Fact Check: Did Justin Bieber kiss Tems live on stage during Coachella performance?
INDIO, CALIFORNIA: Following Justin Bieber's highly-awaited 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival performance, an image has been going viral on social media platforms, claiming to show Bieber kissing Nigerian singer Tems, sparking criticisms and concerns among fans.
As the claim goes viral, questions about its authenticity have also spread. Let us fact-check the claim.
Claim: Justin Bieber kissed Tems at Coachella
The images show both Justin Bieber and Tems performing on stage, and one shows them kissing. The photo has spread on multiple social media platforms such as Instagram, X, Facebook, and Threads, garnering millions of views.
The photos even triggered backlash against them both for being disloyal to their partners, while many expressed scepticism, questioning the authenticity of the photos.
Fact Check: No such incident appeared during the event
However, the claim is false, as no reports have proven Bieber kissed Tems at Coachella. A search on Google for the claim produced no credible results from any prominent entertainment media outlets about the kiss.
The X user who shared the morphed image also received a community note on the post, that read, "Justin Bieber did not kiss Tems at Coachella 2026. They performed "Essence" with Wizkid, but videos and reports show no kiss occurred. The post's images do not match the actual event and appear fabricated."
Justin Bieber, who was on stage to perform ‘Essence Remix,’ was joined by Nigerian superstar Wizkid alongside Tems for a live performance of the global hit.
The moment happened during Bieber’s set on Friday night when the trio performed the Afrobeats hit that became a global sensation in 2020 and 2021.
The images in the viral posts do not match the actual event and appear to be fabricated. The original footage from the event shows the duo dancing and then hugging as the crowd cheers for them.
Justin Bieber faces mixed reactions despite crowd pulling performance
Justin Bieber’s performance was the most highly anticipated act of this year's event and drew a massive crowd.
The global pop icon performed everything live during the show, without relying on any pre-recorded tracks, and even customized parts of his set based on live song requests from fans.
But despite the frenzy surrounding his performance, social media was not fully happy or satisfied with his set.
While his speed run through older hits like 'Baby,' 'Never Say Never,' and 'Beauty and the Beast' won over longtime fans, many criticized the singer for beginning his set with potentially lesser-known tracks from recent albums like 'Swag' and 'Swag II.'
This left many disappointed, as they were expecting more throwback hits from albums like 'My World' and 'Believe.'
