Frank Ocean

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.

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 2020
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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’s Catastrophic Coachella 2023 Performance At Least Included News About A New Album

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Yesterday (April 16), Frank Ocean headlined the final day of Coachella’s first weekend. It was a highly anticipated performance, but for a number of reasons, it did not go well at all. One attendee summarized, “I’ve never seen so many people walk out of a show so upset and confused. The amount of anticipation for this was extremely high, and I don’t think anyone was satisfied. Not even the diehard fans.”

If there was one silver lining to be had, though, it was that Ocean spoke about his next album.

At one point during the set, he took a couple minutes to give a short speech, which he started, “It’s been so long, but I have missed you. 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, just like… but there’s not right now.”

A new album would certainly be a big deal, as Ocean hasn’t released one since 2016’s Blonde, which topped the charts and was one of the year’s most acclaimed projects.

Back to Ocean’s speech: He went on to speak about how his life “changed so much” over the past few years following the 2020 death of his brother, Ryan Breaux, and about how much Coachella meant to them both and the memories he had of attending the fest with Breaux. He also thanked fans for their support over the years before resuming his set.

Frank Ocean’s Highly Anticipated Coachella 2023 Performance Was A Disaster And Fans Are Beyond Upset

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Per setlist.fm, Frank Ocean performed at Finland’s Flow Festival in August 2017. Until this weekend, that was his most recent live show, but now, nearly six years later, Ocean returned to the stage yesterday (April 16) to headline Coachella. It… did not go well.

Even before Ocean took the stage, things weren’t looking good. It was revealed that his performance would not be livestreamed online, unlike the majority of other Coachella sets this year. Then, Ocean only started performing an hour after his set was supposed to begin, meaning he only ended up starting the show at around 11 p.m. PT. Given that, as the Coachella website notes, there was a midnight venue curfew on Sunday, Ocean’s set ended up having to be cut short. As setlist.fm notes, the set features 14 actual performances and a lot of other pre-recorded songs, mostly remixes, played over the speakers.

As for when the show was actually going on, people weren’t happy. Rolling Stone‘s Tomás Mier summarized his take on the situation, tweeting, “No, I didn’t enjoy Frank Ocean’s set. It was confusing. It was odd. it was not a Coachella headliner-worthy performance. I didn’t understand it. Maybe it wasn’t made for me to understand. Idk. I have more questions than I do answers. I’ve never seen so many people walk out of a show so upset and confused. The amount of anticipation for this was extremely high, and I don’t think anyone was satisfied. Not even the diehard fans. (And if you weren’t there… don’t talk lol.)

Check out some more reactions below.

Frank Ocean Started His Coachella Set An Hour Late With A Rousing Rendition Of ‘Novacane’

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While fans online felt the FOMO after learning Frank Ocean’s Coachella headlining set would not be livestreamed on the festival’s YouTube channel, fans in attendance worried he might not perform at all after an hour passed with no sign of the singer.

Sure, he’s pretty elusive and mysterious, but waiting over an hour had fans feeling antsy. Fortunately, he opened his set with a fan favorite that got the crowd back on his side: “Novacane,” his breakout single from the 2011 mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra.

After playing “Novacane,” he followed up with “Crack Rock,” “Bad Religion,” and “White Ferrari” before sharing his favorite Coachella memories with the assembled crowd, including catching Rae Sremmurd and Travis Scott. Although he admitted he didn’t like coming to the desert — thanks in part to a tendency to get respiratory infections from the flying dust — he thanked fans for coming out to see him after so long. His last Coachella appearance was over 10 years ago, in 2012.

Since the avant-garde R&B experimentalist released two studio albums, Channel Orange and Blonde, as well as a visual project, Endless. However, he’s been a scarce presence on festival stages and hasn’t toured much; before being booked to headline the canceled 2020 edition of Coachella, he hosted a series of DJ events in 2019 where he shared some of his first new music in years.

Speaking of new music, during his speech at Coachella, he cleared the air about that; he did not take the gig to promote a new project, although he said one is in the works.

Frank Ocean’s Headlining Coachella Set Wasn’t Livestreamed And Fans Were Seriously Not Happy About It

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Coachella has been one of the pioneer festivals when it comes to streaming its performances online but at the end of weekend one, fans were aghast to learn that one of the most anticipated sets wouldn’t be available on the festival’s YouTube live stream, just hours before the headlining set began.

Frank Ocean hasn’t performed live in… well, probably half a decade, outside of a few sporadic DJ sets. Fans were naturally psyched up to see him hit the stage in Indio, but then, it was announced by the YouTube Twitter account that “Frank Ocean is not scheduled to appear on the Coachella live stream” and unsurprisingly, all hell broke loose.

It makes sense that fans would be … shall we say “a bit out of sorts” over the news. The last time the elusive artist performed at the festival was in 2012, when he was accompanied onstage by BadBadNotGood as his backing band and performed such standouts from his catalog as “Novacane” and “Swim Good” from his breakout mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra before his critically-acclaimed debut album Channel Orange had hit the shelves.

Since then, he’s only released one other album, 2016’s equally warmly received Blonde, as well as the visual project Endless. There has been some speculation that he would be performing new songs from a rumored follow-up to Blonde or singing Nostalgia, Ultra in its entirety before releasing it on streaming, but even if neither were true, it’d be his first chance to perform either of his studio albums at Coachella — and many fans’ first chance to see him play, since his original headlining set was canceled in 2020 and he rarely performs live.

Now, it seems that those fans who weren’t able to make it to the festival in person will be feeling even more FOMO. This one just about sums up the general feeling on Twitter:

Frank Ocean’s Coachella Live Stream Seemingly Cancelled, Twitter Reacts

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The final hours of Coachella weekend one are winding down. Patrons are certainly eager to catch the most highly anticipated headliner of the weekend, Frank Ocean. The Blond artist’s set is due to begin at 10 PM PT. Many have been counting down the hours until showtime all weekend long. Thankfully for those who couldn’t make it to this year’s event, the festival has been streaming several performances live via YouTube. While fans of Ocean have been looking forward to watching his first concert in years from the comfort of their own homes, speculation began circulating online on Sunday (April 16) evening that Coachella won’t be giving us a glimpse into the final show of the night.

It’s worth noting that Friday and Saturday’s main events, Bad Bunny and BLACKPINK, both made their sets available to audiences at home. Today, however, acts like Bjork and Ocean were notably missing from the streaming schedule, causing major concern to fly. “When is Frank Ocean gonna stop the anonymous game?” one Twitter user openly pondered upon hearing the news. “You’re not [an] underground artist. We all know what you look and smell like and know your favourite colour.”

Frank Ocean Headlines Coachella 2023

Several others chimed in with memes and videos depicting their reaction to the potential cancellation. Though undeniably dramatic, the outrage is understandable considering tonight marks Ocean’s first performance since 2017. He previously trended online last week as music lovers realized he likely wouldn’t be dropping a new album ahead of his Coachella set as many anticipated. Rather, the 35-year-old has kept quiet as of late, with his last official release coming in the form of 2020’s “Cayendo” and “Dear April.”

Prior to that, 2019 gave us singles such as “DHL” and “In My Room,” while 2018 saw the arrival of “Moon River.” He hasn’t delivered a full-length project since 2016, though we’ve got our fingers crossed that will change soon. Scroll on to read more reactions to Coachella reportedly cancelling Frank Ocean’s live stream, and check back later for more music news updates.

Twitter Reacts to Word of Cancelled Live Stream

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