Why Lady Gaga Ended Up Headlining Coachella

Ruth HogbenWhen Beyonce dropped out of her headlining slot at the Coachella festival because she’s pregnant with twins, her friend Lady Gaga stepped in to fill the void.  Why Gaga?  According to Billboard, one important reason is she’s a woman.

Sources tell Billboard that it was important that Beyonce be replaced by another female artist, because she was to have been the first woman to headline Coachella in 10 years, and only the second woman ever: Bjork was the first.

According to the sources, Paul Tollett, the founder of Coachella, considered both Adele and Gaga and asked about them both, but ended up booking Gaga.  For Mother Monster, the timing works out well — she’ll be launching her Joanne World Tour in August, so the Coachella appearances will serve as a preview.

“Beyoncé really wanted to do the show — she was all in until the moment her doctor said no,” a source tells Billboard. “But it all worked out, and Paul is very happy with Lady Gaga.”

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