Early on in the performance, Grande welcomed four of the five original *NSYNC members to the stage — JC Chasez, Lance Bass, Chris Kirkpatrick and Joey Fatone (Justin Timberlake had prior tour commitments) — to perform "break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored." It was fitting, since the thank u, next hit samples the boyband's "Make Me Ill."
They also stuck around to perform their breakout hit "Tearin' Up My Heart."
Grande had previously teased the appearance on social media, reminiscing about seeing *NSYNC perform as a young child, and tweeting at Chasez.
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) April 11, 2019
the best medicine 🖤 90s baby 🎧📹 pic.twitter.com/lQuTf2Udoo
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) April 11, 2019
...... sure is 🖤 https://t.co/fhN2ixRwFX
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) April 14, 2019
Tune in now https://t.co/kRjOZ0KCue @coachella @ArianaGrande pic.twitter.com/fc1tOLyayb
— *NSYNC (@NSYNC) April 15, 2019
*NSYNC weren't the only surprises on hand, though. Grande was also joined by Minaj, who recently collaborated on tracks like "Bed" and "The Light Is Coming."
The pair treated the Coachella crowd to some of their older hits, however, delivering "Side to Side" and "Bang Bang."
Unfortunately for Minaj, there were some very noticeable technical difficulties when she arrived onstage, prompting a tweetstorm of confusion, outrage and sympathy.
I WISH I COULD BREATHE 💀 nicki's quiet singing at the beginning, ari's quiet "we can't hear anything", ari trying to help her out, Ari repeating but much louder this time "WE CANT HEAR ANYTHING" #ARICHELLA pic.twitter.com/2WJqic7goH
— leah (@lkmalstrom) April 15, 2019
nicki chasing the sound engineers in the back of Coachella #ARICHELLA pic.twitter.com/CJDiCbMGCg
— alex (@ALEXS0S4) April 15, 2019
Ughhhhhhh as an artist watching Nicki, I feel so fucking bad. If you're not a performer who uses in ears, it's hard to understand cause its not her fault !!!! Technical difficulties happen !!! My heart goes outtttt don't hold it against her y'all
— cristal (@cristalramirezn) April 15, 2019
The special guests didn't stop there, though, as Grande also brought out Diddy and Ma$e towards the end of the headlining slot, joining the Bad Boys in a cover of Biggie's "Mo Money Mo Problems" (a.k.a. the antithesis to "7 rings").
This was so unexpected... when I heard diddys voice I froze 😭🤧 #Arichella pic.twitter.com/BqkgkIQxhS
— Chelsey (@grandeeupdate) April 15, 2019
P Diddy didn't lie Ariana Grands is that bitch #Arichella pic.twitter.com/CIP5ONBcXa
— 𝒞𝒽ℯ𝓁𝓈ℯ𝒶 (@NickJWifey) April 15, 2019
Ariana Grande bringing us back to 1996 with Mase and Diddy??? Yasssss!!!! Now THIS is how you do a setlist. pic.twitter.com/DJKsDApSOS
— Amber 🐠 (@AltheyuhMoves) April 15, 2019
Grande is set to do it all over again next Sunday night (April 21), so be sure to check out the Coachella livestream schedule and tune in.
