Editor’s note: This article was originally published in an Apr. 24 print edition of the Monitor.

After a four-year hiatus, the “Baby” singer is back, better than ever…with YouTube Premium. At Coachella’s grand stage, Justin Bieber became one of the highest-paid artists ever to perform at the festival, earning $10 million between two weekends. Rocking baggy jorts and a T-shirt, Justin revisited old songs and memories while sitting on a stool, laptop open, searching his old music videos and memes on YouTube, where he started it all. While some complained that the performance was “lazy,” others believed it was a night of time travel full of reminiscing about adolescent years.

Songs from his SWAG album, like “All I Can Take” and “Go Baby,” kicked off the night. The middle was dedicated to that thirteen-year-old bedroom, where you danced in front of the mirror with a hairbrush in hand, featuring some Bieber favorites: “Favorite Girl,” “Never Say Never,” “That Should Be Me” and the golden, but never forgotten, melody of “Baby.” Bieber further surprised the audience by bringing The Kid LAROI onstage—marking his first Coachella appearance—as the two performed their hit collaboration “Stay.” Alongside performing covers of songs by Chris Brown and Ne-Yo, the 32-year-old singer also invited guest artists such as Dijon, Wizkid, Tems and Mk.gee to join. Whether critics hated or loved it, Bieber returns to headline the final weekend of Coachella after he made $5.04 million in merchandise sales the weekend prior. All in all, it can be confirmed that the teenage heartthrob is back and better than ever.

While Bieber stamped his night with old YouTube clips, other performers made history in other ways. Kacey Musgraves returned with a brand-new hit, “Middle of Nowhere.” Friday night’s headliner, Sabrina Carpenter, was joined by Will Ferrell, Samuel L. Jackson and Susan Sarandon; cameos that made Variety scratch their head, but fans deemed it as “iconic.” The all-Filipina-girl group, Bini, became the first Filipino act at Coachella, bringing down the house in shiny boots, ruffled skirts, energetic vibes and fierce attitudes. While the average ticket was priced at $649, and resale costs skyrocketed to $5,000, the sold-out 2026 Coachella performance delivered three unforgettable weekends for fans and the celebrities that attended, posing the question of what will be in store for 2027.

Simone’s Playlist Suggestions (Coachella-inspired):

1. All I Can Take – Justin Bieber
2. Stay – Justin Bieber, the Kid LAROI
3. Things You Do – Justin Bieber
4. Baby – Justin Bieber
5. Beauty and a Beat – Justin Bieber
6. Confident – Justin Bieber
7. Yukon – Justin Bieber
8. Espresso – Sabrina Carpenter
9. Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido – KAROL G
10. Break It Off – PinkPantheress
11. Middle of Nowhere – Casey Musgraves
12. Talk Down – Dijon
13. No Type – Swae Lee
14. Bad Dreams – Teddy Swims
15. RATHER BE – GIVĒON
16. Bad Bad Bad – Young Thug, Lil Baby
17. Lover Girl – Laufey
18. Sailor Song – Gigi Perez
19. Gabriela- KATSEYE
20. Sprinter – Central Cee, Dave

Favorite Vacation: 

A. Beach Day      B. Mountains     C. Shopping spree   D. Sports Camp   E. Touring Europe 

Who do you get advice from?

A. My Parents     B. My Friends      C. Myself     D. My Coach   E. My Teacher 

What is your favorite way to spend your time? 

A. Reading  B. Playing Sports  C. Listening to Music   D. Crafting   E. Performing Musicals

What is your go-to color?

A. Purple   B. Blue    C. Green   D. Red  E. Pink

Which side character was your favorite?

A. Taylor   B. Coach Bolton  C. Martha  D. Zeke  E. Ms. Darbus 

What is your favorite article of clothing?

A. Sneakers  B. Jeans  C. Polo Shirt  D. Jersey  E. Dress

What is your favorite Disney Channel Original Movie? 

A. Lemonade Mouth   B. Camp Rock   C. Zombies   D. Starstruck   E. Teen Beach Movie 

Pop and football fans alike were in for the shock of a lifetime last month when the nation’s sweethearts, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, announced that they were officially engaged. The creative caption used to encapsulate this moment was: your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married, and honestly, everybody was ecstatic. The relationship between the football star and the pop star began in the summer of 2023 and took the world by storm. 

