I vividly remember seeing Vanessa Hudgens and Austin Butler attending Coachella in the mid to late 2010s. Every time a picture was uploaded, I was in love with the fashion and whimsy of it all.

Every year that passed, I saw Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Selena Gomez and Gigi Hadid mesh the latest fashion trends with trendy Coachella fits.

While it would have been a dream come true to go back then, it doesn’t seem so enchanting today. I’m not saying I wouldn’t go if given the chance, but it’s definitely not something that I’m dying to do.

According to an NPR article on the history of Coachella, the festival debuted in October 1999, costing only $50. Today, general admissions passes start around $600, not including parking and any other extra fees.

The article also mentions how the festival, which once resisted sponsorships, is now flooded with sponsors. Funnily enough, many of the brands sponsoring Coachella are owned by the same people I was watching attend.

Rhode beauty, owned by Hailey Bieber, had the highest earned media value from the event, according to The Business of Fashion. Another brand sponsoring the event was Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila.

I think this addition of many brands hosting influencers and sponsoring the event has taken away from what Coachella was supposed to be about. Rather than revolve around the music and fashion aspects of the festival, today, it seems a lot more about influencers attending and creating content.

There’s also been a drop in effort put into outfits. Some people are focused more on the sponsorships they’re a part of than trying to take part in the fun of dressing up for Coachella. It makes looking at pictures a lot more enjoyable, knowing the time and energy put into looks is limited.

It feels to me that a lot of the enjoyable and unique aspects of Coachella have dissipated, and I’d prefer to attend a music festival that is more affordable and closer to me.

Kate Beske is a 22-year-old journalism major from Destrehan, La.