Justin Bieber enjoys family day at Coachella as he becomes highest-paid act in history

Justin Bieber teased his Coachella headlining on Sunday evening with a set of Instagram posts that spotlighted his first moments on the festival grounds this year alongside his wife and their young son. The 31-year-old Canadian pop star shared at least two photos from his family day: one showing him cradling their toddler Jack amid the festival’s green landscape, and another featuring Bieber with Hailey on either side of their son as they held his hands. In the images, Jack wore a pink tank top and a diaper, moving barefoot between his parents, while Justin wore a baggy, dark gray graphic T-shirt bearing the word “holy” on the front and the phrase “pray for me” on the back. Hailey matched with wide-leg indigo jeans and a white tank top. The candid family moment comes as Bieber wires in the industry’s attention ahead of what promoters are billing as his first Coachella headlining set.

The moment also marks a milestone for Bieber financially. He has now been described as the highest-paid Coachella act in history, with a seven-figure payout that reportedly totals more than $10 million across the festival weekend. The negotiations were conducted directly with Goldenvoice, the festival’s promoter, rather than through an agent. A source close to Bieber told Rolling Stone that the arrangement represents a groundbreaking move for a headliner and underscores Bieber’s aim to control more of his own touring and festival business. The insider added that, with this deal, Bieber is signaling the start of a new era in which he is “fully in the driver’s seat.”

Insiders have suggested the payment could exceed $5 million per weekend, and the total over two Coachella weekends would surpass $10 million. Coachella does not disclose artist fees, but past high earners such as Bad Bunny and Ariana Grande have been reported to command somewhere in the $5 million to $8 million range per appearance, according to industry analyses compiled by media outlets and podcast discussions. The Bieber camp’s descriptions emphasize the autonomy of the deal and the production value being planned for the engagement, with sources suggesting the production will push beyond festival standards to deliver a spectacle befitting a marquee return for a longtime headline act.

In discussing Bieber’s broader plans, industry observers point to the production quality and scale being developed for his 2026 Coachella show as indicative of a larger strategy. A Rolling Stone source characterized Bieber as an “unshakeable artist who has stood up against the grain and fought for his independence,” noting that the 2026 Coachella presentation won’t merely be a traditional headlining set but a “once-in-a-generation spectacle.” This framing aligns with the posture Bieber has taken toward his career in recent years, focusing on control over branding and presentation. The timing underscores the artist’s intention to leverage Coachella’s platform to elevate both his live-show footprint and his evolving media projects.

The posts extending into the spring of 2026 also underscore Bieber’s ongoing creative momentum. In addition to the on-site family moment, he shared footage of an unofficial music video for his track Speed Demon from his Swag II album, captured by Rory Kramer and posted to Bieber’s Instagram Stories. Bieber captioned the segment with a simple promise of reunion, writing “see u in april.” He also included a glimpse of a signature Coachella feature — the festival’s seven-story rainbow cylindrical tower, known as Spectra — in a family portrait that blended personal and professional anticipation for the upcoming performance.

The Bieber family context has continued to evolve alongside the musician’s career. Bieber and Hailey celebrated seven years of marriage earlier in 2025, following their son Jack’s first birthday in late August. Hailey’s Rhode beauty line has also continued to expand; in May 2025 the brand was acquired by e.l.f. Cosmetics in a deal valued at about $1 billion, a milestone that has kept Hailey’s profile high in the fashion and beauty spheres and potentially broadening the couple’s cross-industry reach as Bieber amps up for a high-profile return to the festival circuit.

As Bieber moves toward a high-profile spring 2026 Coachella run, the industry will be watching not only for the scale of the production but also how the artist balances a personal life that now includes a toddler and a high-profile marriage with the demands of a modern, self-directed touring and festival strategy. Observers say the development signals a broader shift in how major pop acts negotiate festival business, with more artists seeking to own more of the terms and creative control surrounding their performances. Whether Bieber’s model becomes a template for future headliners remains to be seen, but for now the focus at Coachella is on a comeback stage that doubles as a family moment and a turning point in his career.