party with him, noting that the singer even pulled up funny videos of himself on YouTube during the set.
The Blow Your Head hitmaker added: "It was like being at a party with him."
Diplo also said that festivals like Coachella offer fans a chance to discover a wide range of sounds and artists.
He added: "They have everybody from Davido to hardcore techno. Nine Inch Noize was awesome last night.
"It's a little bit of everything for anyone, and you can learn a lot about music."
While Diplo was impressed by Justin’s performance, not everyone shared the same opinion.
One viewer wrote on social media: "Justin Bieber giving us one of the laziest performances of all time."
Another added: "Justin Bieber is the worst headliner at Coachella in history because wtf you’re just sitting with a laptop."
One posted: "Justin Bieber 2026 Coachella performance may just be the worst mass streamed/televised performance... ever?"
At the same time, other fans agreed with Diplo and supported Justin’s creative approach, with one calling him a “mastermind”.
During the set, Justin encouraged the crowd to take part, saying: "Help me with the songs tonight".
He also invited fans to suggest songs through livestream comments, choosing tracks in real time as the show unfolded.

