2026 Coachella will make history as the first year to feature a Latina headliner — but it will also be the first edition in eight years without a música mexicana act on the bill. The absence is a surprising shift given the genre’s rapid rise in recent years, and seems to stem partially from increasing challenges in booking Mexican artists under the Trump administration.
Just last year, Junior H and Iván Cornejo carried the torch in the desert. In 2024, Peso Pluma and Carín León delivered some of the festival’s most talked-about sets. The year prior, Becky G and DannyLux took the stage, while 2022 featured Banda MS, Natanael Cano, and Grupo Firme. Back in 2019, even 2026 headliner Justin Bieber was spotted dancing along to Los Tucanes de Tijuana, a year after Los Ángeles Azules made history with their Coachella debut.
Several sources confirm to Rolling Stone that at least two high-profile música mexicana artists were “in talks” to perform at the festival, with one major artist having trouble being booked over visa issues.
As the genre has continued to grow, this year’s Mexican music absence comes as the industry grapples with the challenge of booking acts months in advance amid ongoing uncertainty around artist visas, especially with artists who sing narcocorridos, or ballads that celebrate or discuss drug dealers.
Many of Mexico’s most-streamed performers have been sidelined by the issue, and would have been unable to be booked at all. Luis R Conriquez — who recently told Rolling Stone about his pivot from corridos to reggaeton — remains unable to leave Mexico because of visa delays. Julión Álvarez, who sold out SoFi Stadium three times last year, was forced to cancel a Texas stadium show over similar visa complications earlier this year. And both Grupo Firme and Cano, both natural fits for desert returns, have also faced visa lags and cancellations.
During his 2024 Coachella set, Peso Pluma used the stage to speak out against censorship, underscoring the importance of corrido culture in Mexico. By contrast, Junior H avoided narcocorridos entirely this year — even when he brought out La Doble P, he passed on the chance to perform “El Azul,” a narcocorrido and their biggest collaboration.
Reps for several acts declined to comment to Rolling Stone, with some of them saying they wanted to avoid issues with future bookings with festival in the future.
Since taking office, the Trump administration has made securing work visas incredibly difficult for international artists. And there’s fear of revocations among artists who perform narcocorridos for what the State Department has described as “glorifying” criminals and terrorists with their performances.
Earlier this year, Chicago’s Michelada Fest canceled its 2025 edition after at least three of its artists faced visa delays and issues. “We’re no longer able to guarantee the full experience we had dreamed up for you with all your favorite artists,” the event said at the time.
Ramiro Bojórquez, organizer of BelicoFest, set to go on in November, told Rolling Stone he is being “very, very cautious” when selecting performers, focusing only on artists guaranteed to take the stage. “We can’t let government restrictions stop us,” he said. “We gotta work with what we have and give the audiences what they want.”
Still, there are plenty of acts without immigration hurdles who might have been able to represent música mexicana at this year’s festival. Fuerza Régida, whose Mexican American members made history with their 111xpantia album, would have been a strong choice. Rising stars like Xavi, Clave Especial, Netón Vega, Dareyes de la Sierra, and Chino Pacas, who is riding a TikTok wave with “Ojitos Mentirosos,” also could have fit the bill. Legacy bands touring the U.S., like Los Tigres Del Norte, Banda El Recodo, Los Recoditos, or even Banda Machos could have been options. And duranguense act Los Horósocopos de Durango booked a reunion tour with Goldenvoice’s parent company AEG through the U.S. and Mexico this year.
Despite the absence of música mexicana on this year’s bill, Latino representation at Coachella remains stronger than ever: Colombian superstar Karol G will make history as a headliner, while Brazilian sensation Luísa Sonza is on the lineup alongside reggaeton mexa duo Cachirula and Loojan, Dominican indie-pop singer 54 Ultra, and Mexican American musician Los Retros. El Salvador’s cumbia group Los Hermanos Flores will also take the stage, along with a slate of DJs of Latino descent — including Gordo, RØZ, Zulan, Mochakk, Jessica Brankka, and Ape Drums of Major Lazer — to round out the roster.
Goldenvoice did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment.
