coachella

Will Smith Spotted At Coachella To Support Willow & Jaden

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Following the Oscars debacle, it was rare to spot Will Smith anywhere publicly. For the most part, he’s kept his head low over the past year as he attempted to repair his image. Of course, the Oscars slap remains a hot topic, especially after Chris Rock’s Netflix special. Will didn’t respond to Chris directly. But, he’s trying to move beyond that incident and regain his footing in Hollywood. Most recently, he announced a string of movies that are in development.

Will seems to be returning to the fold, though. This weekend, fans spotted Will Smith in the crowd at Coachella in support of his children, Jaden and Willow. l hit the ‘Gram to share his view of the set; surprisingly, he wasn’t hiding or trying to be discrete. Smith was in the middle of the crowd, enjoying the show like other ticketholders at the Mojave Tent. Willow was actually billed for the show but Jaden later showed out on stage with a shirt reading, “Willow’s Brother.”

Will Smith At Coachella

Will clearly couldn’t miss the moment of seeing his kids perform live at one of the biggest music festivals in the world. However, it looks like he also required taking a break from the set. A few days prior to their performance, Will and Martin Lawrence were spotted on the set for Bad Boys 4 which they announced earlier this year. Though there isn’t a release date yet, Will and Martin are shooting the next installment of the action-comedy franchise in Atlanta. 

In addition to Bad Boys 4, Will Smith also signed up for an upcoming film titled Fast & Loose. The movie was initially put on hold following the 2022 Oscars but they resumed filming. Sources say that both films are an attempt for Will Smith to reestablish his commercial status in the film industry, especially after the success of movies such as King Richard and Emancipation. We’ll keep you posted on anymore updates surrounding Will Smith’s upcoming movies. Check out footage from his appearance at Coachella above. Are you looking forward to seeing Will Smith star in more movies? Let us know in the comments.

Did The Weeknd Perform At Coachella 2023?

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The Weeknd Avatar 2 The Way Of Water Premiere 2022
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The Weeknd had a good weekend. He teased a potential appearance in the desert for the first weekend of Coachella 2023, but that was buried beneath his tease of The Idol Vol. 1 and news that The Idol will premiere out-of-competition at next month’s 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

Surprise, surprise: the teases were interconnected.

Metro Boomin brought out The Weeknd, Future, John Legend, Don Toliver, 21 Savage, and Diddy. The Weeknd’s portion included the live debut of “Creepin’,” the Heroes & Villains collaborative track with Metro Boomin and 21 Savage that peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and what’s believed to be “Double Fantasy” with Mike Dean (as reported by Billboard).

The latter was among last week’s teases:

Per Billboard, “For the live debut, Dean’s saxophone rumbled through the Sahara Tent while the crowd was blinded by The Weeknd’s fluorescent, all-white ensemble, along with the lights he once sang about. ‘Temperature rising, bodies united, now that I tried you in my arms. No need to fight it, no need to hide it, now that I’ve seen what’s in your heart,’ he sang before letting his vocal runs synch up with the electrifying synths.”

The Weeknd will take any good press related to The Idol, even if tangential, after the Rolling Stone‘s damning investigative report about allegedly troubling working conditions on the HBO set. He responded to the criticism, though Jeremy O. Harris didn’t explicitly ask about the March report, for Interview Magazine:

“I’m used to it more than someone like Sam [Levinson], who’s probably a little bit used to it now. And I’m sure Lily[-Rose Depp], definitely — Lily’s stronger than both of us. But I’ve been judged since the beginning. My stuff’s always kind of been provocative. I understand it’s hard for people to separate that sometimes and that some people want to have an opinion about you, even if it’s not true.

As an artist, you have to know that you can’t please everybody, and you have to accept that it comes with the job. You have to remind yourself that everybody that knows you, knows you’re a good person. If you’re going out there trying to prove to people you’re a good person all the time, then it becomes like a dead end. But what I’ve learned is, with time people will learn to understand. But I have thick skin. I’m used to it.”

