The Albany Gazette - Doja Cat leads powerful cast of women commanding Coachella day three

The Californian's weird, sexy exclamation point of a performance was the crown jewel of a day that capped a weekend of powerful sets from stage-commanding women at the premier desert festival.

Rising star Renee Rapp, whose musical turn follows a starring role in the film remake of "Mean Girls" as well as the Broadway version, brought Ke$ha onstage to the delight of fans packed in at Coachella's Outdoor Theatre.

Rapp dubbed Ke$ha "the hottest person in the world" before they launched into a rendition of the latter's 2009 global smash "Tick Tock."

Victoria Monet -- who recently won the Grammy for Best New Artist, after years of songwriting for the likes of Ariana Grande -- led the Mojave Tent in an impressive set flanked by gyrating dancers.

She also used the moment to say "stop the genocide," one day after Tyler, The Creator performed wearing pins of the Palestinian and Congolese flags.

Jhene Aiko soaked thousands of fans in a warm bath of a performance on a stage that doubled as a grotto of crystals, serenading the crowd with her buttery vocals.

And Bebe Rexha delivered a high-energy club pop set including the singles "Me, Myself & I" and "I'm the Drama."

"I always thought I wasn't cool enough for Coachella," she exclaimed.

"I'm cool now."

Ludmilla brought Brazilian funk to the desert, becoming the first Afro-Latina to play the main stage.

And Lauryn Hill staged a mini-Fugees reunion onstage during her son's YG Marley set.

Wyclef Jean joined her to perform "Killing Me Softly" and "Fu-Gee-La" as they all paid tribute to Marley's grandfather Bob, singing parts of "One Love" and "Exodus."

- 'Just a girl' -

Women have long been chronically underpresented at music festivals, but they were the standouts throughout Coachella weekend one.

Lana Del Rey cemented her status as a singular figure in pop, donning sparkling knee-high boots and a mini dress as she floated through a sensual sequence of her catalog, flanked by a sisterhood of dancers who writhed, pole-danced and performed acrobatics along to the "born to Die" singer's languid vocals.

It was an atmospheric finish to a day whose afternoon built a lot of heat, not least thanks to Shakira and Bizarrap's collaboration that saw the former announce a global tour.

And Puerto Rico's Young Miko helmed the main stage with a rager of a set, showcasing her playful Spanglish bars and Latin trap that also alludes to 1990s west coast rap.

On day two Ice Spice packed the mammoth Sahara tent with fans intoxicated on her Bronx-born blend of pop-savvy hooks and laser-edged drill rap, as the likes of Taylor Swift danced along among the VIPs.

Gwen Stefani was among the weekend's huge draws: the 54-year-old was on fine 1990s form as she belted nearly two hours of No Doubt classics, as the ska punk band reunited for the first time in 15 years.

With electric blue-lined eyes and a bright red lip, Stefani dropped to the stage to do push-ups -- boy-style -- in the intro for "Just A Girl," before climbing a stage rig and holding a call-and-response, first requiring the boys to recite the titular line back to her.

"But you know all I care about -- where are my Coachella girls at?" she screamed to cheers, before asking the girls to repeat the line.

Led by Stefani, the girls of Coachella let out a scream for the ages.

(O.Robinson--TAG)