Baby, baby, baby, no, SZA is not Justin Bieber’s Coachella 2026 backup.
The “Kill Bill” singer, 36, set the record straight on rampant rumors in an Instagram comment over the weekend.
“Lmao who made this up ?” SZA asked on Saturday of a blind item claiming she received “six figures” to keep her schedule open in case Bieber, 32, drops out of the Indio, California, music festival.
The “Somebody to Love” singer, notably, took the stage Saturday night and is expected to again on April 18.
“I’ve seen this 4 times now,” SZA continued, clarifying that she was “in New York.”
She insisted, “No one paid me a dime. Wishing everyone the best.”
Bieber received a reported $10 million payout for his headlining set.
Ahead of his minimalistic performance, which made headlines for being YouTube and “SWAG”-heavy, an insider told Page Six Bieber had “something to prove” with the performance.
“Coachella will be a real indicator of how he moves forward,” the source said in March. “There’s a lot riding on this, no doubt.”
The individual added, “Clearly, this is the launch for a potential comeback tour. This is not a one-and-done situation.
“He’s a talented kid,” the music insider concluded, “and people only want to see him succeed. It’s always hard when you [were once a teeny sensation and then] want to be a legitimate music artist. But everybody wants him.”
Bieber’s set on Saturday was divisive, with many dubbing it “lazy” since the Grammy winner sat on a stool and sang along to YouTube for a chunk of the performance.
Some, however, claimed the “mastermind” was reminding fans of how he became famous off the social media platform.
Katy Perry poked fun at this segment of the show from the audience, quipping, “Thank God he’s got premium. Don’t want to see no ads.”
Bieber has not spoken out on the backlash.
As for SZA, she previously performed at Coachella in 2016 and 2018.