Their romance began, as explained on the Travis’ and his brother, Jason, podcast New Heights, when the football player insisted on seeing Taylor at one of her concerts simply because he wanted to meet her. The original plan was for Travis to pass off a signature friendship bracelet, a tradition that became popular at Swift concerts, but instead he walked away with more than just a bracelet. According to Swift on the New Heights Podcast, the football star was enchanted to meet her and blurted out, “I want to date you,” and the rest was history.

Their relationship immediately after the concert took over social media and NFL coverage alike with Swifties losing their minds every time the two were spotted in public. Fast-forward two years after their first meeting and the fan-based dream came true. The proposal took place in a beautiful garden located in Lee’s Summit, Missouri and looked as dreamy as one of Taylor’s Eras Tour performances. Flowers surrounded the couple as Travis got on one knee and popped the question. 

The antique ring was an elongated cushion-cut diamond and was handcrafted in 18k gold. No official price for the ring has been discussed, but in an article published by author Brides Benjamin Khordipou, at Estate Diamond Jewellery, estimated the piece to be around $550,000. This ring was just the beginning of the world’s speculations about the wedding. The theories for the wedding dresses, bridesmaids and future drama are the hot topic of gossip sites, even though the couple hasn’t even been engaged a full month.

The leading theory is that the couple will participate in an intimate ceremony with the hopes of not drawing attention. However the question remains: will this be possible with the wedding being the most anticipated event of the year? Many are beginning to refer to it as the American version of a royal wedding, and it doesn’t seem too far from the truth. As Swifit’s song is titled, this relationship is truly “So Highschool” in the sense that it’s a classic love story from start to finish, and fans can’t wait to see what happens next. 

Have you spent the past few weeks wrapped up in Cousins Beach? If you answered yes then you and a majority of Gen-Z have something in common. The Summer I Turned Pretty has taken over the end of summer by storm, and the battle between Team Jermiah and Team Conrad is getting more intense by the minute. However, this exciting classic didn’t start on the screen; it began as a book series written by Jenny Han. The books are what originally began this beloved series, but I think it’s safe to say that the show has proven to be a better platform for the story. 

 The books begin similarly to the show as the main character, Belly, is excited for summer to begin. Belly spends every summer at Cousins Beach with the Fisher family, specifically brothers Jeremiah and Conrad. The story in both plotlines follows her throughout her choice between the two boys as she completes side quests along the way. However, the way this plot is conveyed between the two platforms is vastly different. In the show, the story is engaging and keeps the viewer on the edge of their seats. The audience is able to follow the fast yet concise episodes with ease and is still left wanting more. The book, on the other hand, is a completely different story (no pun intended). 

The first book in the series is hectic and doesn’t allow the reader to get to know the characters well. In the show, the viewer is introduced to Belly’s brother, her best friend, her mom and Susannah the mother of the Fisher boys. Whereas in the book, it glosses over Belly’s relationship with almost anyone who isn’t Jermiah or Conrad. This doesn’t leave much room for character development or story progression as the series continues. Following this, there are plot holes throughout the first book as the reader struggles to connect dots. At one point in the book, Jeremiah confesses his feelings to Belly, and she isn’t sure how to feel about it at the time. Then the book fast forwards through important details only for it to end abruptly to make room for a second book. 

The novel seems more focused on finishing the story then actually taking the time to build a connection with the reader. Therefore, the show seems like a do-over where Jenny Han was able to develop her story into what it was meant to be originally. The show takes the opportunity to engage the reader on a personal level by allowing them to participate in the story arc as it plays out. You are sad when Belly’s sad, and you’re frustrated when she is making difficult decisions. All in all, you can see the process of the story take form in a brighter light with the show’s storyline as opposed to the books’. 

For the reader and viewer’s sake, the better storyline can be found in the critically acclaimed show. Not only is there a visible emotional connection between the characters, but the story takes its time to progress and blossom into something beautiful. As the last couple episodes are released in the coming weeks, audiences will be kept wondering what will happen next and if the right choice will be made. There’s only a little bit of summer left in Cousins and it’s time to see where Belly’s heart truly lies.