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Dear April 2023: Frank Ocean will headline Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival three years after he was originally supposed to, according to co-founder Paul Tollett.
The Goldenvoice CEO broke the news in an interview with the Los Angeles Times on Monday (Aug. 2). He solely revealed Ocean’s name from the 2023 bill, but his unorthodox strategy of naming an act years in advance was meant to reassure fans that the enigmatic R&B superstar will perform as promised after the COVID-19 pandemic derailed Coachella in 2020 and 2021. In June, Goldenvoice announced that North America’s largest multi-genre music festival will return after a two-year hiatus, with weekend one scheduled for April 15-17 and weekend two marked for April 22-24, 2022, at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.
“Right now, it’s the Wild West,” Tollett said. “I’m just trying to be as fair as I can to artists and to the fans to make sure that eventually they get to see everyone that we talked about.”
Travis Scott and Rage Against the Machine, who were previously billed with Ocean as the three headliners of the 2020 festival, will do the honors next year. Ocean was not available for the 2021 rescheduled edition of the festival, and Tollett did not reveal who will be joining La Flame and RATM as the third big name on the latest festival bill. It also remains unclear who will join the “Thinkin Bout You” artist on the 2023 bill.
Ocean last released two singles in March 2020, “Dear April” and “Cayendo.” His magnum opus of a sophomore album, Blonde, will celebrate its fifth anniversary on Aug. 20, 2021.
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Willie Nelson has criticised the development of data centres and encouraged communities to unite and “fight” the construction of the large server facilities.
The country music legend has supported environmental causes for decades and helped establish Farm Aid. For more than 40 years, the organisation has assisted local farmers while challenging the expansion of industrial farming operations that threaten family operated land.
On Tuesday, July 28, Nelson posted an open letter on social media condemning environmentally harmful data centres throughout the United States. He also drew attention to the serious effects these facilities can have on nature and nearby businesses.
“I grew up in Abbott, and I still have a home there with farmed land where I can still see stars at night,” his post began. “And now our community, like many others, needs to fight against data centres invading our land.”
Nelson described the facilities as “loud”, “water-thieving” and “light polluting”. He added that “the last thing we need” is to have them located “anywhere near our town (or any others for that matter)”.
“The strength of rural America has never come from big industrial footprints. It comes from generations of people, open spaces, local businesses, and a connection to the land,” he wrote, adding that the nation deserves “thoughtful stewardship that doesn’t steal farmland” and small family farms, “not data centers that only destroy the environment around them.”
Bringing his message to a close, Nelson wrote: “Whoever controls food and water, controls the masses. Let’s not allow our own demise or give up control over necessary resources in the US, and especially in Abbott”.
Concerns surrounding data centres are increasing across the United States because of the enormous quantities of water they consume, along with the land and electricity required to power AI services. Several areas around the country have already blocked or delayed new data centre projects in response to these issues.
According to Variety, Nelson has generated more than $70million (£52.6million) through Farm Aid to assist rural agricultural communities. He has also helped collect millions for military veterans, disaster survivors, and people experiencing hunger or homelessness.
Nelson released his latest project, ‘Dream Chaser’, in May, marking the 79th solo album of his career.
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