Coachella threatens Steps star Ian 'H' Watkins for 'Cowchella' name of his tiny Welsh pop festival - insisting he change it

Coachella organisers have cost Steps star Ian ‘H’ Watkins thousands of pounds after forcing his tiny Welsh festival into a name change.

The person, aged 49, was excitedly planning his ‘Cowchella’ festival in Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales when the 250,000-capacity music venue contacted him.

Recently, the festival’s social media pages were taken down, and its Eventbrite tickets page had its name vanished due to a complaint believed to be from Coachella Ltd, the US festival in California, as mentioned by Watkins.

Subsequently, on Sunday, new social media profiles were created for the event now called the Moo-La-La Festival, organized by Watkins, actress Claire Sweeney, and BBC Radio 2 presenter Owain Wyn Evans.

The post explained the ‘fab new name’ and that tickets would remain valid for the inaugural event in August.

Welsh singer and actor Watkins, 49, said they thought at first the social media sites were ‘hacked’, before finding an email with an ‘official complaint from Coachella’.

‘I’m taking it as a massive compliment that they feel like that our little festival is a little bit of a threat to their ginormous, juggernaut of a machine,’ Watkins said.

‘It’s a little bit mindblowing… what we’re doing is very, very different to what they do.

Coachella organisers are thought to have cost Steps star Ian 'H' Watkins thousands of pounds after forcing his tiny Welsh festival into a name change

Coachella organisers are thought to have cost Steps star Ian ‘H’ Watkins thousands of pounds after forcing his tiny Welsh festival into a name change

The 49-year-old had been happily organising his 'Cowchella' festival in Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, when the 250,000-capacity music venue got in touch

The 49-year-old had been happily organising his ‘Cowchella’ festival in Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, when the 250,000-capacity music venue got in touch

‘We don’t have Beyonce performing. We have a Steps tribute act… and also, they don’t have myself, Claire Sweeney and Owain Wyn Evans, hosting, which in my book, is much better than Beyonce.’

He also said he was happy the small Welsh festival is a ‘talking point’ and people ‘love that Coachella has put Cowbridge on the map’ as well as admitting that ‘luckily, it wasn’t like, the week before because that would be the disaster’.

Watkins did acknowledge that thousands of pounds spent on ‘marketing costs, posters and banners’ would be ‘a financial impact that we have to absorb’.

He said: ‘We’ve spent a lot of money on marketing and flyers and posters and banners that are all visible around the town.

‘So yes, those will have to go in the bin… but let’s just do that, rather than have any more people knocking on our door.’

He also said that ‘there’s lots of festivals’ that use this concept including the Welsh event GlastonBarry, with a name inspired by Glastonbury in Somerset, which has not appeared to come up against the same issue.

Top performers from across the music scene have participated in Coachella, including the likes of Lady Gaga, Megan Thee Stallion and Grimes.

Watkins said the idea of the festival formerly known as Cowchella was to ‘make it accessible for families that can’t afford to go to Cardiff or London’ for music events that can cost hundreds of pounds.

Megan Thee Stallion performs at Coachella Stage during the 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival

Megan Thee Stallion performs at Coachella Stage during the 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival

Lady Gaga sings amid dancers during this year's Coachella in California

Lady Gaga sings amid dancers during this year’s Coachella in California

The world-famous festival has a 250,000 capacity - but seems to be threatened by a tiny Welsh family festival (Pictured: Grimes performs at Coachella 2024)

The world-famous festival has a 250,000 capacity – but seems to be threatened by a tiny Welsh family festival (Pictured: Grimes performs at Coachella 2024)

‘We wanted… to provide an amazing place where everybody could come have a great time, make it family friendly, accessible,’ he said.

He said the festival will remain the same, despite the name change, and promised ‘great food, great drink’ on Saturday, August 2 at Bear Field.

Watkins also said ‘the number one tribute acts in the country’ such as Harry Styled UK, Got to be Taylor Swift, Got to be Steps, Got to be Mamma Mia and Wickedly Hariana would perform.

‘Our town is so beautiful, but there’s so much untapped potential there, which is why we keep creating events (such as Pride),’ he said.

‘We do the panto in town, so many amazing things. I decorate the town hall for armistice. I do a lot in the town just to bring a lot of joy, and it’s a town that should be celebrated, and that’s what Moo-La-La, as it’s now called, will be.’

Watkins rose to fame in the the dance-pop group, Steps, and has appeared on ITV show Dancing On Ice as well as mystery Dial M For Middlesbrough.

His group celebrated 20 years since their formation with a comeback album and UK tour in 2017 and in 2022 they released a Platinum Collection album.

You May Also Like

Marilyn Monroe hinted at revealing shocking secrets about the Kennedys before her untimely death – was she killed to keep her quiet?

Jazz singer and pianist Buddy Greco is captivated by the stunning beauty…

Ministers caution that online child sexual abuse poses a growing grooming threat

ONLINE child sexual abuse could be “the next grooming crisis”, experts warn…

Driver angrily hits another car with a bat before narrowly avoiding getting hit by a bumper

THIS is the shocking moment a bloodied driver smashes up a car…

Ancient city from 2,400 years ago found by archaeologists, featuring tall buildings and a temple honoring a cobra deity.

A ONCE bustling city with multi-storey tower houses and a cobra goddess…

Newlyweds Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez bid farewell to top guests as they leave their Venice hotel following their three-day wedding celebration.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, who recently tied the knot, bid farewell…

Tragic Incident in Georgia: 8th Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke Case of the Year

A Georgia child who was reported missing last Sunday has been found…

UK Mother Unable to See Her Son for 2 Years After Ex Allegedly Takes Him to Saudi Arabia – Blames Police for Ignoring Her Warnings

Ranem Elkhalidi is deeply affected as she walks past the school playground,…

Iran refuses inspection of nuclear sites, insists on continuing uranium enrichment despite concerns about imminent nuclear weapon development.

Iran has refused access to inspectors to its nuclear facilities and has…

Homeowner receives $25,000 bill due to damage caused by squatters who refuse to leave – no vacation notice given and police unable to assist

A HOMEOWNER faces a bill of at least $25,000 after strangers moved…

Putin launches a massive attack with 500 missiles and drones in a chaotic night for Ukraine with Nato fighter jets responding quickly

VLADIMIR Putin has unleashed another night of hell over Ukraine with a…

Business executive accused of stealing £1 million, fleeing, faking death in Majorca, and being caught by a large poodle, to appear in court.

A SUSPECTED German fraudster who faked her own death and was given…

PM rejects suggestion to remove influential No10 official Morgan McSweeney following public criticism of welfare policies

THE PM’S powerful chief of staff Morgan McSweeney is “not going anywhere”…