Lady Gaga’s ‘Satanic Ritual’ Coachella Performance Goes Sideways [WATCH]

Lady Gaga’s return to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was marked by major technical issues that briefly disrupted her highly anticipated headlining set on Friday night.

The 39-year-old singer was forced to work through a microphone malfunction that occurred just minutes into her performance, temporarily affecting audio and choreography during key moments of the show.

Gaga, born Stefani Germanotta, began her set with the track “Bloody Mary,” which opened the first act without incident.

Trump’s Sovereign Wealth Fund: What Could It Mean For Your Money?

However, during the follow-up performance of “Abracadabra,” a new single from her latest album Mayhem, her headset microphone began crackling and cutting out intermittently.

Despite her attempts to fix the issue while performing, the audio problems persisted.

She continued the routine as her vocals dropped out, with only backing tracks reaching the audience.

Suspended high above the stage in a towering structure resembling a skirt, Gaga waited to be lowered so the equipment could be replaced.

This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year

Once on the ground, she switched to a handheld microphone, limiting her choreography for the remainder of the opening segment.

Lady Gaga usou mic de headset no Coachella, dançando à vontade sem se preocupar com o de mão. E é tudo ao vivo, viu? No segundo fim de semana, o mic falhou e só ficou o instrumental. Sem voz, sem base. A Mother Monster canta no gogó mesmo! pic.twitter.com/1jpozwxtSA

— POPline (@POPline) April 19, 2025

The technical issues extended into performances of two tracks from her 2011 album Born This Way — “Judas” and “Scheiße.” “Judas,” which reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, had not been performed live since 2019.

Gaga incorporated extended dance breaks in “Scheiße” to allow more flexibility while handling the bulkier handheld mic.

By the time she reached her fifth song, “Garden of Eden,” the audio problems appeared resolved.

The track had made its live debut during the first weekend of the festival.

Throughout the show, fans posted reactions to social media, with some praising Gaga for maintaining her composure.

One Reddit user commented, “oh someone’s getting fired!!! her mic is not properly working!!!”

Others speculated about backstage communication, quoting stage staff saying, “MUTE THE MAIN HEADSET!”

Despite the rough start, audience members were quick to commend Gaga’s recovery and professionalism.

Some wrote that she “handled it like a pro” and “kept the show alive,” even as her vocal mic cut out early on.

The singer’s week-one Coachella performance had included an emotional moment with a fan, Serena Foster, who handed Gaga a bouquet of black artificial flowers.

In a TikTok video that later went viral, Foster explained that giving Gaga a gift had been a lifelong dream.

Gaga later responded to the post, writing, “Now we are connected forever,” and called the gesture “perfect,” referencing the thematic visuals of the set.

Lady Gaga left a comment under the TikTok posted by the girl who gave her the black bouquet of flowers at Coachella: “Now we are connected forever.” pic.twitter.com/UxE4f6b30Z

— LⱯDY GⱯGⱯ NOW (@ladygaganownet) April 12, 2025

The performance, Gaga’s second time headlining Coachella following her 2017 appearance, featured an elaborate four-act set described by the artist as an “opera house in the desert.”

With gothic imagery, oversized structures, and choreographed dance battles, the show drew comparisons from some fans to a “satanic ritual.”

I’m I the only one who thinks that this Lady Gaga performance is demonic garbage? pic.twitter.com/AfcNxWHc6h

— Vince Langman (@LangmanVince) April 18, 2025

Others praised it as the best Coachella performance in the festival’s history.

Songs included new material from Mayhem and hits such as “Poker Face,” during which the stage was transformed into a chessboard.

Gaga and her dancers executed a choreographed battle between two sides, concluding with her symbolic victory at center stage.

In interviews leading up to the performance, Gaga said she had “lost sleep” preparing for the event, telling the New York Times she wanted to “make the public smile” during her 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. headlining window.

Following the Coachella shows, Gaga is set to launch her Mayhem Ball Tour, with stops across North America, Europe, and the UK.

Her tour includes scheduled performances at London’s O2 Arena and New York’s Madison Square Garden.

She will also return to Australia for the first time in over a decade with shows planned in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney in December.

The Australian leg marks her first stadium tour in the region since 2014’s ArtRave: The Artpop Ball tour.

Tickets for the international tour go on sale beginning Thursday, April 17.

Connect with Vetted Off-Duty Cops to Instantly Fulfill Your Security Needs

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.