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Why Wasn’t Frank Ocean’s Coachella Performance Livestreamed? Fans React: ‘Rue the Day’
Another livestream fail! Fans were not happy after Frank Ocean‘s headlining Coachella set was not broadcast via YouTube on Sunday, April 16.
“Frank Ocean is not scheduled to appear on the Coachella livestream,” YouTube shared via Twitter ahead of his performance. “The current schedule is in the description.”
The Channel Orange musician, 35, was set to take the stage just after 10 p.m. PT. However, social media posts from Coachella attendees revealed that he was late to hit the stage as well — officially walking out one hour after his scheduled time. Between the lack of livestream and the delayed performance, Twitter was abuzz with backlash from fans.
“Started the set late, didn’t let them live stream it, now ending the set early … Frank Ocean you will rue the day,” one Twitter user shared. Another referred to the performance overall as the “biggest disappointment” from the Coachella weekend, noting that his set was “confusing.”
A third person added, “If [Coachella] actually doesn’t live stream Frank Ocean’s performance tn it’s gonna be the craziest hater s–t of all time.”
Some other social media users shared photos from the music festival that stated there will be no Frank Ocean merchandise sold, despite him being one of the weekend’s headlining performers. “Good times,” one person wrote, alongside a photo of a sign that read, “No Frank Ocean Merchandise,” in a red block font.
Despite the fact that YouTube didn’t livestream the “Super Rich Kids” artist’s set, some people in the crowd had Instagram Live sessions dedicated to sharing the performance with other fans. It’s unclear why Frank’s performance was dropped from the YouTube livestream schedule.
“I respect Frank’s decision and don’t think it should be a given that sets will always be livestreamed but letting Coachella and YouTube promote a Frank stream until hours before (and letting fans get excited) was … a choice,” one Twitter user wrote, speculating that the musician himself asked for no livestream.
As fans know, this was the singer’s first live show in six years, since 2017. He was initially set to headline Coachella in 2020, but the festival was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Everybody is talking like, ‘It’s been so long, it’s been so long,’ but I have missed you,” the singer said when he took the stage, referencing his mini hiatus from live performances. Later on in the set, Frank announced to fans that he had to cut things short, abruptly stopping his set, which also upset fans.
“Guys, I’m being told it’s curfew, so that’s the end of the show,” the singer told the crowd. “Thank you so much.”
