Coachella may be known for its incredible annual lineup and preponderance of flower crowns, but it's the surprise guests that really get us in formation.
Although Beyoncé shook the world with her headlining performance in 2018, a.k.a. Beychella, it wasn't the first (or even second) time Queen Bey hit the festival stage. In 2010, she joined hubby Jay-Z onstage as a surprise guest during his set. Four years later, festival goers experienced déjà vu when Beyoncé popped into her sister Solange's set and wowed the crowd with a super-adorable coordinated dance routine.
When Bey was the main event in 2018, both stars, as well as Destiny's Child, happily returned the favor. But the Lemonade singer's appearances throughout the years aren't the only ones that kept fans talking for years to come.
Who could forget when Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg had Tupac Shakur (who died in 1996) join them onstage in hologram form in 2012?
Or what about when Fall Out Boy joined 2 Chainz' performance the year after?
More recently, Ariana Grande made fans' dreams come true when *NSYNC (minus Justin Timberlake) reunited to the collaborate with the singer for a 2019 rendition of "Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored."
We may come for the headliners, but we stay for the surprises. Here we've rounded up the most unforgettable pop-ins from performers:
Anitta brought out the rapper as a surprise guest to perform "Onda Diferente."
Shania joined Harry onstage for his headlining performance at the 2022 Coachella festival, where they performed her hits "Man! I Feel Like a Woman" and "You're Still the One."
The "'03 Bonnie and Clyde" husband-and-wife duo came together onstage for the rapper's Coachella performance in 2010, giving festival attendees a surprise rendition of Jay's hit "Young Forever."
When Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg hit the Coachella stage in 2012, nothing could have prepared fans for the hologram edition of the late Tupac Shakur (the rapper was murdered in 1996). For months after their show, social media still could not get over seeing the image of the California rapper projected alongside his peers.
Back in 2012, Calvin Harris had the crowd feeling like they were the only fans in the world when he brought out Rihanna as a surprise guest. During their set, the singer belted out her hit "Where Have You Been" before launching into their collab, "We Found Love." Fans were extra delighted when the two did it all over again in 2016.
Sugar, we're going down swinging! At least, that's all fans could think after Fall Out Boy joined 2 Chainz onstage in 2013. "Not only did I come to save hip hop" the rapper told the crowd at the festival. "I came to save rock n' roll."
Beliebers everywhere rejoiced when Justin Bieber joined Chance the Rapper as a surprise guest during the musician's set in 2014. The two teamed up to perform their collab, "Confident."
Who could've seen this collab coming? When Madonna joined Drake onstage during his 2015 set, nothing else really mattered. After Drake performed his song, "Madonna," he brought his lyrics literally to life when the Material Girl came strolling out. And as showstopping as that combo was, it was their kiss that made headlines for weeks after.
Let's face it: Beyoncé's headlining performance already had fans in formation, but the extra surprise came not only when Solange joined her sister onstage, but when the long-awaited Destiny's Child reunion finally happened without warning. Bey's hubby, Jay-Z, managed to make an appearance that weekend, too.
For her 2019 performance, Ariana Grande had fans saying anything but "thank you, next" once *NSYNC reunited as her surprise guest stars (minus Justin Timberlake, who was on tour at the time). The forever-in-our hearts boy band sang "Tearin' Up My Heart" and joined in for a special rendition of Ariana's single "Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored."