It’s safe to say he proved the haters wrong! Heads turned when it was announced in January that Idris Elba would be a main act at the 2019 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, but following his DJ set on Saturday, April 13, it seems people were pleasantly surprised.
Twitter users went wild during — and following — his performance, giving props to the Luther actor, 46, for his underrated skills. “So i’m inside idris elba’s dj set. this is the biggest demographic cross-section i have ever seen at coachella. he’s currently spinning inner city. house music will save the world,” one concertgoer wrote.
Another newly-minted Elba fan chimed in: “This man @idriselba absolutely killed it yesterday look at that crowd 🙌🏼 – 14/4 #Coachella19.” Hundreds of videos of the Thor actor’s set flooded social media, showing those in attendance going absolutely insane for the DJ.
“No matter how many times Idris Elba DJ’s at a major festival there’s always thousands of people who are shocked to find out he is a DJ,” one fan wrote of people underestimating Elba. Another added: “Idris Elba’s DJ set was the best thing I’ve seen all weekend.”
Though Elba showed up and slayed at the music festival in Indio, California, he opened up to Us Weekly in March about his lack of preparation. “No rehearsals,” he told Us at the time. “I’ve got a two-hour set, so I’m just going to bang some great records together. I’m in a dance tent with other DJs who play what I play, so hopefully we’re just going to bring some energy.”
However, Coachella wasn’t the first major event Elba got behind the turntables at. The English actor showcased his skills during Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan’s wedding reception in May 2018.
“Harry and I, we’ve hung out a couple of times through his dad, his dad’s charity The Prince’s Trust helped me out as a young actor. So I do a lot of work with them, Harry and [Prince] William a few times,” the Wire star recalled to Ellen DeGeneres in February of how he landed the gig. “And Harry came to a couple of parties that I DJed, and he was like, ‘Hey man, what are you doing on the date?’ And I was like, ‘Nothing.’ He goes, ‘Hmm, would you DJ at my wedding?’ I was like, ‘Is this a joke? Are you joking?’ And he’s, like, ‘serious.’”