Read the full interview here.

A Possible Explanation For Frank Ocean’s Bizarre Coachella Set Has Emerged

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Frank Ocean’s Coachella headlining set has received a less-than-warm reception from fans. After starting over an hour late, fans were disappointed by what turned out to be a meandering, disjointed set in which he only performed a handful of songs before a DJ played a string of mashups and remixes. While he did tease a new album, after burning fans so badly with his first-weekend set, they might not be looking forward to it as much as they were on Saturday.

Fans left wondering just why Frank’s set turned out the way it did may have gotten an explanation on Twitter, though. The Festive Owl, an independent journalistic outlet that covers festivals around the country, spoke with multiple sources about the disastrous set, reporting their findings in a long tweet that revealed much of the behind-the-scenes finagling that sparked the hour-long delay.

The stage production was supposed to (and did) contain an ice rink that was constructed and ready to go.

Frank decided at the last minute that he no longer wanted it at all. All of the people walking around him at the start of the performance were actually ice skaters, had been practicing for weeks, and were supposed to be skating as part of the production. Coachella had to deconstruct the approved stage (that had been planned and signed off on for months in advance) + melt the entire ice rink and then set it up how Frank decided today with no warning. Which is what you ended up seeing, and caused the hour-long delay. This all happened when doors had already opened for Sunday, and people were securing their spots to see him. If the last-minute changes weren’t made he wouldn’t have performed at all — leaving the festival without a closing headliner.

Frank also personally pulled the plug at the last second on the live stream which left a very sour taste in many inside Coachella’s mouths.

Ultimately, and I quote — “It just didn’t seem like he wanted to be there but was obligated to be. Everything (including him) fell apart last minute.

Don’t expect to see any coverage from the festival about the set. Something that is unprecedented in the history of Coachella. The relationship is not in a good place right now.”

What this means for Weekend Two of Coachella remains to be seen… but don’t be surprised if big changes are announced sometime this week.

Calvin Harris Pays Tribute To Takeoff At Coachella With New Version Of “Slide”

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Calvin Harris honored the late Migos rapper Takeoff during his set at Coachella on Sunday night by performing a new version of the track, “Slide.” Harris included the original song on his 2017 album, Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1. It featured Offset, Quavo, and Frank Ocean. During Sunday’s performance, Harris played a version adding the third Migos rapper.

At the end of the track, Harris added Takeoff’s verse from their collaboration on the Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 song, “Holiday.” It was the first time fans got to hear all three Migos artists featured on the single, which reached 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100 when it released.

Calvin Harris On Stage At Coachella

INDIO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 15: Calvin Harris performs at the Coachella Stage during the 2023 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 15, 2023 in Indio, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella)

The tribute comes over five months after Takeoff was shot and killed outside of a bowling alley in Houston, Texas in November. He was just 28 years old. Harris wasn’t the only artist to honor Takeoff over the weekend. His Migos partner, Offset, also showed off a massive back tattoo he got to pay tribute to him. “Love you 4L & after,” Offset captioned a picture of the tattoo on Instagram. He added rocket, heart, and dove emojis. The tattoo is a massive portrait of Takeoff that spans nearly the entirety of Offset’s back.

Offset, who is also Takeoff’s first cousin, previously reflected on the passing of the rapper in a lengthy Instagram post from November. “The pain you have left me with is unbearable,” Offset wrote at the time. “My heart is shattered and I have so many things to say, but I can’t find the words. I’ve been going to sleep and waking up hoping that all of this is a dream, but it’s reality, and reality feels like a nightmare. I know someone with a soul like yours is in heaven now. I hope you can see how much we love you and miss you. You have left a hole in my heart that will never be filled.”

Takeoff’s Verse On “Slide”

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Diddy Delivers Surprise Performance During Metro Boomin’s Headlining Coachella Set

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At the Coachella Music Festival, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs unexpectedly performed “Creepin” during Metro Boomin’s headline set.

