Frank Ocean in 2017.Photo: ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images
Frank Ocean’s long-awaited return to the stage as aCoachella headlinerwas cut short due to curfew — but not before the enigmatic singer teased new music.
Ocean, 35, hadn’t performed in nearly six years before Sunday night, and made fans wait just a bit longer; while the star was scheduled to take the stage around 10 p.m., he didn’t until just before 11 p.m., and abruptly ended the show around 12:20 a.m.
“Guys, I’m being told it’s curfew, so that’s the end of the show,” he said from backstage. “Thank you so much.”
Though the set included reworked versions of hits like “Novacane” and “Pink + White,” he opted not to play some of his bigger hits, like “Thinkin Bout You.” His final song of the night was the Isley Brothers' “(At Your Best) You Are Love,” which was a hit forAaliyahin 1994.
Ocean’s performance — which had 20 songs, including the reworked versions — was also notably not played on YouTube’s official Coachella livestream, much to the frustration of fans hoping to watch from home.
“what do u mean frank ocean’s set won’t be on the livestream,” oneTwitter user wrote, adding a GIF fromFamily Guyof Peter Griffin driving off a cliff.
Addedanother fan: “the fans are gonna come for me but this frank ocean tiny desk concert as a headliner at coachella is not it the amount of people leaving because he looks like he doesn’t even wanna be here and he’s sitting on a stool as far from the audience… it’s just disappointing.”
Sources confirmed withVarietythat Ocean had allegedlycalled off a pre-planned stage productionon Sunday, hours before he was scheduled to perform, andRolling Stonereported that Ocean may have beendealing with an ankle injury, which could explain why was seated for most of his performance.
Reps for Ocean and Coachella did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Despite the snags, Ocean — who wore a blue puffer jacket with the hood up for most of his set — did hint that new music may soon be on the way. His last studio album,Blonde, came out in 2016, and he released two acoustic songs in 2020.
“I have missed you. I want to talk about why I’m here, because it’s not because of a new album… not that there’snota new album,” he teased.
The “Bad Religion” singer went on to explain that many of his Coachella memories were linked tohis late brother Ryan Breaux, who died in a 2020 car accident at age 18.
Frank Ocean.Theo Wargo/Getty
“These last couple years, my life changed so much. My brother and I, we came to this festival a lot. 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 what have you. So I would avoid coming, but I would always end up here,” he said.
Ocean then reflected on watching Rae Sremmurd and Travis Bennett perform at the festival with his brother.
“We was just dancing in that tent to their music, and 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,” he said.
source: people.com
