Let’s be Frank: The controversy around Frank Ocean at Coachella
Frank Ocean’s Coachella performance on Sunday, Apr. 16, has ensued chaos among fans. Because Ocean has been slated to headline this year’s festival since 2020, the disappointment from fans was as high as their anticipation. An outbreak of enraged videos, tweets, and comments has infected the internet during the past week, and one could only image: What happened with the beloved artist?
Hours before the performance, it was revealed that the official Coachella live stream would not be streaming Ocean’s set. This was odd, as Coachella and YouTube promoted the stream. While the internet was left puzzled, the Coachella attendees waited in bafflement due to an hour delay. With some fans reported to have been waiting since 8 a.m., the question rang through the heads of dedicated supporters: Where is Frank Ocean?
Then, the moment fans had been dreaming about finally happened: Frank Ocean emerged on stage at 11:00 p.m. The excitement reverbs through the crowd: he finally arrived! Yet he was nowhere to be found. The faces of fans, prepared for a night of endless smiles, were relaxed with perplexity. To the audience’s dismay, Ocean was barely visible for portions of his show, lip-synched to disappointing remixes that troubled fans who wanted to sing along, included unexpected (and long) DJ interludes, and only completed a few songs before the show was cut—yikes. To state that Frank Ocean did not meet expectations would be an extreme understatement.
Not only were faithful fans infuriated, but Ocean’s performers were, too. The people seen walking on stage in the beginning, scuttling around on a lackluster set to awkward silence, were Olympic figure skaters. The stage production had constructed an ice rink, an approved stage that had been planned months in advance and hired skaters who devoted weeks for rehearsal. Months of hard work lent by the dancers and the set designers melted with the ice rink after Frank Ocean declared a last-minute change to cut the rink. The deconstruction of the rink perpetrated the hour-long delay, news that fans, who were fatigued from a day in the scorching heat (some reported to have passed out), did not want to hear. Then, another erratic command from Coachella’s headliner: cut the livestream.
What warranted this rash verdict—a decision made to the detriment of the loyal fans and crew? Rumors have circulated about Ocean injuring his ankle during Coachella rehearsals, provoking the removal of a catwalk and circular stage on the set. Reports from Pitchfork state that “doctors advised Ocean to take pressure off his ankle by changing his production for the show.” Because of this injury, Frank Ocean has pulled out of Coachella’s second weekend.
Was it merely an injury that affected the quality of the performance? If Ocean hurt his leg, does that mean the skaters did too? Is the remedy for a leg injury hiding behind a screen on stage and lip-synching? The skaters have reported that Ocean has been enthusiastic and professional throughout the weeks leading up to the performance. So, when they heard the last-minute news, their faces crystalized in diamond makeup, that the elusive singer is “no longer in the right headspace” to stick to the script, the entropy of shock broke loose. It appears there was more going on with Ocean than merely an injury.
Because he has not performed in over six years, Frank Ocean’s flat show rubbed salt in the wounds of many devoted fans. A minority of fans ran to his defense, though; getting on stage after a long performance break while still grieving the loss of a loved one (Ocean’s brother passed away in 2020) can be arduous. Other fans believe his actions disrespected them, the dancers, and Coachella itself.
As a Frank Ocean fan myself, I wish he never stepped onto that stage. I’m sympathetic to the trials of putting yourself out there after a long break, but maybe Ocean needed more time to recover. While sole speculation is all I can provide in claiming that Frank Ocean was mentally overwhelmed, I believe it is highly plausible considering the factors involved leading up to such an anticipated performance. He may have simply not been ready, and unfortunately, the commitment between Frank Ocean and his fans, teammates, and the Coachella organizers was not honored. Fans raved and bubbled with ecstasy, assured that the historic performance would be unforgettable. Regardless, Coachella, or “Frankchella,” certainly provided a notorious night to remember.
Thumbnail Photo via Wikimedia Commons