Why Frank Ocean's Coachella 2023 Performance Was Cut Short

1 year ago 57
RIGHT SIDEBAR TOP AD

Coachella 2023: See Shawn Mendes, Ariana Madix & More

Frank Ocean's Coachella 2023 performance is making waves, but not in the way you'd expect.

The Grammy winner was the third and final headliner at the three-day Indio, Calif. music festival. While the April 16 show—Ocean's first concert in nearly six years—was hotly anticipated, his stage comeback ultimately left fans scratching their heads after it was riddled with complications, including an disjointedly abrupt end to his set.

As seen in a video circulating on Twitter, the 35-year-old cut his performance short by announcing to the crowd, "Guys, I'm being told it's curfew, so that's the end of the show. Thank you so much."

What's worse for concertgoers, Ocean's set had already been shortened due to a delayed start. The "Thinkin Bout You" singer did not hit the stage until almost an hour after its advertised time, with the first five minutes featuring a group of people silently walking around in a circle on stage with Ocean nowhere to be found, according to Variety.

And when Ocean did finally appear, belting out the first lines of his 2011 hit "Novacane," he was hardly seen given how he had tucked his microphone in a small area at the back of the stage. His position also made it hard for the cameras to capture him, leading to largely shots of the back of his head being shown on the stage's giant LED screen. 

"trust me you did not want to be watching frank ocean," one Coachella attendee tweeted, while a second fan wrote that Ocean's set "had to be the worst I've ever experienced and he's my fav artist lmao."

Other aspects social media users took issue with included how Ocean's show was not livestreamed on Coachella's YouTube channel, unlike almost all of the other performances from this year's festival. "Started the set late, didn't let them live stream it, now ending the set early," a third fan remarked. "frank ocean you will rue the day."

John Shearer/Getty Images for THR

However, there were still several highlights from the show. A security guard twerking along to music made for a buzzy moment, as did Ocean alluding to new music.

"I wanna talk about why we're here, because it's not because of a new album," he told the audience in a video captured by a fan. "Not that there's not a new album, but there's not right now."

The Channel Orange artist also briefly touched on the death of his 18-year-old brother Ryan Breaux, who passed away in a car crash in 2020. "My life's changed so much," he said, before recalling how he and his brother used to attend Coachella. "I know he would've been so excited to be here with all of us."

Keep reading for more Coachella sightings.

Roger / BACKGRID

Kendall Jenner & Bad Bunny

BÉIS

Shay Mitchell

at Revolve Festival with BÉIS x Wanderlust 

Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for Tequila Don Julio

Camila Cabello

at Levi's brand presents Neon Carnival with Tequila Don Julio

Madison Voelkel

Olivia Culpo

at evian's Club Hydration at TAO Desert Nights

Al Powers

Austin North

at Levi's brand presents Neon Carnival with Tequila Don Julio

Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for Tequila Don Julio

Janelle Monáe

at Levi's brand presents Neon Carnival with Tequila Don Julio

Jojo Korsh/BFA.com

Zoey Deutch, Irina Shayk & Emma Roberts

at H&M Poolside Brunch

Loamis Media

Quincy Brown

at Soho Desert House with CIROC Honey Melon

Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for CELSIUS

Ariana Madix & Scheana Shay

at CELSIUS Oasis Vibe House

Shutterstock for BDG

Rachel Zoe

at The Zoe Report's Zoeasis

Shutterstock for BDG

Alessandra Ambrosio

at The Zoe Report's Zoeasis

Shutterstock for BDG

Teddi Mellencamp

at The Zoe Report's Zoeasis

Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Heineken

Kathryn Newton

at the Heineken House

Mat Hayward/Getty Images for STURDY. x Liquid I.V.

Scheana Shay

at STURDY. Oasis Hydrated By Liquid I.V. - Afro House

Mat Hayward/Getty Images for STURDY. x Liquid I.V.

Alessandra Ambrosio

at STURDY. Oasis Hydrated By Liquid I.V. - Afro House

Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for Casamigos Tequila

Becky G

at TAO Desert Nights presented by Jeeter with Casamigos 

TAO Hospitality Group

Post Malone

at TAO Desert Nights presented by Jeeter

The Daily Stardust / BACKGRID

Shawn Mendes

at Coachella

Backgrid

Camila Cabello

at Coachella

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella

Bad Bunny

performing onstage at Coachella

Shutterstock for BDG

Yara Shahidi

at NYLON House in the Desert 2023, Presented by Samsung Galaxy

Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for CELSIUS

Landon Barker

at CELSIUS Oasis Vibe House

Shutterstock for BDG

Bella Thorne

at NYLON House in the Desert 2023, Presented by Samsung Galaxy

Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for CELSIUS

Patrick Schwarzenegger

at CELSIUS Oasis Vibe House

Shutterstock for BDG

Teyana Taylor

at NYLON House in the Desert 2023, Presented by Samsung Galaxy

Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for CELSIUS

Delilah Belle Hamlin & Madison Beer

at CELSIUS Oasis Vibe House

Esteban Bonilla for KumoLuxe

DJ Roxy Ferrari

at Sonic Desert presented by Coca-Cola Creations with KumoLuxe

Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for CELSIUS

Evan Mock & Shaun White

at CELSIUS Oasis Vibe House

Shutterstock for BDG

Amber Rose

at NYLON House in the Desert 2023, Presented by Samsung Galaxy

Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for CELSIUS

Karrueche Tran

at CELSIUS Oasis Vibe House

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App

Read Entire Article