Should you can’t make it to Indio, California, for this 12 months’s Coachella, you’ll be able to nonetheless watch it reside on YouTube – and even purchase the T-shirt.

YouTube is increasing its free livestream protection of the Coachella music competition – which takes place later this month – whereas providing Premium subscribers an opportunity to take a peek backstage as artists put together for his or her units, amongst different new options.

For the primary time, YouTube will live-stream all of the levels on the iconic music competition, with six livestreams operating on each weekends. That’s double the variety of final 12 months’s livestreams.

The Alphabet-owned video streaming service can also be bringing again a function it launched ultimately 12 months’s Coachella – integration with YouTube Buying, which permits viewers to purchase unique merchandise throughout livestream performances.

Viewers will be capable to click on a hyperlink on their cellphone, or scan a QR code on their TV, throughout artist performances to purchase merchandise from the artist being streamed. This 12 months, followers will be capable to decide up merch from Unhealthy Bunny, Calvin Harris, Gorillaz, Ethel Cain, Fisher, Porter Robinson, YUNGBLUD and others.

“A part of the enjoyable of going to a present is the possibility to purchase a souvenir that reminds you of the music, the expertise, and the second in time,” YouTube said in a statement revealed to its weblog.

“We don’t need anybody to overlook out on that chance so this 12 months we’re partnering with Coachella to drop unique merch from over a dozen artists.”

YouTube Premium subscribers will be capable to see artists getting ready backstage forward of their performances, in what YouTube is asking “Premium Pre-Events.”

The video web site can also be emphasizing its YouTube Shorts options at this 12 months’s occasion, promoting it as a chance for followers to work together with artists. By means of YouTube shorts, followers will be capable to assist construct set lists for Calvin Harris, Becky G and Burna Boy.

“Shorts can also be the place the place followers can count on to see unique content material from artists and creators like Alan Chikin Chow, Lexi Hensler, BENOFTHEWEEK, Amelia DiMoldenberg of Hen Store Date, Taylor Crimson TV, The Scotts, Nicole Laeno, Adam W and VIVACIOUSHONEY, amongst others,” YouTube stated.

The social video big has been aggressively selling YouTube Shorts – movies beneath 60 seconds in size – in what analysts say is an try and sustain with TikTok, the world’s fastest-growing social media app lately.

This previous January, it introduced a new multi-year deal with Coachella promoter Goldenvoice, which can see YouTube proceed to stream the music competition by way of 2026.

This 12 months’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Competition takes place on the weekends of April 14-16 and April 21-23.

Friday exhibits might be headlined by Unhealthy Bunny. Saturday exhibits might be headlined by BLACKPINK – the first time a K-Pop band will be a headline act at Coachella – whereas Frank Ocean will headline on Sundays.

Coachella first launched in 1999, garnering 37,000 attendees in its debut 12 months. It has since grown to be one of many largest music festivals within the U.S., with round 250,000 attendees yearly.

YouTube first started streaming Coachella in 2011. The streams are free to view, with YouTube monetizing them by way of livestream sponsors.

This 12 months, for U.S. audiences these sponsors might be Quick X, NYX Skilled Make-up and Verizon on the primary weekend, and Dove Bathe Assortment and Tic Tac on the second weekend.

Levi Strauss and Co. is the European sponsor for each weekends.Music Enterprise Worldwide