Ariana Grande kicks off Coachella headline set with NSYNC

Ariana Grande kicked off her headline set at the Coachella music festival by performing alongside boy band NSYNC.

The pop star was bringing the curtain down on the first weekend of Coachella, which takes place each year in the city of Indio, California.

Grande had given heavy hints on social media about the popular ’90s group’s involvement and they joined her on stage shortly after she had opened the show with a rendition of her hit God Is A Woman.

NSYNC’s official Twitter page shared a selfie of the band – including Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass and JC Chasez – with Grande moments before she took to the stage.

The thousands of fans gathered in front of Coachella’s main stage heard Grande before they saw her, with her voice belting out the lyrics of Raindrops, the short song that opens her album Sweetener.

Earlier, US singer-songwriter Khalid appeared on Coachella’s main stage, performing an hour-long set and treating fans to hits from his American Teen album, including chart-topping single Young, Dumb & Broke.

He was preceded by German-Russian record producer Zedd, who brought out Katy Perry for their duet of 365.

Other performers on Sunday included Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny and rapper Pusha T.

It brought an end to weekend one of the Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival, which takes place over two weekends each year in the California desert.

About 250,000 music fans are expected to pass through the gates over both weekends, which feature identical line-ups.

Friday had seen performances from British rock band The 1975, critically acclaimed singer Janelle Monae, and Grammy winner for best album, country music star Kacey Musgraves.

Rapper Childish Gambino, also known as Donald Glover, was the headline act.

Saturday featured the likes of rock band Weezer, rising star Billie Eilish and Australian multi-instrumentalist Tame Impala, who topped the bill.

The second Coachella weekend takes place from April 19-21.