When Moby appeared at Coachella last weekend, he mesmerized festivalgoers with some of his biggest hits, including “Porcelain,” “Natural Blues,” and “When It’s Cold I’d Like to Die.”
The performance was especially meaningful for a few reasons. For one, he was the only act on this year’s lineup who also performed at the festival’s debut in 1999. And for another, all proceeds from his set—as well as the one he’s set to perform during the festival’s second weekend—are going toward supporting animal rights organizations.
“My main job in life is working as an animal rights activist,” Moby said in a statement. “And to that end, my hope is to use the revenue and attention from my Coachella show to draw attention to, and financially support, animal rights organizations.”
The four groups set to benefit from his Coachella sets are Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Mercy For Animals, The Humane League, and Direct Action Everywhere.
Karel Chaldek
Making a difference through music
Moby’s decision isn’t all that surprising. The musician is a passionate vegan and vocal animal rights advocate, and he often chooses to donate profits to support animals rather than pocketing the cash. Proceeds from his 2018 album, 2020 memoir, and 2024 European tour were also donated to animal rights organizations.
In fact, Moby told online vegan music platform Sounds Vegan in 2024 that his main motivation for touring Europe was to help animals.
“I love playing music, but I’m very happy to not go on tour,” he said. “I’m happy in my backyard and playing acoustic guitar while eating vegan pizza.” He explained that it was his manager who suggested he give the profits away, and then he couldn’t say no. “Whilst I can say no to myself, I can’t say no to something that might help animals,” he added. “So, the only reason for going on tour is the fact that I can give one hundred percent of my tour income to animal rights organizations.”
He’s not done with touring, though. After his second set at Coachella, his next performance is scheduled for June 26 at the Tinderbox Festival in Denmark, kicking off two months of festival appearances across Europe.
“This is not simply a return to the stage, but a defining new phase,” reads the press release. “One that connects past, present, and a new generation of listeners across Europe.”
Find out if Moby is playing near you here.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
