COACHELLA 2023
Frank Ocean leaves fans wanting with Coachella performance
Fans left Frank Ocean’s set on Sunday night disappointed after a confusing performance.
Frank Ocean performed his first live show since 2017 after a six-year hiatus, with fans eagerly awaiting his Coachella performance on Sunday.
However, many left the Coachella stage disappointed. Ocean’s performance was delayed by one hour, only to be cut short after he went over Coachella’s set curfew.
Fans at home were similarly disappointed when it was revealed, the day of, that his show would not be live-streamed on Coachella’s YouTube channel.
The show started late, only to be cut short
Ocean performed his show beneath a large screen that covered the majority of the stage, leaving him only visible to fans lucky enough to be standing close enough to spot the artist in the gap under the giant screen.
He spent most of the set sitting at his piano on a dimly lit stage, as he performed what were largely remixes of 18 of his fan-favorite songs. The set also included a 10-minute DJ set by DJ Crystal Mess.
Ocean performed for a little over an hour before he had to cut his set short due to Coachella’s curfew rules.
A touching speech about his brother
During his performance, Ocean took a moment to share a touching memory of his previous appearances at Coachella with his younger brother, Ryan Breaux, who passed away at the age of 18 in 2020 following a car accident.
“These last couple of years, my life changed so much. My brother and I, we came to this festival a lot,” he began, before saying that he often felt he was being dragged to the show, often suffering from the desert dust that affected his vocals.
“One of my favorite memories was watching Rae Sremmurd with my brother and Travis [Bennett], just dancing to their music.
“I know he would’ve been so excited to be here with all of us. I wanted to say thank you for the support and the ears and the love for all this time.”
Fans react to Ocean’s performance
After the delayed start, confusing performance, and abrupt end, some fans took to social media to express their disappointment with the show.
Still, other fans looked past these criticisms to appreciate the chance to hear Ocean sing live.