Kanye West was in talks to perform at the 20th anniversary of Coachella in April, but negotiations have reportedly fallen apart due to his requests for staging.
On Wednesday (January 2), TMZ reported that 'Ye will not be part of the festival this spring and multiple sources revealed that the sticking point was the stage. He was reportedly adamant on not performing on a traditional 60x40 foot stage because it was "artistically limiting." Goldenvoice, the company that produces the annual affair, wouldn't allow the stage to be altered or removed for his set, so they both decided to go separate ways. Interestingly enough, Beyoncé had a catwalk installed for her historic 2018 set, but we're guessing that West's request was more complex than the extension.
Meanwhile, a source on West's end said that he's done performing at festivals altogether because of this very reason. "These 40x60 stages are so archaic. It's the same type of stage on which Shakespeare's works were performed hundreds of years ago," the insider said. After his moving "Saint Pablo Tour" set-up, the rapper is stuck on coming up with more innovative platforms for his staging. Goldenvoice simply didn't want to disrupt the festival and compromise the other acts that are set to perform.
As of now, that leaves Childish Gambino, Justin Timberlake, and Rihanna as rumored contenders for the three headlining spots. Last year's line-up dropped on January 2, so expect the finalized announcement to be unveiled in the very near future.
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