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Creator Corner: At Coachella, Issey Moloney, Tyler Wells and Pablo Tamayo Make Content That Connects
Chill vibes drive festival's closing weekend
During the first weekend of Coachella, we heard a ton of griping about social-media creators taking over what’s supposed to be a music festival. People felt there were too many influencers selling, selling, selling all the time. And beyond the commercialization of the event, fans complained about creator content they deemed tone deaf during these difficult times—socially, politically and financially.
Alas, I had to agree. Which is why I was thrilled to see the refreshingly everyday friends who dubbed themselves Regular Ass Bitches earning such an enthusiastic response on social media.
With many creators heading for the exits after Coachella’s brand-heavy first weekend, the vibes on social turned positive and chill. Folks appreciated that creators who were active during the festival’s final weekend were more into the music, food, culture and community. After all, that’s what Coachella’s all about.
Some highlights:
Issey Moloney: All About the Music
Issey Moloney is that friend that you want to go to Coachella with because you know you’re going to get near the stage and have the best time. Issey joyously danced her way through Justin Bieber’s performance, and she sang her face off when Madonna joined Sabrina Carpenter onstage. Despite having more than 7 million followers on TikTok, Issey showed up at Coachella with no place to stay and slept in her car. She’s someone who really wanted to see her favorite artists and wasn’t there just to cash in.
Bites With Lily Eats Her Way Through the Festival
Food creator Bites With Lily, with a following of more than 3 million, tried much of what there was to eat at Coachella, including a generous Lao barbecue platter of sausage, steak and chicken. Plus a mouthwatering portion of mango with sticky rice and a $14 slice of pepperoni pizza. I was pleasantly surprised to learn there is such variety, though the prices are insane.
Tyler Wells Connects at Coachella
Pop culture commentator and creator Tyler Wells is a regular at Coachella. A super fan of the music festival, he always attends both weekends. And for Tyler, weekend two was all about being with friends and making new ones. He joined up with other creator pals, including Pablo Tamayo, to car camp. And when he heard from a fan’s husband that she was too shy to approach him, Tyler dropped by her car campsite to say hello. It’s lovely to see a creator who isn’t always talking at and selling to his audience but also enjoys meeting people and talking to them.
Pablo Tamayo Peels Back the Curtain
Tyler’s friend Pablo Tamayo, another well-known creator, took us behind-the-scenes of the festival, which was great for those of us who have never been to Coachella. The curious among us got to tag along as Pablo sampled some of the festival food and showed us what it was like to shop for ice at the general store. He even brought us along while he cleaned up in one of the mobile shower trailers. While he had to wait in line, and the water was cold, he rated the experience a 7 out of 10 before heading off to enjoy “sunset on the hill,” a cherished activity among car campers.
Thorn Brothers Spoof the Fits
Okay, technically creator brothers Tucker and Kyle Thorn weren’t at Coachella. But they made a series of Coachella GRWM videos and a parody of weekend two fashion in which they make creative use of a garbage bag, an Eggo waffles box, a yellow construction vest and other items. The best thing about these two is they clearly have so much fun making their content.
Kayli Sandoval Breaks Down the Numbers
Coachella can be affordable if you plan accordingly. This according to Kayli Sandoval, who breaks down the cost of her recent trip and explains how planning ahead can save you lots of money. Kayli’s TikTok also includes a post from March that shows her thrifting for Coachella fits. Evidence this is the relatable Coachella content people are looking for—her cost breakdown post has gotten more than half a million likes, while the video she posted back in March on thrifting for Coachella is up to nearly one million.
@kaylisand breaking down REALISTIC costs of coachella (and the cheapest way to go!!!) 💸🌟🪭💓🫧🪩 TIMESTAMPS in COMMENTS #COACHELLA #festivalseason #youngho #budget ♬ original sound – kayli sandoval
