Photo via instagram.com/xandertarigo
For many of us, not being in the desert at the biggest music festival in the country this weekend had us feeling a bit down.
All weekend tidbits were leaking out of Indio, California live from Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, and this year, like all the years before, seemed packed full of buzzworthy moments.
Coachella is divided into 2 weekends, and since each weekend is packed with singular moments, we thought we'd compile a go-to list so that you can get the highlights of the first weekend in order to get even more excited for the second.
1. Kesha performs with Zedd
The singer made a surprise appearance on the stage, singing "True Colors," a powerful ballad from Zedd's identically-titled 2015 LP.
With the exception of court appearances, Kesha has not been seen quite so publicly in a very long time. With her powerful and dramatic vocals, Kesha did not disappoint, and her fans, many of whom donned "Free Kesha" t-shirts, welcomed the artist back with open arms.
2. Sia stuns with both live and recorded dance performances
Many people may not know quite what to expect at a Sia show, but when Sunday night came around Sia showed us that what we should expect from her is, quite simply, artistry.
Like she does with her music videos, Sia put herself in the background, choosing to let the mixture of her voice and the visual performances of others take center stage. Among those who performed were Kristen Wiig, Paul Dano, Tig Notaro and -- of course -- Dance Moms' Maddie Ziegler, who's become a staple at all things Sia-related.
3. Taylor Swift and Rihanna steal Calvin Harris's show
Calvin Harris was a much-anticipated headliner at this year's festival, but his set ultimately left people talking about two others: Rihanna and Taylor Swift.
Rihanna came out for a surprise performance with Harris, rocking the house with "We Found Love." Swift recorded herself and members of her elite squad, including Lorde and Jack Antonoff, dancing and singing along to Rihanna's performance, in a video that has since received over 14 million views.
4. Brendon Urie throws it back with Halsey
During her popular single "New Americana," Halsey shocked fans when she brought out Panic! At the Disco's lead singer Brendon Urie. Together the two then dueted one of Panic's most popular songs of all time "I Write Sins Not Tragedies."
Halsey encouraged fans to sing along, telling them "You know this fucking song!" And, well, she's not wrong.
5. Bernie Sanders was there?!
Well, yes and no. The presidential hopeful appeared briefly via video to introduce rap duo Run the Jewels.
In the video, the Senator said that his ongoing friendship with Killer Mike, one half of the duo, has been a "highlight of running for president."
