Coachella Ya Habibi

Author

• Yasmine Daas, City University of New YorkFollow

Graduation Date

Spring 5-15-2024

Grading Professor

Kovie Biakolo

Subject Concentration

Arts & Culture

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Abstract

This piece examines Palestinian singer Elyanna’s historic Coachella performance as a cultural moment shaped by visibility, constraint, and the politics of existence. Through firsthand observation and contextual analysis, it traces how Palestinian art—particularly music, fashion, and embodied performance—functions under conditions where identity itself is politicized. Elyanna’s presence on a global festival stage is framed not as a singular breakthrough, but as part of a broader continuum of Palestinian cultural assertion before and after October 7, when artistic expression increasingly carried material risk. By situating her performance alongside shifting industry responses, audience reception, and the evolving role of Palestinian artists in global spaces, the piece explores how art becomes a site of both celebration and resistance. Ultimately, it argues that Palestinian cultural visibility is not simply about representation, but about insisting on presence in a world that routinely attempts to erase it.

Recommended Citation

Daas, Yasmine, "Coachella Ya Habibi" (2024). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gj_etds/806