SZA shut down a rumor on Saturday, April 11, 2026, that she was paid six figures to serve as a backup headliner in case Justin Bieber had to cancel his Coachella set. The singer said on Instagram that she had seen the claim four times and wanted it to stop.
“Lmao who made this up ? I’ve seen this 4 times now,” SZA wrote in the comment section, before adding, “I’m in New York no one paid me a dime. Wishing everyone the best.”
The blind item behind the chatter said SZA was supposedly paid to keep both Coachella weekends open, with the rumor stretching across Saturday, April 11, 2026, and Saturday, April 18, 2026, in case Bieber dropped out at the last minute. Bieber was already being heard sound-checking at the Indio, California, festival, and he was still set to perform on both dates.
The denial lands because the speculation arrived as Bieber’s Coachella appearance was already being treated as a major production, not a placeholder. Us Weekly reported that Bieber was directly involved in planning nearly every part of the set, including negotiating his own paycheck, shaping the creative direction and helping design the merchandise sold on the grounds. The source quoted by the outlet also said he wanted the performance to lean on songs from his Swag albums and older hits from his 17-year career.
The rumor also came in a week when Coachella-related cancellations were already in the air. On Friday, April 10, 2026, Phoebe Lunny said Lambrini Girls were pulling out after she was diagnosed with an acute brain injury and a fractured neck. She told followers, “We have received quite a lot of messages re Coachella, we are so gutted, guys,” and added, “If it was a broken leg, I would do a Dave Grohl and play it.” She later said, “Because it is my neck and brain, our hands are tied for now, but I’m lucky and expect a speedy recovery.”
That wider backdrop helped the Bieber rumor travel, but SZA’s response cut it off fast. She was not waiting in the wings, and she said plainly that nobody paid her to do so. With Bieber’s set still scheduled and his own team pushing forward, the six-figure backup story did not hold up.
Coachella’s next test is not whether SZA is on standby. It is whether Bieber’s highly managed two-night run in Indio lands the way he and the festival appear to have planned it.
