Kanye West ruled out of Coachella after he demands a new stage

Rapper’s last-minute request for a custom-built dome would have meant removing a large number of toilets, say festival organisers

Kanye West was ruled out of headlining this year’s Coachella festival because organisers said it would be impossible to build a bespoke stage that he requested at the last minute.

West, who was due to be announced as a headliner on 3 January asked Coachella co-founder Paul Tollett on 1 January for a custom-built dome stage in the middle of the festival grounds. The dome was to be designed by West’s collaborator John McGuire, allowing for an in-the-round performance featuring hi-tech production and immersive video.