When Love and Music Collide: Coachella's Hidden Romance History
Coachella isn’t just a music festival—it’s practically Hollywood’s springtime playground, where A-listers blend into the crowd, and relationships go from secret to center stage in minutes. Over the years, celebrity couples have used this desert gathering not just to show off their outfits, but also to make a romantic statement. Some you remember; a few might make you go, “Wait, they dated?”
Take Vanessa Hudgens and Austin Butler, for example. For nearly a decade, they were the Coachella royal couple. Vanessa, known as the unofficial queen of the festival, turned the fields into her own boho runway. Austin was always by her side—until their 2020 split signaled the end of an era. Spotting them together in festival photos just brings back major nostalgia for that laid-back, flower-crowned era.
Now, here’s one you probably forgot: Selena Gomez and The Weeknd. Their relationship was brief but eventful in 2017. While actual festival snapshots of the two are rare, their whirlwind romance had the energy that fits right in with the Coachella vibe. No official photos from the festival may exist, but fans could spot them weaving through L.A. parties during those months. It’s easy to imagine them blending into the crowd, sunglasses on, holding hands to the beat.
Festival Flings and Iconic Pairings
Then there’s Gigi Hadid and Cody Simpson, whose on-and-off relationship in the early 2010s put them on every young Hollywood watchlist. Did they hit up Coachella together? Details are fuzzy, but their youthful, sun-drenched romance was basically made for a festival backdrop. That era was all about carefree days and Instagrams full of sandy boots and pop star selfies.
Coachella isn’t just for memories from the past. Recent years have seen splashy appearances from couples who own the headlines today. Rihanna and A$AP Rocky turned heads in 2024 with perfectly coordinated outfits—proving just how much the festival still sets the stage for starry-eyed outings. The Jenner sisters keep the legacy alive, too: Kylie and Travis Scott were hard to miss, often rolling deep with family. Meanwhile, Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny sparked endless gossip by showing up together this festival season.
Don’t forget Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes. Before they called it quits, they showed up arm in arm, just like every romantic lyric from their hits together. These aren’t just celebrity sightings; they become part of pop culture legend. Seeing two stars together at Coachella often launches waves of fan theories and Instagram sleuthing. Some couples last, others fizzle by the next lineup announcement, but those moments? They stick around in everyone’s memory—at least until next year’s surprises.