how can you love the art but not the artist? freedom of self.
how can you love the art but not the artist?
when last did you live on your own terms?
when last did you embrace your freedom?
Frank Ocean gave us freedom.
Be open to new experiences,
new ways of thinking,
a new mindset and a deeper sense of gratitude
and you’ll see more magical moments in your life.
You know what’s powerful?
Giving up your expectations of someone else and tuning it down to the minimum so you can fully experience the moment for what it is. So you can be free and open in a moment.
Like a baby, clueless on how any new experience is they jump in head first and based on their parents joy or fear or the overwhelming rush of emotions they can then navigate whether to cry or laugh or hide etc. But if they had expectations on what a banana should taste like, will they then be curious about the next fruit on their plate?
When I found out Frank Ocean was performing at Coachella, my only expectation was to see him perform, if he showed up at all. One thing i’ve always loved Frank Ocean for is how grounded he is in himself and his art. His vibe and music hasn’t changed significantly from the first time I discovered him over 10years ago. His work, his art is at a pace that produces memorable quality art that transcends time, generation, trends and the egotistical battles in music and beyond.
He is a genius and his work shows me the important quality of realness, truth and self confidence in what we claim we are great at or choose to do and be.
Truly, when it comes to art and the multiple ways we need to embrace freedom in our lives and in the lives of others, it boils down to our mindset and the expectations we hold for ourselves and others and the entitlement we place on other people.
If you want to be free in yourself, but turn to someone else to box them in, are you really free? do you fully understand what freedom is?
There were layers to my excitement and disappointment around his performance - I was excited my favorite artist would be on stage for the first time in years but I grew disappointed when Coachella wouldn’t be live-streaming his moment. I am only human. But I saw it as his art being protected and surely if I love him as much as I say I do, then I can respect that. So yh I was upset I couldn’t watch it live but that was the height of it.
I diligently set my alarm for 12:45am EST so I could watch his show if at all Coachella live-streamed it. Luckily there were good samaritans on ground who took it upon themselves to live stream the show on TikTok and Instagram. At 1am, he wasn’t on stage. The show was an hour late, but I was in bed still, 1am drifting in and out of sleep, hoping his voice would wake me up and keep me up. At about 2am, I caught a glimpse of a man in a blue hooded jacket singing on stage. I was in disbelief that it was actually him.
But man, when I fully realized it was him, all that filled me up was joy and excitement. Grateful for his life, for the moment and for the opportunity to hear his voice after so many years.
His performance was beautiful chaos and he said it himself - “ this is chaotic but fun”. It felt like his Endless video in real life, watching him in a raw moment, going with what felt right for him and his music . He made mention of his show being what his brother -Ryan, who passed, would’ve wanted as Coachella was one thing they would both go to even though Frank never really wanted to.
This context beautifully plays into how raw the moment must have been for him. and I believe that was the energy I felt when I watched his performance. It was a beautiful mix of his songs with different versions playing, him singing along and vibing to his own music and the in-betweens that were filled with letting his dj play, his security guard dance, other artists perform.
It was such an experience that only those fully open to the experience would have fully understood the gift of the moment. It was like being a part of the art that you’ve admired from a distance for so long and here it was in front of you. You were the art with him.
But we as consumers of music, constantly put expectations on the art and claim to love the artists. but who do we love more? and how can you love the art but not the artist and the way they choose to show up and perform?
He gave something so raw and unrehearsed that it felt like being in the studio with him, in his mind, in his bts moment. I was brought to tears feeling his energy and his grief and his joy and his presence. I was moved and inspired to live in my truth and rawness. Unfiltered, Unpolished by the expectations of those around me.
You can’t be someone else and be successful.
You can’t dim parts of you and be happy.
You can’t be anyone less than yourself and claim greatness.
Those that choose to be different, to be themselves, always have something the world wants. The confidence that they are enough and their best is worth all the praise.
He gave us black boy joy on stage, he gave us sorrow, he gave us something you’d experience at home listening to his albums. He gave himself and in a time when consumers are focused on trendy tiktok songs, their popular perfect artist who can sing and dance for hours or drop album after album after album. Frank Ocean does something that preserves art and freedom - he moves at his own pace. Unbothered by the trends, algorithms, money, fame and what not… he has created a space for his freedom and in that space his music will always transcend anything “predicted” or “expected” of him.
When you consider the difference between those that loved the moment and those that hated it, there’s a clear difference in the mentality towards art and the way the artist chooses to perform within that.
To love the art is to love the artist and to respect that the artist knows the best way to share their work and art with the world. And if the art is dictated by the spectators then it doesn’t become the work of the artist and it will eventually lose why it was so admired in the first place.
Frank Ocean’s work is so successful and timeless because he is the magic ingredient to his recipe. And we saw it over the weekend, how many artists can give you different versions of the songs you love and it still encapsulates the beauty of the first time you heard it?
That was a moment for the open-hearted and egoless to enjoy. It was a gift that I hope to one day experience and cherish.
There’s something about someone embracing their art and freedom that inspires a new way of life, a new way to experience life that gives more joy.
It was one of the best moments worth losing sleep over and I’m grateful for it.
If you are willing to spend money to see an artist, you should walk in with an open mind on how things can go in the realm of their performance. An hour late is annoying but nothing unusual. An artist give you something different from the norm is not the norm.
Be open to next experiences, new ways of thinking, a new mindset and a deeper sense of gratitude and you’ll see more magical moments in your life.
Frank Ocean is the future. A genius showing us the power of freedom of self in all that we do.
When last were you free to be yourself?
Like Frank Ocean says in Blonde:
“ Be yourself and know that that's good enough
Don't try to be someone else
Don't try to be like someone else
Don't try to act like someone else, be yourself
Be secure with yourself
Rely and trust upon your own decisions
On your own beliefs ”
how can you love the artist and forget his own words?
W,M
*had to reupload there was a glitch :)