When Metro Boomin released the remix of his now platinum track “Creepin” with The Weeknd and 21 Savage, he enlisted Diddy, who had a part in the original Bad Boy classic “I Don’t Wanna Know,” which was performed, written, and produced by former Bad Boy artist and hitman Mario Winans.

Metro Boomin released the star-studded video with Diddy, The Weeknd, and 21 Savage last month as well. Mario Winans and R&B singer and actress Coco Jones make special appearances in the video, which pays homage to the original hit.

You can see images from Coachella below.

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The post Diddy Delivers Surprise Performance During Metro Boomin’s Headlining Coachella Set appeared first on The Source.

What Was Frank Ocean’s Coachella Setlist For 2023?

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Last night (April 16), Frank Ocean took the Coachella stage as the first 2023 weekend’s closer. The consensus is that it did not go well (although there was talk of a new album, so that’s something). So, what did his set look like?

In total, there were 24 songs (as setlist.fm notes), but a significant portion of those came during a DJ Crystall Mess mini DJ set that was primarily Ocean remixes, not songs performed live. Beyond that, the set featured the live debuts of “Come On World, You Can’t Go!,” “Impietas / Deathwish (ASR),” “White Ferrari,” “Florida,” and “Godspeed.”

Check out the setlist below.

1. “Novacane” (new version)
2. “Come On World, You Can’t Go!”
3. “Crack Rock”
4. “Impietas / Deathwish (ASR)”
5. “Bad Religion”
6. “White Ferrari” (new version)
7. “Florida”
8. “Pink + White” (acoustic)
9. “Solo” (new version)
10. “Solo (Reprise)” *
11. “Chanel (Sango Remix)” *
12. “Lost (Jersey Club Remix)” *#
13. “Slide (Jersey Club Remix)” *#
14. “In Ha Mood” (Ice Spice song) *#
15. “Provider (Jersey Club Remix)” *#
16. “In My Room (Jersey Club Remix)” *#
17. “No Church In The Wild/Pyramids” (mashup) *#
18. “Godspeed”
19. “Wise Man” (new version)
20. “Night Life” (Aretha Franklin cover)
21. “Self Control” (acoustic)
22. “Nikes” *
23. “Nights (Mixed with Sango Remix)” *
24. “At Your Best (You Are Love)” (The Isley Brothers cover)

* played from tape, not performed live
# DJ Crystall Mess set

Is Frank Ocean Working On A New Album?

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Frank Ocean did not livestream his headlining Coachella set last night, April 16, so you’re forgiven for not knowing what happened — and it was a lot. Ocean took the stage an hour later than expected, and outside of opening with “Novacane,” the shorter-than-expected performance was not one for the books, based on most reactions.

But there is some positive news. Sort of. Maybe.

“It’s been so long. Everybody talks about how long it’s been. It’s like, it’s been so long. It’s been so long. But I have missed you,” Ocean told the crowd. “I wanna talk about why I’m here because it’s not because of the new album. It’s because — not that there’s not a new album. But there’s not right now. Chill, chill, chill. It’s not right now. But, you know, these last couple years, life changed so much.”

Ocean’s last LP, Blonde, arrived in 2016. And by August 2020, Ocean’s 18-year-old brother, Ryan, died in a single car crash in Thousand Oaks, California (as reported by The Los Angeles Times at the time).

An update on Ocean’s productivity felt less importance once he mentioned Ryan in the second half of his speech to the audience.

He continued, “My brother and I, we came to this festival a lot. And I feel like I was dragged out here half the time because I hated the dust out. … I would avoid coming, [but] I would always end up here. One of my fondest memories was watching Rae Sreummurd — I don’t know what that stage is called, but watching Rae Sreummurd with my brother and Travis. We were just dancing in that tent to their music. I know he would have been so excited to be here with all of us, and I want to say thank you for the support and the ears and love over all this time. And I’m gonna get back to you soon.”

