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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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Nova Twins, Brògeal and Eve Goodman have been confirmed as ambassadors for Independent Venue Week 2026.
The week long celebration of grassroots live music across the UK has been running since 2013 and will take place this year between January 26 and February 1. A total of 236 venues are involved, each hosting special shows during a period that is typically quieter for independent spaces.
Nova Twins will serve as the 2026 Artist Ambassadors and are set to return to their South London roots with a special one off performance at the 300 capacity Amersham Arms on January 27. Tickets for the show are available now.
Made up of Amy Love and Georgia South, the duo were recently named champions of National Album Day and ambassadors for Music Minds Matter. They also released their third studio album ‘Parasites & Butterflies’ last year.
The band said: “We’re SO excited to be playing Amersham Arms on Jan 27th for Independent Venue Week. This venue means so much to us. We spent a huge part of our teenage years playing on that stage and have so many memories tied to it.
“From our earliest bands through to becoming Nova Twins, it has always been a vital space for us. It helped shape who we are and build our community. We’re really looking forward to playing an intimate show and celebrating independent venues. We have to keep protecting them.”
Falkirk folk punk outfit Brògeal have been announced as the Scottish ambassadors for 2026. They will play shows at MacArts in Galashiels on January 30 and The Venue in Dumfries on January 31, with The Rooks providing support at both dates.
Singer songwriter Eve Goodman has been named as the Welsh ambassador and will perform at Caffi Isa in Mold on January 26, Tŷ Tawe in Swansea on January 30 and Cwtch Coffee in Pembroke on February 1.
Sybil Bell, founder and CEO of Independent Venue Week, said: “I’m incredibly proud that IVW continues to work with such inspiring artist ambassadors. These shows perfectly capture what the celebration is about, whether it’s Nova Twins returning to a venue that played a huge role in their journey, or Brògeal and Eve heading beyond the major cities to perform in music loving towns like Galashiels, Dumfries and Mold. That spirit is central to what we’re trying to do, and we’re so excited to see the 13th edition of IVW begin on January 26th.”
You can find the full list of participating venues and shows here.
Since the event began, more than one million tickets have been sold for Independent Venue Week shows, helping to shine a light on the challenges facing the live music sector. Last year, Gwenno and rEDOLENT acted as ambassadors for the campaign.
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