Did Frank Ocean drop out of Coachella 2023?

Frank Ocean is one of the most prolific names in the music industry, and for good reason. The singer, songwriter and rapper has been hailed as one of the most accomplished hip-hop and R&B artists in a generation, with a career spanning close to twenty years, two studio albums, a mixtape, and a multitude of singles, certainly not limited to but including “Novacane” and “In My Room.”

Needless to say, the excitement was palpable when it was announced that Ocean would be making a big return to the stage at Coachella 2023, performing live for the first time since 2017. Ocean was initially slated to perform at the 2020 iteration of the festival, however that didn’t come to pass as a result of the then-unfolding COVID-19 pandemic. 

Alas, Ocean’s streak of misfortune with the Coachella stage continues, and the artist will not be performing as scheduled during the festival’s second weekend, and is rumored to be having his set replaced by punk rockers Blink-182. Ocean managed to make a brief, albeit delayed appearance on the festival’s first Sunday, but his set had to undergo some drastic changes.

Why did Frank Ocean drop out of Coachella 2023? 

Frank Ocean sustained an injury to his leg during the first week of Coachella, and was advised by medical professionals to not proceed with his performance during the festival’s second weekend. Ocean has two fractures and a sprain in his left leg, Rolling Stone reports. A representative for Ocean issued the following statement from the singer amidst the turbulent scheduling change: 

“It was chaotic. There is some beauty in chaos. It isn’t what I intended to show but I enjoy being out there and I’ll see you soon.”

It seems, then, that Frank Ocean’s most devout fans will need to continue being patient if they want to see the artist make a tried and true return to the stage. Here’s hoping he’s got some new tunes on the horizon, too.