Justin Bieber has made history at Coachella and he did it entirely on his own terms.
Following the news on Monday that the superstar, 31, would be headlining the 2026 festival, sources confirmed to Rolling Stone he secured a record-breaking paycheck of more than $10 million.
The two-weekend deal not only makes him the highest-paid performer in the event’s history, over performers like Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Kanye West and The Weeknd.
Unlike most headliners who rely on powerhouse agencies to broker deals, Bieber negotiated directly with Goldenvoice, the festival’s promoter.
‘It’s a groundbreaking move for a headliner, and it’s something he built entirely on his own,’ a source close to the singer told the outlet. ‘Between headlining Coachella and the success of Swag, it’s clear this is the start of an exciting new era for Justin — one where he’s fully in the driver’s seat.’
Insiders say Bieber’s fee surpasses $5 million per weekend, a figure that puts him well above past Coachella payouts.
Justin Bieber has made history at Coachella and he did it entirely on his own terms
Crucially, Bieber won’t be handing over a chunk to an agent, a departure from the norm that leaves him with one of the most lucrative festival deals ever struck.
Although Coachella never reveals how much they pay artists, speculative reports online have surfaced over the years for past acts.
Bad Bunny, who was one of the headliners for 2023’s Coachella, allegedly got paid $5 million, per the Trapital Podcast.
Meanwhile, The Weeknd reportedly asked for $8.5 million and Ariana Grande is said to have taken home $8 million.
Billboard previously reported that Beyoncé made somewhere between $8-$12 million for headlining in 2018.
A year prior, The New Yorker reported that Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar and Radiohead each earned $3-4 million for their performances in 2017.
Goldenvoice’s parent company, AEG, has long partnered with Bieber on his touring career, but this marks the first time he’s personally stepped into the negotiating room.
The headlining slot will mark Bieber’s first U.S. performance since the cancellation of his Justice World Tour in 2022 after coming down with Ramsay Hunt syndrome.
Sources confirmed to Rolling Stone that the superstar, 31, secured a record-breaking paycheck of more than $10 million
Billboard previously reported that Beyoncé made somewhere between $8-$12 million for headlining in 2018; pictured this year
According to those close to him, he’s preparing something far beyond a standard festival set.
‘Bieber is an unshakeable artist who has stood up against the grain and fought for his independence,’ the source added. ‘His 2026 Coachella performance won’t just be a headlining set, but a once-in-a-generation spectacle from a once-in-a-generation pop icon.’
Bieber’s comeback arrives on the heels of his latest two-part album project, Swag I and Swag II.
Industry insiders say the strategy to pair the albums, initially conceived as back-to-back releases, helped safeguard Bieber’s chart momentum.
Insiders say Bieber’s fee surpasses $5 million per weekend, a figure that puts him well above past Coachella payouts (pictured in 2022)
Ariana Grande is said to have taken home $8 million when she headlined in 2019 (pictured in 2019)
Still, label executives stress that Bieber deserves the credit for driving the project.
‘Justin Bieber and his team are the driving forces behind both albums and their rollouts,’ a rep for Def Jam, part of Republic Collective, said.
Sources say he had ‘100 percent creative freedom’ on Swag, allowing him to strip away industry noise and reintroduce himself in his truest form.
‘This is the purest version of Justin we’ve ever seen musically,’ one insider noted.
The major payday comes after he reportedly agreed to hand over millions to his ex-manager Scooter Braun as their years-long financial dispute comes to an end; seen in 2020
The major payday comes after he reportedly agreed to hand over millions to his ex-manager Scooter Braun as their years-long financial dispute comes to an end.
In July, the Baby hitmaker and the SB Projects founder, 44, finally reached a settlement agreement that will reportedly cost Bieber over $30million, per TMZ.
After Bieber cancelled his Justice tour in 2022, Braun’s company HYBE America helped the singer pay back $26million of the original $40million advance he received from AEG.
Bieber had allegedly agreed to pay back the money over a 10-year period but allegedly stopped making payments to HYBE after the first installment.
Braun also previously claimed that Bieber owed him several million dollars in unpaid commissions.
