AP Dhillon has faced a backlash from fans after smashing his guitar during his set at Coachella 2024 while drawing comparisons to Kurt Cobain. During his performance on the Sahara stage in Indio, California, the Indo-Canadian artist destroyed his metallic gold ESP LTD Kirk Hammett V guitar in honour of late Indian rapper/singer Sidhu Moose Wala. However, some fans did not support his act of breaking his instrument. One user commented, “The guitar that has provided you with life, love, peace, success, and respect – you end up breaking it! Not cool at all.”
Following the criticism, Dhillon shared a video of himself breaking his guitar on stage along with a clip of Cobain doing the same, seemingly comparing himself to the late Nirvana frontman. He captioned the upload, “The media is controlled and I’m out of control.” However, this only fuelled further criticism from fans, who argued that Dhillon’s music could not be compared to Cobain’s.
One user said, “He played pure rock and grunge with some badass riffs! Whereas you played some basic G family chords on capo with on the 3 fret! There’s a difference. Moreover, one should never forget their roots,” while another commented, “Sorry to say; but you stand nowhere to Cobain.” Some fans suggested that the stunt was an attempt to seek justice for Sidhu Moose Wala, who was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Mansa on May 29, 2022.
While some have defended Dhillon, others criticised his behaviour for lacking respect towards the instrument. A supporter argued, “But Sidhu Moosewala would have also respected the musical instruments, being an artist, if he was here to see this. So before making loose statements like ‘media is controlled’, you better learn some good manners and values, buddy. God bless.” The incident has sparked further debate on the appropriateness of smashing guitars on stage as a spectacle and what it represents in modern music.
In other news, Kid Cudi has joined the lineup for Coachella 2024’s second instalment, where he will perform on the Sahara stage. Fans of the festival can read NME’s overall review of Coachella 2024 for coverage of some standout performances such as Doja Cat’s five-star headline performance and Chappell Roan’s breakout set, and a disgruntled Damon Albarn.
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