Thai rapper MILLI eats mango sticky rice onstage during Coachella performance

Rapper MILLI took the Coachella stage this past weekend as part of 88rising’s set, repping her home country with her lyrics – and by eating from a bowl of beloved Thai dessert mango sticky rice.

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MILLI joined 88rising’s eventful Head In The Clouds Forever set at Coachella on April 16, taking the stage alongside NIKI, Rich Brian, Warren Hue, CL, Jackson Wang, Hikaru Utada and BIBI.

The rapper – real name Danupha Khanatheerakul – closed her four-song performance with a song titled ‘Mango Sticky Rice’ and by munching on a bowl of the dessert. “Who wants mango and rice that is sticky?” MILLI asked the crowd.

MILLI’s performance – which became a social media sensation in Thailand – contributed to a sharp global spike in Google searches for “mango sticky rice”, economics professor Wisarut Suwanprasert pointed out on Twitter. It also made the hashtag #khanonieomamuang (or “mango sticky rice”) a trending topic for Thai Twitter users, according to the Bangkok Post.

Watch a snippet of MILLI enjoying her onstage snack below.

THE FIRST THAI ARTIST AT COACHELLA ATE MANGO STICKY RICE ON STAGE TOP THAT LOL #MILLI #MILLILiveatCoachella #88risingCoachella pic.twitter.com/PwYuwrjuvl

— skye (@Skkyuno) April 17, 2022

With her performance, MILLI became the first Thai artist to perform solo at Coachella. She is also the second overall Thai performer at the festival, following BLACKPINK‘s 2019 performance.

Social media users celebrating MILLI’s performance at Coachella also praised her lyrics taking aim at stereotypes about Thailand, including “I don’t ride an elephant” and “I can play ping-pong with no hands“.

She also took a jab at the Thai government on stage as she rapped the lyrics: “The country is good, people is good, our food is good, but the government is bood“. “Bood”, when translated to English, means “rotten”.

#Milli spilled it!!!

“Country is good. People is good. Our food is good. But government is (bood)!!!

“ประเทศคือดี คนคือดี อาหารเราก็ดี แต่………คือบูดดดดด ” #MILLILiveatCoachella pic.twitter.com/SLfBREuQnk

— GL ☻ (@thatglgirl) April 17, 2022

See a sampling of the social media reaction to MILLI’s Coachella set below, including Thai politician and Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat calling MILLI “Thailand’s closest hope for soft power”.

MILLI aka Thailand’s closest hope for soft power!

#MILLILiveatCoachella #Coachella #Coachella2022 #88risingCoachella pic.twitter.com/5BvUnEm0lp

— Pita Limjaroenrat (@Pita_MFP) April 17, 2022

Rapping Quote of the milli day in Coachella

-ทั้งสนาม look at me now
-One thing I didn’t ride an elephant
-เสาไฟกินรีต้นละแสนนะซิ่
-รถไฟสมัยร.5 ใช้มา120ปี
-What’s in your face (beauty)
-Thailand so hot
-Mango baby พร้อมกินข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง#MILLILiveatCoachella #Milli pic.twitter.com/8juBQIxTiy

— HS (@JKLS9889) April 17, 2022

แรปเพลงแรกของมิลลิ คือ เดือดมาก เนื้อหาว่า เลิกเข้าใจผิดเกี่ยวกับประเทศไทยซะที

ฉันไม่ได้ขี่ช้าง บ้านฉันมีทั้งรถไฟลอยฟ้าและใต้ดิน เสาไฟกินรีต้นละแสนก็มี รถไฟใช้มาตั้งแต่ร.5แล้วจ้า 120ปียังใช้อยู่เลย #Milli #MILLILiveatCoachella #88rising #Coachella pic.twitter.com/WMxPY2quuT

— Thitapa Siripipat (@Pink_Siripipat) April 17, 2022

“เสาไฟกินรีต้นละแสนนะซี่ รถไฟไทยสมัยร.5ใช้มา120 ปี.. Vintage i like it วินเทจ”

“Kinnaree street lamps that cost hundred thousand & The Train in the reign of Rama the 5th over 120 years..vintage i like it”

The irony..#MILLILiveatCoachella #Coachella  pic.twitter.com/l6U1eG7s4g

— GL ☻ (@thatglgirl) April 17, 2022

“BOOD”
#MILLILiveatCoachella pic.twitter.com/4cpf0qDEtD

— Ammybottomblues (@ammybottomblues) April 17, 2022

MILLI’s set consisted of four tracks: An unreleased freestyle over Rich Brian and Warren Hue’s ‘Lazy Susan’, ‘Mirror, Mirror’ (originally a collaboration with Stray Kids’ Changbin and Thai rapper F.HERO), ‘Sudpang!’ and ‘Mango Sticky Rice’.

In other 88rising at Coachella news, Indonesian singer NIKI performed a cover of Andra and The Backbone’s ‘Sempurna’, which she dedicated to her family and home country of Indonesia.

K-pop group 2NE1, who disbanded in 2016, reunited for one song during leader CL’s set on Saturday (April 16). For their Coachella performance, the group – Bom, CL, Dara and Minzy – performed their hit ‘I Am The Best’.

Coachella continues this weekend, with 88rising’s second set taking place April 23.

The post Thai rapper MILLI eats mango sticky rice onstage during Coachella performance appeared first on NME.