Frank Oceans Cut Coachella Set Short After Showing Up An Hour Late

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Frank Ocean’s headlining set at Coachella didn’t go exactly how fans would’ve hoped. The first weekend of Coachella wrapped up on Sunday night with a headlining set from the enigmatic singer. Unfortunately, some felt like it wasn’t worth the three-year anticipation. For starters, Frank Ocean’s set wasn’t live streamed on YouTube to the ire of his fans watching at home. Even so, Coachella ticketholders also weren’t entirely happy with the experience. Don’t get it confused, people were happy he showed up at all but logistics and scheduling problems led to disappointment. 

The “Swim Good” artist appeared on stage nearly an hour late for his first performance since 2017. Coachella scheduled Frank Ocean’s headlining spot for 10:05 p.m.. However, he appeared on stage at around 10:55 p.m. – nearly an hour before the festival’s usual 12 a.m. curfew. The singer abruptly cut his set short after performing a cover of The Isley Brothers’ “At Your Best (You Are Love).” “Guys, I’m being told it’s curfew, so that’s the end of the show. Thank you so much,” he told the audience before leaving the stage.

Frank Ocean Cuts Coachella Early

Despite the short set, Frank Ocean did provide fans with a bit more insight into his creative process as of late. On top of teasing a snippet of new music, his stage set-up was designed to appear as an intimate recording session. Then, midway through his set, he hosted a rave intermission, courtesy of DJ Crystalmess. However, he also suggested that he does have new music on the way as he explained why he agreed to perform. “I want to talk about why I’m here because it’s not because of a new album… Not that there’s not a new album,” he said before paying homage to his late brother, Ryan.

There’s no doubt that Frank Ocean had one of the most anticipated sets of the festival this year. It marked his return to Coachella in roughly a decade, though it wasn’t necessarily supposed to be this long. He was tapped as the headliner for the 2020 festival but due to the pandemic, Coachella was cancelled. The following year, Goldenvoice CEO and Coachella’s co-founder Paul Tollet confirmed that they would have Frank Ocean perform to make it up to the fans. Check out some footage & reactions from Frank Ocean’s set below. 

Coachella Reactions

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Frank Ocean Teases New Album During Coachella Performance

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Frank Ocean confirmed that he’s got a new album on the way during his highly-anticipated Coachella performance on Sunday night. He did so while reflecting on the loss of his brother, Ryan, who died in a car accident in 2020.

“It’s been so long. Everybody talks about how long it’s been. ‘It’s been so long, it’s been so long.’ But I have missed you,” Frank told the audience between songs. “I want to talk about why I’m here, because it’s not because of a new album. It’s because — not that there’s not a new album… but there’s not right now. Chill, chill, chill. No, it’s not right now.”

Frank Ocean At Panorama Music Festival

Frank Ocean performs at the 2017 Panorama Music Festival on Randall’s Island in New York on July 28, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

He continued: “These last couple years, my life changed so much… My brother and I, we came to this festival a lot, and I feel like I was dragged out here half the time because I hated the dust out here. I always left with a respiratory infection or whatever, so I would avoid coming, but I would always end up here. One of my fondest memories was watching Rae Sremmurd on — I don’t know what that stage is called — watching Rae Sremmurd with my brother and Travis [Bennett]. We were just dancing in that tent to their music… I know he would’ve been so excited to be here with all of us, and I want to say thank you for the support and the ears and the love over all this time.”

As for the rest of the performance, Ocean’s setlist boasted songs spanning the entirety of his career. He performed early tracks like “Novocane,” “Crack Rock,” and “Bad Religion,” to Blonde hits like “White Ferrari” and “Nights,” as well as newer songs such as “In My Room.” At the end of the night, he remarked, “Guys, I’m being told it’s curfew, so that’s the end of the show. Thank you so much.”

Frank Ocean’s Tribute To Ryan

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