Photo Credit: Jack Bridgland
Frank Ocean has officially dropped out of Coachella 2023’s second weekend following a lackluster opening-weekend performance, which the 35-year-old and his team are attributing to a leg injury.
Update (4/21): Coachella has booked Blink-182 as Frank Ocean’s official weekend-two replacement, and after the California-based group’s show, Skrillex, Fred Again, and Four Tet are expected to close out the festival. Below is our initial coverage of Ocean’s exit.
Long Beach-born Frank Ocean just recently revealed his exit from the Coachella 2023 lineup, after starting his Sunday, April 16th headlining set an hour or so late – bringing about curfew-related difficulties in the process. The delay was said to have resulted from a last-minute order from Ocean to deconstruct an on-stage ice rink.
Meanwhile, sources have also communicated that the two-time Grammy winner likewise pulled the plug on his show’s planned YouTube livestream. Needless to say, the less-than-ideal developments may well have strained Ocean’s relationship with Coachella’s AEG-owned organizer, Goldenvoice, and more than a few fans criticized the “terrible” performance.
Despite these qualms about Frank Ocean’s opening-weekend Coachella 2023 show – which certain diehard supporters are defending, it’s worth noting – additional fans yet are now taking to social media to express their dissatisfaction with the “Lost” artist’s exit from the weekend-two lineup.
“not Frank Ocean dropped out of coachella all together😭 disappointed but not surprised,” weighed in one fan.
In a statement, an Ocean representative explained the causes of the pullout, which Coachella itself didn’t appear to have addressed on Twitter, Instagram, or its website at the time of this writing.
“Frank Ocean will regretfully not be performing at weekend 2 of Coachella,” the rep indicated. “After suffering an injury to his leg on festival grounds in the week leading up to Coachella weekend 1, Frank Ocean was unable to perform the intended show but was still intent on performing, and in 72 hours, the show was reworked out of necessity. On doctor’s advice, he is not able to perform Coachella weekend 2 due to two fractures and a sprain in his left leg.”
The Blonde artist also provided an explanation in a (comparatively brief) statement, specifying: “It was chaotic. There is some beauty in chaos. It isn’t what I intended to show but I did enjoy being out there and I’ll see you soon.”
Blink-182 (which played a surprise show during Coachella 2023’s first weekend) has reportedly been tapped as Frank Ocean’s replacement. But once again at the time of writing, neither Goldenvoice nor the group behind 1995’s Cheshire Cat had publicly confirmed or otherwise addressed the rumor. As many on social media have pointed out, logic suggests that passholders will be officially informed of the lineup pivot sooner rather than later.